Sailing To Win Blog!

Strategy and Tactics

Strategy and Tactics

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04/01/2023

I have copied below excerpts from an interview I did on Strategy and Tactics with Australian sailing legend Rob Brown. Rob was a crew member on Australia 2 when they won the Americas Cup in 1983, breaking the longest winning streak in sporting history.

Rob was also multiple 18 foot skiff world champion amongst the impressive sailing back catalogue achievements. He has excelled in one-design and offshore events so understands strategy and tactics better than most.

Brett – With regard to strategy and tactics, what do you and your crew do in terms of on water tactics? Do you call all the tactics or do you get feedback from your crew? What are the roles of the people?

Rob: Okay. I think, assuming I am the tactician, obviously I’d be calling the tactics and receiving input from various sources throughout the boat.

If I was steering a boat, I would be principally concentrating on steering the boat as fast as I possibly can and relying on the eyes and ears of my crew to call the tactics.

If there’s indecision, to be able to feed information back to me and involve me in the process of making the decision.

Brett – Often tactics involve a bit of discussion and you don’t want to start having an argument or a philosophical discussion with your crew, you want to get some pretty good feedback.

Rob: If you’re steering the boat, your principal job is to steer the boat as fast as possible. If you’re going in the wrong direction, that’s not really your problem.

You rely on your wind callers and your strategists who are giving you feedback, like where you are on the course relative to your opposition.

I remember when I was sailing Etchells, and a lot of this goes on when I was steering. He would say we’ve got 15% of the fleet below us and we’ve got 85% of the fleet above us or on our right or on our left. That gave me a mental picture where we were.

So while I’m steering the boat, I’m saying are we hedging our bets a little bit too far to the left or should we consider any opportunity to get back in touch with the rest of the fleet on our right.

Brett – Would you say to the tactician, is there any obvious advantage to stay out here or should we be getting back to the fleet?

Rob: If everything is going fine and you’re happy, I wouldn’t say anything. But if there was any hesitation or the boat was starting to go quiet, that alarm bell would ring in my head, hang on, things aren’t looking as good as what they thought earlier.

Brett – In that situation, who does what and what are their key activities?

Rob: It really comes down to the skill set of the personnel you’ve got on board. The main sail crewman who’s looking in the boat is part of the speed team and he’s interacting with you to make the boat go fast.

It’s a lot easier for the main sheet trimmer to look at and view the compass and he basically calls five up five down, ten up ten down, whatever. So that gave us an input on where we were heading.

Then the forward hand would give you the wind calls. The gusts coming onto the boat. Gust in four three two one on you now. Then he would also be the swivel neck looking around, analyzing where the boats were, opportunities to cross people.

So he is more involved in the tactics on the boat. But it really comes down to the skill sets of the people you’ve got onboard.

Brett – I heard a very successful skipper say that they felt their crew was 75% of the reason that they ended up where they did, what do you think of that statement?

Most definitely. I think having roles and responsibilities on your boat and having confidence and backing the decisions that are made in front of you.

I think where a lot of people come unstuck is where there’s indecision. It’s better to make a decision than no decision at all. If it doesn’t work out, let’s face it, we’re dealing in a pretty interesting environment where we’re dealing with something we can’t see. We’re just looking at indicators, compass, gusts on the water, or waves.

And we’re dealing with nature. So everyone who’s had any good results would know you make mistakes and it’s really how you recover after making mistakes.

I think that the important thing is to back the judgment of the people on board and live by it. Don’t question it.

Brett – What’s the one strategy a sailor who wants to improve should concentrate on above all else?

Rob: I tend to think if you’re not 100% sure on your strategy of whether the right or the left is going to pay, I generally look at where the main opposition are setting up on the start line.

If your top three or four competitors are pushing towards the boat end, in the last couple of minutes, you know that they want to start at the right end of the line and probably go right. So you use that as a bit of input.

You don’t want to go out there to just follow people, but if you’re not sure, hedge your bets and go with the good guys.

Ingredients of Success

Brett Bowden

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28/12/2022

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With many of us in the Southern Hemisphere getting ready to head off to National championships and the Sydney to Hobart big boats already finished I thought it was a great time to re-post good mate David Dellenbaugh’s article, Ingredients of Success.

As I have mentioned before, Dave’s website https://www.speedandsmarts.com is the best resource that I have found on the internet for sailors of all levels that want to improve their sailing results.

