Sailing To Win Blog!

Race and Regatta Preparation

Preparation and Planning

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21/09/2022

I have copied below excerpts from an interview that I did with sailing professional Sam Haines about race and regatta preparation.

Currently Sam is racing in the Etchells and their team has a boat in Europe as well as Australia.

Sam has a vast sailing background and is a qualified sailmaker, having worked in the industry for 19 years. He had his own loft in Melbourne, Australia and until recently, worked with North sails as their One Design specialist.

Brett: Speaking of regattas, your team sailed in the World Etchells in the UK where you did really well. Can you give us a bit of background on how you prepared for that regatta?

Sam : So for the Worlds, obviously it’s a big event. It’s a long event.

So what we did is we actually went to the venue about six weeks prior to the event. We went over there for 12 days. We did a one off local event, and we did a few days of training with the guys that we did the World’s with.

So that was one, you check in with the venue.

Two, you know where you’re going to eat your dinner at night. You know where your house is. There’s a lot in a regatta preparation and just having an understanding of where you’re going.

You’re not trying to sort out where to get your toothpaste from the day of the racing.

So we went over and did those 12 days. We then came home, back to Aussie for a couple of weeks. Caught up with family life and all of that sort of stuff.

Then we went back 10 days prior to the World’s.

We did four days of intense coaching. We had a day off, off the boat, didn’t go near the water for a day.

Then we’re into the Europeans and the World’s, so it was quite a long-winded exercise but there’s no substitute for the variety.

You don’t win the regatta on the last day. It’s what we took away from it. We obviously didn’t win it, but we battled, as well as we could expect for the regatta.

Brett: Obviously that preparation worked really well because the score was excellent. Once you’re on the water and before the start, what do you do as part of your preparation?

Sam: So with a world or a nationals program, I would suggest you want to be at the starting area an hour prior to a race.

Usually the race committee will be on station or there about at that sort of time. We would get comfortable, obviously, sail or a tow out to the start line, get there an hour before, by the time you get to that start line an hour before you would have had your sandwich and get comfortable.

You’ve got your kit that you’re actually going to race in on, we would then do a little up wind exercise.

Hopefully, you’ve got a mate that you have an understanding with to do a little two boat up wind preparation probably for 15 minutes.

Pull the kite up, come down, really intense as if you were racing. Pumping the kite, a few jibes, all the rest of it.

Get back to that starting area, by then you’re probably looking at a half an hour, 20 minutes prior to the start.

Around that time, we would have another mini break have a water and a sandwich.

By that time the committee will have your start line in. We would then from the middle of the line, we would sail up wind.

Again, couple of tacks, get your numbers. You’re now getting within 10 minutes of the 5 minute gun at this time.

Couple of tacks, get your numbers correct, head to wind before you come back down wind. Then you’ve got an understanding of whether it’s left, right or in between.

What we actually do at that point is sail to which ever end we think is going to be the correct end to start at.

Let’s say it’s going to be a pin end bias line. We’ll come down towards the pin, wander down there.

All this is just having your head switched on that we are actually racing right now. We’re not cruising up and down behind the boat.

What you’ll find in any big fleet and I’m sure everyone has a story to tell with that.

But everyone reaches up and down behind the line flogging their gear and half the guys well, not half of them, but there’s always a little collision along the way.

No one’s really switched on, so you are actually intensely getting into your racing, a bit like football. You’re in the rooms, half an hour before, pumping each other up. Same deal.

So you’re staying out of the mess. Then you’re in that five minute sequence and then obviously it comes down to racing.

It’s a moving picture, but you’ve done this little bit of homework so you know when you do a head to wind with two and a half minutes to go and the breeze has actually gone right that you actually need to get up towards the boat, you’re actually in that mode.

Whereas if you’ve just raced up and down you don’t actually know where the wind is.

Brett: During that period, do you actually look at your main competitors? especially if it’s getting to the pointy end of the regatta. Do you try and keep away from them? Do you try and dog them?

Sam: Well, I’m a firm believer in not racing one boat in the fleet.

And especially in an Etchells type of fleet or any large class, you don’t really get away with it. You end up beating yourself along the way.

