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What Will Improve Your Results?

Brett Bowden
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What Will Improve Your Results?

What Will Improve Your Results?

What Will See Your Results Improve The Most? Is it racing or practice?

To answer this question I spoke with Skip Lissiman who has sailed a myriad of different boats from Pelicans through to Maxi boats with perhaps his greatest achievement being a part of the Australia 2 crew which won the America’s Cup in 1983.

Brett: the first question I had here was how important is practice to improve your sailing rather than time racing?

Skip: Well, practice is essential to upskill your crew and yourself, to get to a point where you’re capable of being competitive at racing.

We used to have this saying on the 12 Meter, the six Ps, “Perfect Practice Prevents Piss Poor Performance.”

So, the sum of it is don’t practice bad skills when you go out practicing. So, make a list of all of your weaknesses and practice those and use the time on the water to tick them off as you improve.

And so you use the practice time to work on your weaknesses and to get your crew working and your crew’s skills up to a point where you’re competitive on the racetrack. It’s important to do it but racing is also important to just make sure your skills…and work out what your weaknesses are so you can go back out and do some practice.

But use your practice time wisely so you don’t waste time and don’t over-practice. So don’t say, “We’re practicing all day.” Go out and do a two-hour session, come back in, work out what you’ve done, have a debrief, then go back out and maybe do another two-hour session the same day or another day.

But more than two hours at a time, you almost…you’re tapering off. You’re never really quite getting the real benefit of your practice time.

Brett: Now you mentioned the Ps. What do you reckon makes an effective practice session and how long should it take  You mentioned two hours is there any point in going out for a shorter time or a long time? Are there any things that maybe you should do that take longer or shorter? What Will Improve The Most?

Skip: You know, the old rule of thumb. When you get in a match race event, you go off and do match racing.

This is…you’ve got a maximum of one hour on the water so you’ve really got to try and work on using your time as wisely as you can. So two hours is a pretty generous amount of time to go and use on the water.

Don’t…and start your practice as soon as you jump in the boat almost if you’re really tight on time. So whether it’s roll-tacking on the way out through the marina or whether it’s, practicing your tacking skills or whatever it is. But once you jump in the boat, effectively switch on and use the time wisely.

So if you’re out there for four or five hours, then it can be quite tedious and you’re not really maximizing the benefit that you could over a shorter period of time.

Brett: And how important do you think it is to sail in other classes? Most of us have a focus on one particular class or other. Maybe you’re sailing a one-man boat or a two-man boat. Is it important, to sail in boats other than your own class or maybe even mix it up and sail with other people…sail other people’s boats within your own class?

Skip: The more sailing you do with other people, particularly people who are better than you, the more you’ll learn. And the more classes you sail, the better you’ll get a feel for what makes a boat work.

So, you know, I’ve lost count of how many different types of boats over the years I’ve sailed, everything from, dinghies to ocean racing boats to one design to match racing and you never stop learning.

So the better feel you get is by sailing different types of boats and getting a feel for what makes a boat go. And sailing just the one type of boat you get very entrenched in that particular style of boat.

But you won’t get that general basic innate knowledge of what makes a boat go until you sail plenty of boats and sail with plenty of different people and just try and work out from all the different people you sail with, particularly people better than you, what their take on a particular thing is.

You don’t necessarily have to agree with them all the time and, you know, I’m the first to admit I’m not always right. And I think most people would probably…good sailors would say the same thing.

So the more boats you…types of boats you sail, I would really encourage that. Particularly when you’re younger.

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What Is The Role of A Tactician?

Brett Bowden
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What Is The Role of A Tactician?

To many it seems like voodoo but What Is The Role of A Tactician?

Being the tactician on any boat is a high-pressure position with quick thinking being a pre-requisite so it’s not a job for the faint-hearted.

The Tactician is a Leader

A tactician must be a strong leader and must be a constant motivator. They are the eyes and ears on board so they must understand every aspect of the boat.