Dave writes: In order to be successful at racing, a sailor must have a wide range of skills. Consider the America’s Cup, for example. In a serious campaign, the actual sailing is only a small part of the program, perhaps as little as 10-20%. The rest is spent raising money, designing and building the boat, getting in shape, repairing the boat, and so on.

A lot of people have pointed out that Dennis Conner is not the world’s best helmsman; however, he is right up there when it comes to planning and executing America’s Cup campaigns.

SAILING TO WIN BOOK AND BONUSES

There are basically five areas where the typical sailor must concentrate in order to improve her or his racing performance: Preparation, Boat handling, Boatspeed, Strategy, and Tactics.

Preparation —

Preparation includes everything you must do before your race committee blows the first gun. Among the most important elements of preparation is making sure your boat will hold together. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen a race lost because of a breakdown.

All your blocks, lines, cotter pins, etc. should be checked to ensure that they are in good working order. Regular maintenance, cleaning, and replacement of worn parts are essential.

Careful preparation of your underwater surfaces is also very important. The hull, centerboard, and rudder should be clean, smooth, and fair. Fill in nicks and gouges so you minimize disturbances in the water flow.

Organization —

Organization is an all-encompassing term that is integral in sailboat racing. How will we get the boat there? Do we have all the pieces? Spare parts? Tools? When do we have to be ready to sail? Where will we stay? Who’s in charge of the food? Do we have our lifejackets? sails? paddle?

In my sailing, I use several checklists to make sure I don’t forget anything. This lets me concentrate more on the actual racing.

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Boat handling —

Boat handling refers to how the skipper and crew handle their boat in maneuvers like tacks, jibes, mark roundings, spinnaker work, etc. Large gains (and losses) can be made during these maneuvers and again, practice is the key.

The various boat handling maneuvers should become second nature so that you can concentrate on the race around you. Imagine rounding the windward mark in first place with the rest of the fleet right on your heels. POP! Your crew expertly sets the spinnaker, it fills and off you go on a plane, leaving the fleet in your wake to battle for second.

Without the ability to execute this perfect set, you would have a lot of company for the remainder of the race.

Crew training should be a big part of pre-race preparation since it is usually too hectic in the middle of a race to discuss calmly the best way to take down the spinnaker. Set up times when you won’t be racing where you can concentrate on practicing new maneuvers and smoothing out any boat-handling areas that have given you trouble in recent races.

Boatspeed —

As you get more racing experience, you may notice that the top sailors not only get good starts and have good boat handling, etc. they are also just plain fast. This boat speed comes from a combination of variables such as rig tuning, sail trim, steering technique, boat preparation, etc.

Rig tuning refers to the position of your mast and the tension of the shrouds and backstay. These factors control mast bend and, in turn, affect the shape and efficiency of the sails. Subtle changes in sail trim controls such as sheets, leads, outhaul, cunningham, and vang will also optimize your sails for the conditions.

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The ability to steer a boat well, especially in wavy or choppy conditions, is one of the secrets to good speed and also takes much practice. Knowing when and how much to head up or off to avoid a wave, or how to trim the sails when you can’t avoid a wave is a fine art.

Other factors affecting boat speed include the fairness of the hull and foils (no weeds or barnacles here!), minimizing windage (especially in the rigging), and sailing in clear, undisturbed air (away from other boats).

Don’t worry if this seems overly complicated at first. You can always get general guidelines for tuning your rig and trimming your sails from class members, sailmakers, or magazine articles. As you become more familiar with your boat and are more competitive in your racing, you can begin to experiment with boat speed variables on your own.

Strategy —

Strategy is your plan for how to get around the race course as fast as possible. When formulating a strategy, you have to consider wind, current, and sea conditions. For example, you want to figure out if there is a pattern in the wind. Is it shifting back and forth (oscillating) or is it gradually shifting in one direction (persistent)? Where is the most wind? What is the weather (and wind) forecast?

Current can also play an important role in your strategy. Sailing in the S.O.R.C. (Southern Ocean Racing Conference) off the east coast of Florida, it can often be advantageous to sail a much longer course to get out to the Gulf Stream which may be pushing you northward at up to four knots! Knowing the direction and strength of the current on all parts of the course is valuable information.

Sea conditions are often an overlooked aspect of strategy. Does one side of the course have smoother water? Does rougher water indicate a more favorable current, a longer fetch for the seas to build up, or shallower water? Part of your preparation before a race is to accumulate this information so you will have a game plan to follow once the race has begun.