I’m an honest believer in sail your own race. Obviously, as the regatta goes on and you’ve usually done a lead up event, say with a worlds you’ve done a Europeans or Nationals or whatever.

You know from previous events that X,Y and Z, you don’t want to start to windward of those guys because that’ll make your life hard. Or there becomes an amount of people so you have a little plan “O there’s so and so, let’s go a couple of boat lengths up from them”.

Start at the right end or towards the right end. You don’t have to win that end. Again I’m a fan of if it’s a boat end start, it’s not going to hurt you being four boats down from the boat end.

You’re going to get away nice and neat. As long as you’re on the boat there’s going to be 10 boats there, 1 boat’s going to win it and the rest of them are going to lose.

Brett: I noticed that you guys have spent a lot of time getting your boat just right having easy to operate systems. But I see plenty of unnecessarily complicated boats. Have you found that’s been an important part of how you guys have improved?

Sam: I think there’s two parts to that. And one is that preparation in that everything works 100%. You need to have gone out and tested that six months prior to the event.

There’s also the other side of it is having that set up for the people that you’ve got on the boat.

We had an instance at the World’s, we got a new person on the bow of the boat, I was doing the bow previously. I had it set up the way that works for me, but our new guy, Mark, he wanted to change a few things.

To make it was easier to hike, there was a couple of the control lines that he wanted to change to different positions.

You’ve got to have an open mind, I basically see it that the boat is a tool.

It’s not a piece of beauty that you’ve got sitting on there that you want to keep. You know, it’s however you make it work.

We changed some things during the regatta to suit him. So you make it custom to the people using it.

Some of the control lines we moved back to me because of the understanding that I had.

So you have to set up the boat to what works for the people in the boat.

Not to what somebody says this is how your Etchells or your 505 have to be set up. You’ve got to work it into you.

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STRATEGY AT THE LEEWARD MARK

Mark Rounding

Brett Bowden

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14/09/2022

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Strategy at the leeward mark is critical and an ineffective plan can cause many places to be lost. Conversely, if you have planned well before reaching the mark, many places can be gained and a good rounding could affect the outcome of the race.

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Rules at the Leeward Mark

Understanding rules at the leeward mark is probably more critical than anywhere else. The reason for this is that boats can approach from a multitude of different directions and attitudes of sail. Also the general rules of port and starboard crossings and windward leeward right of way don’t always apply.

As explained in rule 18.2, when two boats are approaching the leeward mark and the inside boat (closest to the mark) has an overlap on the outside boat, at the moment that the first boat enters the zone, the outside boat has to give the inside boat room to round the mark.

Even if the overlap is broken inside the zone, the inside boat still must be given room to round.

When rounding a downwind mark, there are times that a starboard tack boat has to give way to a port tack boat and a boat to leeward has to yield to a boat to windward.

If an inside boat has an overlap with a boat on the outside at a moment one or the other crosses a point 3 boat lengths from the mark, the boat on the outside has to give the boat on the inside room to make a rounding, regardless of its angle of sail or position in relation to the inside boat.

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Strategies At The Mark

Especially in a big fleet, picking the right spot and executing a good rounding can make a huge difference. This will be reflected in the number of boat lengths gained or lost.

No matter how you choose to approach the rounding, always set yourself up to come in with speed. This is especially true with boats that have asymmetrical spinnakers. A loss of speed will mean that you will be easy pickings for the competition.

The basic principle to follow when rounding a mark is wide in and tight out wherever traffic allows.

Use Your Sails To Assist The Rounding

As with any manoeuvre, the less rudder movement the better rudder movement equals drag. As you are about to round the leeward mark, trim the main in progressively to aid turning the boat towards the wind.

The headsail should be trimmed a little more slowly so as not to slow the turn. This is a great drill to practice and the ensuing reduction of drag from excess rudder use will see you leap ahead of opponents who don’t use this technique.

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Leeward Mark Tips – Strategy at the leeward mark

When rounding the Gybe or leeward mark, always go in wide and come out tight.
When coming up on to the beat, sheet the main first letting the headsail lag to limit rudder use.
If you are the trailing boat, attempt to force your competitor to make a tight in and wide out turn. This gives you the opportunity to get inside and to weather of them.
When there is plenty of traffic at the leeward mark, get in the habit of dropping the spinnaker early and slowing down. You will have the advantage of being able to avoid the carnage and perhaps sneak around inside.