The tactician sets the pace on the boat and when they make the right calls the boat will perform better and the racing will be more fun for everyone. 

They need to be steady, and upbeat and should only speak when they have something to say. If they are not the owner, it is important to have a good relationship with them.

The tactician must understand and work with the different personalities in the team. A lot of skippers react better when given options with others only wanting advice after they ask for it.

Role Of The Tactician On The Boat 

The tactician does way more than choosing the boat’s route during a race, they also make final sail selections and call for crew rotations, so they must understand all characteristics of the boat.

It is important that the tactician has spent time steering the boat so that when a manoeuvre is called, they understand how long it will take, how the crew will perform and how the boat will react.

Different phases of the race require different duties and responsibilities so it is worth breaking the race down into segments. 

In the prestart, study the wind conditions, and current and select the favoured side of the course working with the trimmers to select the right sails for the expected wind range.

In the start sequence watch other boats and how they may affect you as the start time approaches, keep the helmsperson and crew appraised of what is happening and alert them to what you expect as each situation develops.

Once on the course after the start, appraise the team of what you are thinking so that their minds are completely engaged.

Another important job for the tactician once racing, is keeping the helmsperson focused by not letting idle chatter on the boat distract them from the job of steering.

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The Importance Of Being Consistent

Brett Bowden
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The Importance Of Being Consistent

Be Consistent in Big Fleets

Being consistent is especially important in big fleets where a small mistake can lose you plenty of places. With a large number of fast boats in an international championship, the chances of getting those places back is highly unlikely.

Great boat handling is particularly relevant and practice is an easy way to ensure that small but significant snafus don’t occur. Practice boatspeed and manoeuvres to ensure that in the heat of competition a weakness in either of these areas of sailing will not affect your end results.

Check your boat after every sail to look for items of gear that are wearing or need maintenance, having a gear failure can slow you down or finish your day altogether.

Consistency In Regattas

In many events, the boat that wins the regatta sailed consistently and finished in every race. Although they did not shoot the lights out, the aggregate of their score was enough to win.

For every venue that you sail at, be consistent with your preparation such as reading the weather forecasts, tidal observations, boat preparation and getting out on the water a good amount of time prior to the start.

Taking risks is rarely a great regatta-winning strategy and keeping with the fleet is generally the right tactic. Make sure that you keep out of trouble as well.

Regattas are won by continually sailing fast and heading in the right direction. You don’t have to beat every boat that you come across on the course.

Protests

Getting into a protestable situation is not smart, even if you think you are right, sometimes it makes sense to bail out. If you get into a duel with a gnarly competitor and boat damage can ruin your race.

Disqualification will not only ruin your consistency but it can affect your mindset negatively for future races.

Above all have a plan plus a backup should circumstances dictate the original was no longer relevant. This may be due to changing conditions or getting caught on the wrong side of the course. 

Staying calm when a plan goes pear-shaped means that you are able to make a rational change to plan B. Maintain consistent results don’t go off on a flier which generally only compounds the disaster.

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A Checklist For Successful Trimming

Brett Bowden
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A Checklist For Successful Trimming

A Checklist For Successful Trimming

Trimming sails is a challenging crew position that requires knowledge and experience. The trimmer also needs the ability to work with the rest of the crew.

The goal of The Trimmer

The goal of the trimmer is to get the boat to perform at peak efficiency and to use that speed to outsail the competition. A good trimmer must recognise changing conditions and react accordingly. They need to take weather, sea state and tactical position on the race course into account.

The best teams set themselves up for success long before leaving the beach or dock and the trimmer is an integral part of that team.

As a trimmer, have a good understanding of what the forecasted weather is likely to be. A good trimmer also updates this information when out on the course.

Trimmers On Board Responsibilities

Once on the boat, look around your area, make sure everything is in its place and sails are packed and stowed where they are readily accessible. All unnecessary gear must be removed to ensure that the boat is as light as possible.