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Tactics —

Tactics are the tools you have for executing your strategy in a fleet of boats. The object is not to let other boats get in the way of your plan. Some of the questions you must deal with continually are: How do you position yourself relative to the other boats?

Can you control where your closest competitors go or prevent them from getting toward the favored side? How can you minimize your risks? What rules take effect when boats come together?

There are books and articles galore on tactics, but the best experience is lots of racing and observation. You will gradually build up your own repertoire of tactical moves for each situation that arises.

Use Your Jib Telltales

Setting Sails and Boat Tuning

Brett Bowden

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22/12/2022

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Use your jib telltales – these give clues to your boat’s sail trim in different conditions. Nothing is more reliable or true than these yarns or fabric strips as a guide to good sail trim.

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What the telltales tell us.

Both telltales flowing, known as full flow is good when underpowered. When your windward telltales are dancing, this is good in overpowered conditions.

Stalled windward telltales is bad and means the sail is out too far and as a result you are not fast. Either trim in to get both streaming or the driver should steer down.

Telltales are a great guide for the helmsperson to steer by and the trimmer uses them to help trim the jib more effectively. With the tell tales at the upper luff flowing, this shows that the jib car is placed correctly fore and aft. When the upper luff telltales are streaming, it shows you have the right amount of twist and or power for the conditions.

With a perfect twist, all luff telltales up and down the sail will break evenly.

The jib leech tell tales show how tightly the sail is trimmed, too tight and the tell tale stalls. The trimmer will ease the sail out until the tell tale flows 90-100 percent of the time, this is what you should be aiming for.

Sailboat races are won through fast sail trim and precision steering. Using the tell tales effectively can help you do both.

SAILING TO WIN BOOK AND BONUSES

Tell tale Placement.

Place the port and starboard telltales offset slightly and have the starboard side about 25 to 40 millimeters higher than the port. On most jib materials, use green for the starboard side and red for the port side. On black or darker-colored headsails, white telltales work best.

Use a row of three to five short telltales for the steering telltales. This gives you information about where the flow is attached to the front of the jib. For the other luff telltales, a single set per location is adequate. placed 10 to 20 percent back from the luff.

Leech telltales tell us how the wind is exiting the jib and they are key indicators of leech stall. Place leech telltales 15 to 30 percent down from the head.

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CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY TO STARTING WELL

Starting

Brett Bowden

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14/12/2022

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Consistency is the key to starting well and having a great regatta.

This article is written by highly accomplished international sailing coach and good mate Adrian Finglas.

Many regattas are won and lost in the final few seconds before a start. This is due to high risk moves, teams that are on edge and worried about others and not their team.

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Clear communication

This is critical during the start process to make sure all team members are aware of the strategy for the start. I am a big believer the starting process must be repeatable and low risk so you get an outcome that gets you going in the race.

How many times have we seen teams battling it out for a high-risk end of a start line. They slightly miss judge the timing and are left head to wind?

I have found, especially in keel boats; the port approach gives you consistency and is relatively low risk especially in big fleets.

When you approach the start line on port you can see the whole fleet as well as the gaps and density of boats is clear. We are always trying to start in the low density areas. This gives you clean air and water as well as less psychological stress.

High density areas are full of the risk takers and the screamers calling all the rules and regulations adding unnecessarily to your stress.

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The beauty of the Port approach

You can see the gaps and opportunities opening as you sail up the line from the pin end. Depending on fleet size and experience you should be on port with 2 minutes to go.

During the sail up on port, keep a close eye out on the second row o starboard tackers.

As you sail up the line the key is to look for a big enough gap to tack into. Often the starboard tack boats are luffed up and going slow. In this case it’s easy to judge a nice slow tack in below a starboard tacker.

As you are approaching a starboard tack boat it’s important you aim towards the middle of their boat. If you aim at their bow then tack, you will be bow forward and risk being over the line.

The game is to tack under as close to the starboard boat as possible then match their progression forward. If they accelerate, you do the same, just keeping your bow slightly forward.

The art after you are on starboard, and inside the last 30 seconds, is to slow the boat above you by luffing. If you can slow their progression at 20 seconds with a hard luff this is a key defensive move.

Once the weather boat has slowed and you are inside 20 seconds, you can now concentrate on getting your bow down. Accelerating towards the line leaving them luffed and slow.

