Competitive sailing eliminates the illusion of control. Racers cannot command wind direction, wave height, or weather systems. Victory depends on interpreting environmental signals correctly, positioning boats strategically, and executing tactical shifts while pursuing predetermined race objectives.
Amit Singh competed for India in the 1996-97 Cadet Sailing World Championship at Mumbai, racing against international competitors at age 12. Today, as Managing Director at Carret Private Capital in Hong Kong, Singh draws from sailing lessons to guide ultra-high-net-worth clients through financial market volatility.
“When you can’t really change the wind, you just adjust your sails,” Singh explained. “You focus more on what can be done on your end, how you can make your everyday count and improve yourself, that’s something you can be a hundred percent sure of.”
This framework shapes Singh’s portfolio management philosophy across market cycles. Like wind patterns, financial volatility arrives without warning but responds to preparation and positioning rather than emotional reactions or wishful thinking.
Environmental Analysis and Market Intelligence
Sailors cultivate sensitivity to atmospheric changes before instruments detect shifts. Cloud patterns, wind angles, and water surface conditions telegraph approaching weather systems. Singh applies comparable observational discipline to financial markets, hunting early indicators of regime changes.
“Every day you go out there, it’s a new day,” Singh said, describing both sailing and investment disciplines. “What you did yesterday doesn’t really matter. It’s all about today. So are you ready? Are you putting in the work? Are you improving yourself?”
Economic cycles mirror weather patterns in their certainty and timing uncertainty. Expansions eventually yield to contractions, just as calm conditions give way to storms. Seasoned practitioners prepare for both scenarios rather than extrapolating current conditions indefinitely.
Singh’s fixed-income strategy, launched in December 2022, exemplified this preparation. When Credit Suisse failed in March 2023, widespread selling created openings for disciplined buyers. Singh’s team acquired quality Additional Tier 1 bonds from European banks at depressed prices while competitors abandoned risk assets entirely.
“That was a good time for us to shop,” Singh said. “We bought some good bonds, and we managed to get some really outsized returns because of that call.”
Strategic Discipline Through Market Storms
Racing sailors cannot sidestep rough weather but can ready boats and crews for adverse conditions. Portfolio managers confront parallel imperatives when markets turn volatile. Singh’s methodology emphasizes strategic consistency combined with tactical flexibility.
“Don’t get too excited in good times. Don’t get too scared in bad times,” he counsels clients experiencing market swings. This guidance reflects competitive sailing lessons, where emotional responses generate poor tactical choices and compromised outcomes.
COVID-19’s March 2020 market disruption tested these principles. Equity indices dropped 20-40% within weeks as pandemic lockdowns paralyzed economic activity. Clients sought explanations for portfolio losses while scrutinizing past investment choices. Singh advocated maintaining discipline over reactive repositioning.
“That’s a time you should be going out there and sort of building nice portfolios of names that you really like because that’s where you get excellent bargains,” he advised clients. Apple shares, which fell dramatically during the selloff, subsequently generated strong returns for clients who held or added positions.
Crew Coordination Under Stress
Elite sailing requires precise teamwork among crew members working toward shared goals. Singh’s dinghy racing experience involved two-person boats where communication breakdowns or strategy conflicts guaranteed failure.
“Any differences in opinion, thinking, or different strategies will only lead to confusion and will slowly go down,” Singh explained. “The boat needs to go from point A to point B in the most efficient way. For that to happen, everything needs to be in exactly the position you want it to be.”
Investment teams face comparable coordination demands. Committee members must reach consensus on allocation decisions while individual managers execute within established parameters. Contradictory signals or competing objectives undermine performance as certainly in markets as in racing.
Singh extends this principle to multigenerational client relationships. First-generation wealth creators prefer conservative approaches while their children pursue higher returns through equity exposure. Success requires aligning family members around common objectives rather than allowing internal tensions to drive decisions.
“The fine line between not upsetting any of those generations and still being the best friends in terms of understanding how they operate, what they behave, how they behave in different times,” Singh said, describing multigenerational wealth management challenges.
Tactical Flexibility Within Strategic Boundaries
Competitive sailors modify sail trim, adjust course headings, and reposition crew weight, responding to conditions while maintaining overall race plans. Singh employs parallel flexibility in portfolio construction, making tactical moves without abandoning long-term frameworks.
Current market dynamics illustrate this approach. Equity markets have advanced approximately 35-40% since April’s correction, generating investor enthusiasm for additional exposure at elevated valuations. Singh recommends profit-taking over risk addition.
“Your portfolio is already doing so well. Why do you want to add more risks at this point instead of considering booking some profits, raising some cash, and waiting for some opportunities to come across,” he advised clients.
This tactical shift reflects altered conditions rather than a changed strategy. Like sailors reducing sail area before storms, portfolio managers should decrease risk exposure after significant gains while preserving core allocations aligned with client goals.
Performance Analysis and Continuous Improvement
Sailing improvement demands post-race analysis, identifying tactical mistakes, and refining techniques for future competitions. Singh applies similar analytical discipline to investment choices, studying successful and unsuccessful trades to enhance decision frameworks.
“Focus is more on getting more rights than wrongs,” he said. “I would be much happier if I got right 55% of the time. I’m happy.”
This outlook reflects sailing’s emphasis on consistency over spectacular results. Races are won through accumulated marginal gains rather than single dramatic maneuvers. Portfolio management follows comparable patterns, where steady returns over extended periods exceed occasional significant gains followed by losses.
Singh completed marathons in Amsterdam (October 2024) and Delhi (February 2025), finishing the Delhi race despite managing an IT band injury. These experiences reinforce persistence and preparation lessons applicable to sailing and investment management.
“It’s amazing, like how one underestimates their ability,” Singh said about completing the Delhi marathon injured. “It’s crazy what you can achieve when you put your mind and soul to it.”
Signal Recognition Amid Information Overload
Experienced sailors focus on relevant environmental data while filtering distractions that compromise judgment. Wind shifts matter more than competitor positions; weather patterns deserve greater attention than spectator noise.
Financial markets generate comparable information excess. Economic releases, earnings reports, and geopolitical events create constant stimulation that can distract from fundamental analysis and strategic positioning.
“Noise is a distraction,” Singh said. “It’s important to single out the signals from the noise and focus on those instead of being easily influenced by external factors.”
This filtering capacity becomes essential when volatility accelerates information flow and intensifies emotional responses. Singh’s sailing foundation provides a structure for concentrating on controllable variables while accepting uncertainty about external forces.
“When you have that mindset, it becomes much easier to single out the signals from noise. Stay the course. Embrace hardships, embrace hard times because that’s where the real learning and growth happens,” he said.
Market disruptions regularly test these principles. Singh’s methodology combines technical analysis with psychological conditioning, much like sailors studying weather data while preparing mentally for challenging conditions. Success in both domains requires preparation to meet opportunity when favorable circumstances eventually emerge.