Inspect the sheets, blocks, winches, handles, cleats and jammers for any issues. Carry a grab bag with duct or electrical tape, lube, markers, sail repair tape and tools. Carry energy bars and drinks (include spares where appropriate).

Spray all moving shackles and clips to ensure that they will not seize at a crucial moment, replacing any that are worn or bent. Make sure there are knots at the end of halyards, that all telltales on sails are intact, and the right sails are in the right bags.

Trimmer Works With  The Tactician

As a trimmer, you can be a valuable backup to the tactician, so read and memorise the sailing instructions. Carry a rule book and notice of race in a waterproof folder for reference where necessary.

Keep target boat speeds and note down what sails are required depending on wind strengths and sea state. Have this information written on a card, plus have it prominently displayed on the boat as a reference.

This is particularly important so that everyone can understand what sail should be set and when. Being able to refer to this means each crew member will be prepared as conditions change.

Trimming sails on a dinghy or being part of the crew on a Maxi is equally rewarding. Define the mission, set parameters, prepare your trimming area, stay focused and constantly review your fastest trim will make sure you are successful.

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Useful Tips For Racing Sailors

Brett Bowden
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Useful Tips For Racing Sailors

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Useful Tips For Racing Sailors to be at the front of the fleet.

Boat Preparation – Useful Tips For Racing Sailors

To win you must be the best prepared, and a lack of attention in this area can mean gear or boat breakages to be able to win you must be able to finish.

Beyond that, you must have competitive equipment, efficient systems and an excellent hull finish. Carry spares for things that can be repaired on the course. Carry tools that are needed to effect those repairs.

Financing an Event – Useful Tips For Racing Sailors

Look at your season and pick out the events that you would like to do. Work out whether you can attend each one and compete at the top level required with the finances you have available.

If you find that you are having to make the money stretch by scrimping on accommodation, food and equipment options, consider doing fewer events but dedicating more resources to those events.

You will find your stress levels will be reduced and the fun levels and your event success will greatly increase.

Mental Stamina – Useful Tips For Racing Sailors

Are you able to keep going when things get really tough or do you let frustration get the better of you? Sleep and diet are not only important for your physical well-being but they are important for your mental state as well.

When you train, work as hard as you would if you were racing. Eat and hydrate the same way as well. Many of us practice specific things but don’t push ourselves as hard as we would if we were racing.

If your class does 3 x 45 minutes races each day, some of your training sessions should be for the same amount of time. That way you build the necessary mental stamina to carry forward to race day.

Concentration – Useful Tips For Racing Sailors

In sailing, because there are so many variables, you are not able to concentrate on every variable all the time.

The best sailors pick the variables that need the most attention given the current course and conditions. They disregard the ones that won’t make much difference.

There are always plenty of distractions at your club, a regatta or around the boat park, try to concentrate on the day’s racing by thinking about the weather, the course and what you need to do to succeed.

Many top sailors I have spoken to use headphones prior to heading out on the water and play music suitable for the day to set the mood and block out unwanted distractions.

Keep a sailing Log – Useful Tips For Racing Sailors

All of us have plenty going on outside sailing so trying to remember settings that worked in particular conditions. This becomes especially tricky when you may not encounter those exact conditions again for many weeks or even months.

The act of writing things down helps your memory. Keeping a sailing diary enables you to refer to it to when you encounter the same conditions again. 

Body Weight – Useful Tips For Racing Sailors

Many boats and classes we sail have an upper crew weight limit or ideal weight for best performance and many competitors get involved in yo-yo dieting to meet those weight requirements.

Changes in weight need to be gradual and balanced otherwise it can affect your ability to perform at your peak.

In a class that has a particular weight range to be competitive is to be somewhere in the middle. Of course, this is dictated to a large extent by our physical size.

When choosing a class of boat to sail, select a boat matched to their natural size.