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Starting consistently

is a real art which requires you to remain alert to your opponent’s moves. I always say, “starting is like boxing – if you stand flat footed you will get hit”.

To get a good start you must move your eyes to watch all the small attack and defend moves. Lining up on port gives you the ability to watch the fleet and look for holes on the start line.

BE A BETTER CREW

Crewing and Teamwork

Brett Bowden

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07/12/2022

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There are some attributes common to all top crews and each crew position has its own specific responsibilities and needs a particular skill set. Every team benefits from simple things like proper preparation and better fitness.

Some of the most valuable lessons we learn come through switching roles and only then can you appreciate what each crew member encounters when called upon to act.

I have listed below some of the things that will ensure that you are a valuable team member on your boat.

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Physical Fitness –

Physical fitness improves mental focus, especially as the day and/or week wears on in a regatta. Out-of-shape sailors are slow to recover when things go wrong. Maintaining a reasonable level of fitness makes it easier to change your weight as required in different boats. You can do this without sacrificing your health.

Be Prepared –

Have a look at the forecast before leaving home and only bring the gear necessary for the days racing. Come with a roll of tape, a sailors knife and a few spare pieces of rope to carry out emergency repairs.

Start Racing When You Get to the Boat –

By that I mean rig the boat, prepare the necessary gear for the days racing. Get your head in the race early and don’t waste time with idle chatter not related to the days event. The advantage of this is that you will have time if something is missing or out of place to fix it rather than a last minute panic which could cost you the race.

New Crew Member –

When there is a new person or two onboard, take time to familiarise them with what you expect them to do. Tell them how the communication works on the boat and get out on the course early to practice a few manoeuvres.

STW BOOK and BONUSES

Trust Your Teammates –

Trust your teammates so that you can focus on doing your job. Don’t hesitate to point out something that looks wrong, but make sure your area is locked down first. The trimmer who watches the bowman’s every move isn’t looking at his sail enough.

Adapt –

You might not always agree with the tactician or the helmsperson, but save the debate for later. Adapt to whatever call is made, and focus what you can do to make the best of the current situation.

Be Proactive –

Move your weight before the skipper asks and listen to the calls for puff and lull and slide your weight in and out accordingly.

Communication –

When operating outside your standard playbook, step up the communication. For instance, to handle a particularly nasty set of waves, a trimmer might say: “I’m easing a lot for this set of waves.”

If you need to go to leeward, or to the bow, to fix something in full-hike conditions, make sure everyone is aware before you move. Allow the driver to pick the best time for you to go.

Crews Need A Thick Skin –

Skippers anxiety level often correlates to their limited view of the course. Snapping back only makes matters worse. Focus on fixing things and doing your job. Don’t take it personally, and stay confident in your capabilities.

STW BOOK and BONUSES

Observe the Competition –

If the boat isn’t going well, look for differences in nearby boats that are going well. It might be something as simple as a different angle of heel or differing mainsail twist.

Know the Race Plan –

Tactics won’t matter if people are unsure of the plan or a call comes too late. This is most critical for the bowman, because of the physical separation to the call makers and the ramifications of a breakdown on the bow. When in doubt, pass the information up the rail in a calm manner.

The bowman has to take charge if things are coming down to the wire. They ultimately have the best sense of what can and cannot be done in time, and has to be willing to say: “You need to make a call now.”

Debrief –

Regardless of where you finish, it’s useful to break down what worked and what didn’t. Frame the discussion into something specific that you can improve on.

The race you have just completed is history; the key is how you can use that experience to improve future results.

Simplify Your Tactics

Strategy and Tactics

Brett Bowden

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30/11/2022

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Simplify your tactics – Every sailor has bad days and when debriefing after the days event many competitors realise that if they had not tried to be too fancy, the end result would have been better.

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Keep Your Thinking Process Simple –

Sailing as a sport is complicated enough without concentrating on the wrong aspects of a race which in turn leads to missed opportunities.

The winners look at the same variables as you but simply sift through them better.

Some examples –

You have sailed up a work, stayed in the pressure and tacked on every relevant shift. You extended your lead only to sail well past the layline and let those behind you tack inside and beat you to the rounding.

2. At a start your strategy is to go right but a boat on your hip is pinning you down. You try to out speed them and continue left only to lose the fleet who have tacked off to the right and have extended away. Trying to beat this one boat was not worth the fight.

3. You battled for the inside at the leeward mark, only to round with the jib half up and the spinnaker half down. Wouldn’t it have been better to take the spinnaker down earlier and give up a small amount of distance for an in control rounding?

Ask yourself Two things –

Are you taking risks that aren’t necessary?
Am I doing the right thing now?

Don’t let frustration or anxiety cause you to take risks that aren’t warranted. If the strategy is to go right, get there. If it was correct, it won’t matter that you ducked a couple of boats.

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Focus On The Basics –

When practicing, work on your boatspeed and two boat training is one of the best ways to tune your boat. There is nothing worse than nailing the start and picking every shift only to be nowhere at the next mark.
You must have good, reliable equipment, know how to use it and have a smooth hull finish with the right crew weight for your chosen class.
Are your sails from the loft that is the most successful in your fleet?
Work out and record the best settings for light and heavy air, flat and bumpy water.

Be a student of the weather, watch the clouds during the race and be aware of tide changes and currents.

Get out on the course early to learn the range of the wind shifts and plan a strategy for the racing ahead.

You need a good reason to separate from the fleet –

There are correct reasons to tack away though. Can you make a gain or limit a loss or position yourself to minimise risk? Don’t let laziness or lack of confidence in your crew work keep you from tacking or gybing when the time is right.

The less confident you are the more you should be on the same tack as most of the boats around you. Only if you’re confident that the shift will go your way should you split more. That’s managing the risk.

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A simple strategy rule –

Being on the closest tack to the mark doesn’t make it the correct tack all the time. Many top sailors put a priority on staying away from the laylines until the end of the leg especially when the wind is fairly shifty.

A quick way to confirm this basic strategy is to look for the mark. If it’s within a few degrees of the bow, you have a strong reason to stay put.

If the mark’s over your shoulder, however, you have a strong reason to tack. Generally, the closer tack to the mark carries the smaller risk for failure.

Sail Trim Rules of Thumb

Setting Sails and Boat Tuning

Brett Bowden

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23/11/2022

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Sail Trim Rules of Thumb by good friend David Dellenbaugh www.speedandsmarts.com

One objective when you’re out sailing is to trim your sails efficiently so you get the best performance from your boat. To do this, it’s helpful to have some quick, dependable sail trim references. These will give you maximum performance with a minimum of effort.

SAILING TO WIN BOOK & BONUSES

Mainsail – Upwind

1) End of boom near the centerline — Trim the main in all the way so the end of the boom will be somewhere between the boat’s centerline and the leeward corner of the transom.

2) Top batten parallel to boom — When the main is trimmed, the top batten should be roughly parallel to the boom. You can gauge this by sighting up from under the boom. If the batten hooks to windward, ease the mainsheet. If it falls off to leeward, trim the sheet.

Mainsail – Downwind

1) Ease the sail until it luffs along the mast — You’ll get optimum downwind performance if you ease your main as far as possible. Ease the sheet until you see a bubble along the luff of the main, then trim it in slightly.

2) Vang tight enough so boom is horizontal — If it’s windy, pull on your boom vang so it keeps the boom roughly horizontal and the upper batten parallel to the boom.

3) Telltale on top batten just flowing — Another good guide for downwind trim is to use the telltale (if you have one) on the end of the top batten. You want this telltale to fly as much as possible; if it’s curling around behind the sail, try easing your vang or mainsheet a little.

SAILING TO WIN BOOK & BONUSES

Jib – Upwind

1) Middle batten parallel to centerline — Just like the main, the jib should be trimmed in all the way for sailing upwind. If you have battens along the leech of your jib, you want these roughly parallel to the boat’s centerline.

2) Slot between main and jib has an even, consistent curve — When you look at the “slot” from the stern of your boat, you should see similar curves in both the main and jib. If you don’t, try moving the jib lead athwartships.

3) Telltales flutter simultaneously from top to bottom — The fore and aft position of the jib lead is important for top performance. Ideally, the telltales along the luff of the jib should all move simultaneously. If the top telltales flutter first, move your jib lead forward, and vice versa.

Jib – Downwind

1) Don’t fly jib and spinnaker simultaneously — On most boats, you should drop the jib so it won’t take wind away from the spinnaker. This is more important in light air than heavy air.

2) Ease sail until telltales start to break — If you don’t set a spinnaker, ease the jib as far as possible until the windward telltales start to flutter or the front of the jib begins luffing.

3) Move jib leads farther outboard (or “wing” the sail) — The jib leads should be as far outboard as possible for downwind sailing. If you’re on a run, you can “wing” the jib to the windward side to help keep it filled.