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Understand The Effects of Current

Brett Bowden
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Understand The Effects of Current

Firstly you must understand what current is, how it acts on your boat and its effect on wind speed and direction. How to Understand The Effects of Current

Currents are driven by three main factors:

  • The rise and fall of the tides. Tides create a current in the oceans, which are strongest near the shore, and in bays and estuaries along the coast.
  • Wind. Winds drive currents that are at or near the ocean’s surface.
  • Thermohaline circulation. the movement of seawater in a pattern of flow-dependent on variations in temperature, which give rise to changes in salt content and hence in density.

Current Characteristics and Causes:

Current is faster in deep water and slower in shallow water so sail out to deeper water when the current is with you and sail in shallower water when you are sailing against the current.

Sustained, strong breezes push water in the direction of the wind; when the wind subsides, the water flows in the opposite direction.
     

Pressure systems also create current and influence tidal flows. Lows increase the height of high tides and prolong flood currents; highs push the water away, which increases the strength and duration of low tides and ebb currents.

Current is strongest around prominent points and in narrow openings such as harbour mouths. There are usually back eddies on the down-current side of islands, shoals and points. 

When a tidal-induced current begins to change direction, it changes first along the shorelines and later in the mid- channel.

Working Out Current:

One way to predict what the current will be doing on the race course is to use published charts and tables. These give a fairly accurate guide to the velocity and direction of the current that is caused by tides.

Another way is to look at fixed marks or buoys like the starting pin. Be careful not to confuse wave action with current and anchored boats will also give you a good idea about current flow.

Another important clue about the current is the appearance of the water surface. When the current is flowing toward the wind, the water will be choppier than usual. When it’s flowing away from the wind, the water is smoother.

Look also for distinct lines of separation between different water surface textures.

Racing In Current: 

When starting a race in current, be sure you have a line sight to help you judge the position of the line. When the current and wind is going in opposite directions, you’re likely to end up with multiple recalls. This is a great time to start at the leeward end (assuming you want to go left) because it will be easy to make the pin.

However, don’t start right at the committee boat, because it’s too easy to get caught barging. And be careful not to be over early, since it will take a long time to get back against the current and re-start.

Current affects your course over the bottom and therefore changes the laylines to any windward or leeward mark. When the current is pushing you away from the layline, it’s easy to underlay the mark and lose distance by trying to pinch up to the mark. The safest route is to overstand slightly — this will keep you clear of the mess of other boats and eliminate the need to make extra tacks.


When the current is pushing you toward a layline, the biggest potential mistake is overstanding. Prevent this by approaching to leeward of the “normal” layline or by avoiding the starboard layline completely until you are almost at the mark.

Current on Reaches and Runs:

On reaches and runs, the current will usually cause you to sail a longer course than necessary. Stick to the rhumbline and gain valuable distance. The best way to do this is by using a land sight.

If you can see land behind the next mark, use this to set up a range so the mark stays in the same place against the land. In the absence of a land sight, use a compass bearing to the mark and steer a course so this bearing remains constant.

Myths Regarding Current:

There is no such thing as the lee-bow effect, if you are sailing upwind directly into the current, you can’t gain by pinching to get the current on your lee bow.

Another Myth is the belief that the direction of the current favours one tack over the other. As long as the current stays the same for all boats, it doesn’t matter whether you take the up-current or down-current tack first or last.

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Secrets For Going Fast Upwind

Brett Bowden
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Secrets For Going Fast Upwind

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These days, for those of us that race, we seem to be doing more and more short, windward-leeward races. The Secrets For Going Fast Upwind will help you to get to the first mark in great shape.

The importance of Good Speed On The Upwind Leg

Arguably the upwind leg, especially the first upwind is the most telling in where we end up at the finish.

Of course, the start is very important but next, it is how we perform getting to the first mark that gives us the best chance of success.

To help us understand how to tackle the upwind legs, I interviewed Noel Drennan. Noel is a hugely accomplished sailor with a number of round-the-world races under his belt. Plus a multitude of National, World and One Design championships with his name against them.

Noel is a senior Sailmaker with North Sails in Sydney Australia. I have copied part of that interview below.

  • What’s the most important trim adjustment when you’re going upwind with the velocity up and down?