SAILING TO WIN BOOK & BONUSES

Sail Trim Fundamentals

Setting Sails and Boat Tuning

Brett Bowden

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16/11/2022

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Sail Trim Fundamentals – small adjustments to the shape of the sail can make the difference between being able to hang in a tight spot and being spat out the back.

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The Basics Of Sail Trim

1. Get it Up –

There is almost always more breeze the higher up you get. Hoist Mainsails as high as they can legally go and both main and jib/genoa’s should be set at their proper tension. When trimmed to sail upwind in light to moderate winds, the sails can have a few wrinkles at the lower luff.

To get the setting right initially over hoist the sail and then trim in to load the sail up. This will allow the haliard to stretch and the tension to be correct. If not, ease the haliard a little until wrinkles just begin to appear at the luff.

In heavier winds, the haliard should be tensioned a little more so that the luff wrinkles just disappear. Conversely, pull on the Cunningham if the sail is at full hoist. As you leave the dock or beach, the tension will appear to be too much but once you sheet on the sail will attain the right shape.

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2. Steer to the Sails Upwind –

When sailing upwind, sheet on almost as tight as you can. The helmsperson can then steer to the sails using the telltales on the luff of the jib to indicated whether the sails are stalled or not.

3. Trim To The Course On a Reach –

The steerer should point at the next mark (barring any other tactical decisions). Then the crew should adjust the set of the sails to suit. As a trimmer, you should constantly be adjusting the sails following the old adage “if in doubt, let it out”.

The maximum power for a sail is to have it trimmed to within a whisker of luffing. Watch the telltales that are spaced up and down the luff of the sail. They should all break evenly. If the top breaks first, move the sheet car forward ensuring that the sail is twisted perfectly for the angle you are sailing.

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4. Block the Flow on the Run –

When running deep off the wind, the sails are no longer working like an airfoil. Set the boom at right angle to the breeze to present as much area as possible to the breeze.

Make sure that the trailing edge of the sail is set properly by controlling it with sheet and vang tension. The further out the sheet is the less effect it has on leech tension. When running deep look up and set the top batten at the same angle as the boom.

Downwind, with the sheet eased, the jib car needs to be moved forward to control the upper leech and give you as much power as possible.

On a boat with a symmetrical spinnaker, it is generally better to drop or furl the jib on a proud run (if your able) as it will affect the wind getting to the spinnaker.

SAILING RACES ARE LOST NOT WON

Sailing Tips

Brett Bowden

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09/11/2022

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Photo by Jamie Morrison

Sailing races are lost not won and it’s the competitors who make the fewest mistakes that end up on top.

The mistakes that we make don’t go away on their own and as sailors we tend to make the same mistakes week after week. Making notes during races about what worked and what didn’t will ensure that mistakes on the course will be lessened.

Refer to the notes regularly, practice what you have learned and your chances of improving your results will be greatly enhanced.

The main cause of most of our mistakes is either carelessness or greed.

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Examples of Carelessness or Greed

Being OCS
Being caught in the 3rd or 4th row at a start
Slightly underlaying a weather mark when approaching in a group of boats.
Hitting a Mark
Fouling another boat when it could have been easily avoided
Having a breakage which could have been avoided by a simple prerace check.
Not knowing the course when in the lead
Not getting out on the course early enough to establish any current.
Getting outside other boats at a mark rounding.
Overlaying a mark.
Poor boat handling due to insufficient practice time.

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Ways To Overcome Mistakes

Firstly you must want to improve your racing results. Like most things in life, it will take energy and work to achieve improvement. Be aware that there is a risk that you will try hard, improve and then plateau.

As you get better, there is a tendency for most sailors to relax, believing that they will continue on their upwards trajectory.

The first step to overcoming the plateauing is to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Get the notebook out that I referred to earlier and get together with your crew. Read what you wrote at earlier events and commit to fixing the mistakes you made.

Think back to recent regattas or races and list out the things that you do well. Then list all the things that you feel are holding you back, keeping them on separate pages.

At subsequent races and regattas, add and subtract things on each list as further weaknesses or improvements are identified.

Sometimes a simple recording on your phone can be made while you are driving home. This is best done while the days event is still fresh in your mind and you can simply transcribe it into your notebook at a later time.