Noel I think just as simple as it is, it’s just the main sheet, it does so much in all boats, dinghies to keelboats. The main sheet is the absolute key adjustment for the balance and trim.

  • I think you are the main sheet trimmer on the Alinghi RC 44?

Noel: Most of the boats I sail on, I’ve been somewhat pigeonholed into a main sheet trimmer position, essentially, I guess because I do a lot of steering. It’s quite often that if you’re steering and you don’t have a very good main sheet trimmer. The work with the balance of the boat more so than just the trim of the sail is key.

For me, that’s the difference between the better main sheet trimmers and headsail trimmers. Main sheet trimmers essentially trim the boat to the overall balance. More so than just looking at the mainsail and reporting “it looks good today.”

  • One of the things I’ve noticed with some keelboat crews is that they feel after it happens, that they are reactive rather than proactive.

Noel: I think that’s been a very important factor for my success that I have the dinghy feel, but I’ve sailed a lot on keelboats, so you’re feeling what’s happening with the boat, it’s loading up or unloading or the mainsheet’s too tight for acceleration, whatever it is.

On a keelboat, you’ll have your instruments package that will quantify that, but if you have the feel from previous dinghy sailing you will be ahead of the instruments and that’s what you need to be.

  • You hear often that you should always sail towards the next shift, is there a reason why you should sail towards the next shift?

Noel: Not really, but it does work out usually as an advantage, it really depends if it’s more likely to be a header on one side of the course or not. I don’t think it’s always a golden rule that you should sail towards the next shift. That’s because it might be a lift and you might end up being to leeward of everybody.

  • How do clouds influence your upwind strategy?

Noel: A pretty big part of it, I’ll always look up and look at the clouds, so if I was sailing in Melbourne, for sure I’d be looking for:

  1. The sea breeze clouds building on the land or
  2. With any sort of southerly or westerly, just the cloud formations out to sea, because you’d better be going upwind to them.

Because I’ve done a reasonable amount of ocean racing, and in the Volvo ocean race you sail with really good navigators and when they come up on deck and tell you “look at the cloud, go to the right-hand side of it and you’ll be lifted, or stay away from that one”

You learn what to stay away from or if it’s safe to go towards it, which side of the clouds you’re going to be lifted and which side you’re going to be headed, so I think it’s a pretty important thing to do.

  • Should you sail for puffs or shifts?

Noel: Essentially it’s a little bit to do with the boat. If it’s a boat like in an Etchells if you’re racing in six to eight knots, it’s wind speed. Over probably 10, it’s probably shifting. Downwind in a planing boat, I go for windspeed every time.

  • You’re going out for a training day, what should you practice uphill?

Noel: I like defining my practice time pretty clearly on what the goal is for that particular training period. Essentially, I like to go and say, practice starting and do nothing else but start.

Practice holding off somebody just on the hip more so than just straight-line sailing to see how fast you are. Essentially the more difficult things.

  • What do you look for when trimming upwind sails?

Noel: I’d probably just use the leech ribbons as a bit of a guide in certain conditions to make sure I’m not too over-trimmed. Look at the leech and the telltales in the middle of the sail. Camber-wise, see if they’re lifting or they’re stuck or flowing. Also, look at the backwind from the jib on the luff of the main.

If the backwind is down low in the main, the jib cars are too low or in too far. Try to work towards getting the even backwind across the luff of the main sail.

There are things that I would talk to the jib trimmer about. “Hey, we’ve got a lot of back wind up high” a blowback from the headsail. Those things create the environment for the two of you who are working together on the package. More so than trimming the individual sails.

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Recover From A Disastrous Start

Brett Bowden
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Recover From A Disastrous Start

It’s important to remember that a bad start is not the end of your day, patience and keeping a cool head will generally save you from a total disaster. You can recover from a bad start.

Look for a clean exit

If your start has gone wrong, don’t panic and look for a clean exit sooner rather than later.