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Ideas to Reduce Mistakes

Write a list on your boat of things that you need to remember and in what order. An example could be the order of things that need to happen at the leeward mark. This would be written on the deck next to the mast.
Write reminders on the relevant parts of the boat. An example is a reminder to pull on the vang again as you start upwind again.
Have notes on the boom which might say things like, “Flat is Fast”. This reminds you to ease the sheet if you are overpowered. “Compass” to remind you to keep an eye on the heading for wind shifts.
Have a briefing before heading out to race and go through the problems that you are going to work on during the event.
Think of the things that you need to work on and create reminders to help you when you might be distracted by the pressure of the race.

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Once on the Course

There are 3 important attributes to success and they are:

Concentration – Even when you know the mistakes not to make, you have to think about them continually not to make them. Don’t be distracted by other competitors, unmotivated teammates or your internal fears such as fear of heavy weather.

Common Sense – Don’t take unnecessary risks such as pushing your luck in the zone. The few metres that you gain will be far outweighed by any penalty you may incur. Greed is the cause of most big mistakes and given the choice of several alternatives, let common sense be your guide.

Anticipation – This is the ability to think ahead to what happens next. As an example, at a coming mark rounding, look ahead and take note of other boats approaching on Port and Starboard. Consider what they may do and how it could affect your approach.

Think through possible scenarios and have a plan for how you will tackle each outcome.

TRIMMING FOR SPEED

Setting Sails and Boat Tuning

Brett Bowden

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02/11/2022

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Trimming for Speed. To win a sailboat race you must sail fast and smart. When you have a speed advantage, tactical decisions are easier.

To be fast you have to work at it, your rig needs to be tuned, the hull needs to be fair and smooth and the sails set and trimmed efficiently. By no means less important is the ability of the crew to work together.

The rig needs to be not only set up for the conditions but also for the sails that you have chosen and this is where you need to consult with your sail maker.

No two sailmakers cut their sails for your class exactly the same. That’s why its important to work with them to develop a trimming chart to suit different wind strengths and sea conditions.

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The Mast – Trimming For Speed

Set your mast up as straight as possible but once again consult your sail maker who may advise some mast bend to suit the luff round that he has built in to the sail. Make sure that the mast is central in the boat athwartships and check that the rake is correct for the conditions.

To introduce pre-bend, add chocks in front or behind the mast at deck level. Place chocks behind the mast to induce bend and in front to straighten the mast. For a deck stepped mast, use a mast strut or inner forestay for the same effect.

Spreaders control mast bend when you are sailing. In the initial set up, the spreaders should be positioned to hold the shrouds where they would be if there was no spreaders.

Pushing the spreaders forward moves the tip of the mast forward and pushing them back has the opposite effect.

Balance – Trimming For Speed

To get your boat balanced perfectly, the aim is to get the centre of effort directly over the centre of resistance.

A boat should also sail on the angle of heel that allows it to sail fastest through the water. In an offshore boat, the objective is to sail upwind with a long waterline. Keeping the water flowing evenly off the stern.

If you heel excessively it will cause the keel or centreboard from acting efficiently and providing the lift it was designed to create.

Fore and aft trim also has an effect and on a boat with a speed indicator, practice moving crew weight to give the greatest speed.

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Reducing Weather Helm

Flatten the main and jib
Move crew weight out and forward
Flatten the boat by pinching and/or dropping the traveller
Raise the centreboard or rake it if possible
Move the mast forward
Reef the main

Increasing Weather Helm

Heel the boat by moving the crew weight in
Move crew weight aft
Power up the main and jib
Move the traveller up
Add mast rake or move the mast back to move the sail plan aft

Sail Trim – Trimming For Speed

After preparing your boat properly, sail trim is the next most important factor in attaining top boat speed.

Adjust your sails constantly to work with the ever changing wind and wave patterns. Avoid cleating sheets because you will not be adjusting the sails to suit what is going on.

The secret of sailing fast is changing gears by constantly adjusting the sails. Wind bends around the sails and causes a vacuum on the forward leeward side of the sail. This moves the boat forward to fill that vacuum.

The use of telltales when correctly placed on the sails, assist with setting them properly for the conditions. Upwind in light air, trim the sails so that both the windward and leeward telltales stream horizontally.

In medium air upwind, it is acceptable for the weather telltale to be flowing upwards at about 45 degrees some of the time. In heavy air, the windward telltale may spend a lot of the time at 45 degrees or more.

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It is all about trimming your sails for balance and ease of handling in the conditions you have.