Be patient though, a hasty change to your pre-determined plan without considering all options may actually place you in an even worse situation.

Two things that are critical to an effective recovery are that the helmsperson must continue to sail the boat as fast as possible all the while deciding where to get clean air.

Depending on your situation though, sheets should be trimmed for footing or pointing, you need to make decisions based on what you are seeing up the track.

If you find yourself in the second row, you need power because there is less wind and more chop. The backstay needs to be eased and Cunningham released. Then the jib leads need to be moved forward to get a fuller, more powerful headsail.

The Most Common Escape To Recover From A Bad Start

The most common escape starts with gentle pinching in an attempt to get above the boats to leeward , to do this, move the traveller up and sheet a tick or two tighter than the conditions require.

This cannot be maintained for too long though and the desired result is an escape to clean air. The goal being to find a lane in which you can live in for at least two minutes.

If you need to tack for clearer air, make sure there is no one that will tack on your wind. Watch the boats around you for crew movement that may indicate a change in their direction that will affect you.

Once you have a clear lane and are now going in the planned direction, look at the fleet to see if that plan is falling into place and if not be prepared to alter the plan to suit.

If you have a bad start near the weather end it is easy to tack away to clear. Then tack back again as soon as there is a lane if you are looking to go left.

Recover from A Poor Start Midline

A poor start in the middle of the line in more difficult to extricate yourself from and generally occurs when you are late due to line sag or when a port tack boat tacks under you and establishes a lee bow.

Generally, it is a mistake to foot off below the boat on your lee bow. Conversely do not tack too early because you will then have to dip the boat to weather. That boat then has a chance to tack on your air.

If you have to bail out at the leeward end there are few options. Clearing out to the right is rarely an option as you will have the bulk of the fleet on starboard.

If you are at the pin end and your plan was to head left, crack off a little to get speed and get to clear air as soon as possible.

Cracking off for clear air, generally only works if there are a small number of boats below you. It will take an eternity to reach clear air if in fact you ever do.

If you are forced to bail out, be patient and wait for the proper clear lane to get right. All the time keeping the boat moving fast.

Once on Port tack, you can look for another lane to tack back to the left.

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Use Your Eyes When Sailing

Brett Bowden
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Use Your Eyes When Sailing

Use Your Eyes When Sailing. Using your eyes effectively whilst racing takes plenty of discipline and practice.

Work Out What You Are Looking For

First, you need to ascertain what it is that you are looking for, is it a mark, a puff coming towards you and does that puff look like it is a lift or header.

It may just be simply a case of working out where you will be situated when you meet competitors coming together on opposite tacks. 

Whichever the case may be, you must learn how to visualise ways you can turn what you see into an offensive or defensive manoeuvre.

If you are back in the fleet, you need to analyse how you can work your way through the boats ahead.

Think about what staying on the lifted tack may do and what that may mean as you approach a mark, a small gain here may put you in a world of pain as boats come together further up the track.

Might the better tactic be to take a short dig on a knock but which will mean that you are in a better position approaching the mark compared to the boats you are racing.

Train Your Eyes

The best way to train your eyes is to spend more time on the water and there is no substitute to having been in that situation before and having the experience to interpret it and respond accordingly.

 A good pair of Sunglasses are essential because they heighten the contrast made by the ripples on the water of an approaching puff and they help you also see the direction that the puff is moving.

Get used to looking for all things that are coming at you no matter whether they are puffs, waves or other boats.

Be Actively Looking Ahead

Be actively looking ahead and around the course and avoid simply staring at the bow as it goes through the water or the sails and telltales.

The simple message is to keep your eyes out of the boat and be continually evaluating the ever-changing chess board of wind, waves and boats on your racetrack.

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Sailing Gold Medalist Tips

Brett Bowden
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Sailing Gold Medalist Tips

Who better to get help with boat speed issues than Mat Belcher, current Olympic Gold medallist in the 470 class from Tokyo 2021. Olympic Gold Medalist Tips For Boatspeed and Changing Gears

I have copied below excerpts from an interview that I did with Mat in 2017 while he was waiting at the airport to travel to yet another overseas regatta.

Brett: Where would you look to change gears, before or after a puff hits? If you can see a puff coming towards you, do you start to make a few changes before or wait until it gets there?
 
Mat: Yeah, we do, we’re constantly…and I don’t know whether, I guess, my experience in this kind of thing is so relevant across classes because we’re constantly changing gears.

Every five seconds we’re doing something, whether the gust is approaching, just before the gust, during the gust, after the gust, or during the lull.

I think the gusts are very important but equally important is also the lull.

 That’s quite critical…and usually, that’s actually where you lose most of your opportunity to gain is actually during the lull and responding in time to make sure that you’re continuing the speed that you’ve harnessed, all the power, and really trying to get through that lighter period.
 
Brett: So how do you power up and power down with special reference to the order you do things in? What’s the best way to power up? 
 
Mat: It’s really quite boat-specific… Gold Medalist Tips

I think you’ve got the usual basic controls. You’ve got your out haul, you’ll let your Cunningham off, you’ll let all the vang off, and you can put your centreboard down, you can put your jib track forward.

There are so many different things, and depending on your boat if you can control your rake, you can maybe bring your rake up to match.

You can move forward a little bit in the boat. You can also possibly move your main sheet bridle a little bit more to windward. 

Brett: There’s a lot to remember, and I guess it all comes back to that time in the boat. It all needs to become second nature, you don’t have to think about it.  The other thing is having a system that works properly…
 
Mat:  Gold Medallist Tips For Boatspeed & Changing Gears – We talked about time, that’s a critical part. Spending time in the boat, but it’s also your understanding.

So typical…for me, it’s typically that I sail a lot of different classes, and when we have discussions about what different controls do on the boat, it surprises me that a lot of people just don’t know.

They don’t know when they pull that rope, what’s the effect or what’s that going to do?

It’s very difficult if you’re in a racing environment and the gust is very short, to do all these controls.

If you don’t know what it’s going to do, that’s quite a limitation.

Typically when you buy a new dishwasher, or you’re buying something, you don’t read the manual. I don’t read the manual at all.

My wife always tells me that “You got to read the manual, how do you know how to put it together?”

It’s the same when you get a boat for the first time or you’re sailing a 505 for example.
 You’ve got to really know and have the feel and play around, and just use all the controls and see what they do, and then you’ve got a much better ability with your added understanding of them.

Practice, keep changing.

Brett: What are some of the common mistakes you see racing sailors make when they change gears? Gold Medalist Tips

Mat: Different people obviously make different mistakes. I think trying to stick to the basics is critical. Make sure you’re doing things you know and know you can do well and quickly.

That would probably be depending on whatever level you are at. Make sure that you do the basics. The basics is just changing the vang tension. Then transitioning to your Cunningham and then maybe your centre board.

In a two-person boat, look at your weight control fore and aft in the boat. Just do the simple things right, you can’t really go wrong.

If you have the time and more experience, then you can really start to refine that. To get that extra meter or extra half a meter. The basics, from what I see most commonly, is that people are just trying to look at the small details.  They over-complicate it without actually doing the simple things.

Brett: If you had to help somebody in the middle or towards the back of the fleet most of the time, what is the one thing you would say to them that they need to do to start moving up the leaderboard?

Gold Medallist Tips For Boatspeed & Changing Gears – Preparation.

Focusing on your boat preparation or your crew preparation. The biggest thing for me is that you come to an event and everything’s already done.

It’s the work that…I guess at our level, is done outside of the racing environment.

Next, it’s preparation, it’s the sail testing, it’s the time in the gym, it’s where you stay in the accommodation, it’s the training coming into it, the loading, and really looking at the detail.

Then it’s usually things you can’t see that actually make the difference, and for me it’s just preparing, preparing well.

#sailingtowin #sailing #yachtrace #sailcoach #sail #sailboatrace
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