Sail Controls And Their Effects

Setting Sails and Boat Tuning

Brett Bowden

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07/09/2022

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Sail Controls And Their Effects – Sail Controls are the things that you can adjust once afloat to take advantage as the conditions change. I have set these out below in no order of importance. Be aware that some controls on different types of boats will have a varying degree of importance.

Use a practice day to experiment with each control. Initially set up two boats of the same class identically. Then with each boat making a single adjustment, it will very quickly teach you what makes you faster and what doesn’t.

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Boom Vang

When sailing upwind, the vang controls the leech of the mainsail. An over tight leech is indicated by stalled leech telltales. By easing the vang until the telltales start to flow indicates the right setting for the wind.

A secondary effect of pulling the vang on is to push the mast forward and with the bend it introduces, flattening the mainsail.

The vang also helps with pointing and in a situation where you need height, the vang is one of the controls that you would employ.

Offwind and on a reach, use the vang to control the leech but remember when reaching that the leech telltales should never be stalled.

The Outhaul

The outhaul is used to power and de-power the mainsail. In light air, pull it on to flatten the bottom part of the mainsail. As the wind increases into the medium range, ease the outhaul to put more power into the sail.

As the breeze increase above the medium range, pull on the outhaul to flatten the bottom of the sail and depower.

The Cunningham – Sail Controls And Their Effects

This control affects the draft position in the sail and pulling it on moves the draft forward and loosens the leech. Pulling on the Cunningham, bends the mast and opens the top of the sail to assist with depowering.

In light air there should be no Cunningham tension. As the wind increases and you start to get overpowered, pull it on to flatten the head of the sail and free the upper leech.

Traveller

The traveller or bridle is used to position the boom in relation to the centreline of the boat.

If you are sailing a boat with a jib, and you are underpowered, the traveller will need to be above the centreline so the boom will be in the middle or thereabouts. As the breeze increases, the traveller will be lowered and the sheet tension increased.

In heavy air, the traveller can be lowered further and the vang and sheet worked harder to keep the boat balanced.

In the case of a single sailed boat the boom will be over the side deck for power. To get the leech tension you need, use a combination of traveller, vang and mainsheet.

Mainsheet

The mainsheet controls the sails angle of attack and also powers up the leech.

Jib Halyard – Sail Controls And Their Effects

The effect of pulling on the jib halyard is to give less sag which gives the jib a flatter entry which is good for heavier wind. In light air ease the halyard to give more luff round and a fuller entry and thus more power.

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Jib Cunningham

Similar to the mainsail in that pulling on the jib Cunningham moves the draft of the sail forward. Easing moves the draft progressively aft as the wind decreases.

Jib sheet angle

The changes in angle of the sheet to the clew changes the shape of the jib.

With the sheet more horizontal, or lead back, the foot is tighter and the leech freer. Having the lead back is a great set up for light air or heavy air and gives a freer leech.

If the sheet lead is in the middle position, this gives a fuller more powerful sail and suitable for medium winds.

With the sheet lead way forward, this gives a tighter leech which is good for pointing. When the sheet is forward it works well for lighter air and flat water.

The luff telltales will break evenly if you have the setting right.

Inboard – Outboard Sheet Lead Angles

This position controls the slot between the Main and Jib which affects pointing.

To get an indication of the correct slot, move the lead inboard until the mainsail is almost backwinding. It is important to make sure that the main is not too full or flat for the conditions when setting the angle.

The closer you can sheet means that you can point higher

Jib Sheet Tension – Sail Controls And Their Effects

The leech telltale is the best indicator of whether the tension on the sheet is correct for the conditions.

In light air it should be streaming most of the time and the same goes for heavy air. In medium wind, the leech telltale should be breaking about 50% of the time.

If the telltale is streaming all the time, the leech is too open.

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Losing Sailing Control

Strategy and Tactics

Brett Bowden

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31/08/2022

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I have copied below excerpts from an excellent article written by sailing legend and coach Dave Dellenbaugh of https://www.speedandsmarts.com regarding losing sailing control on the race course. In the article he speaks about how to avoid losing control of your strategy, tactics and race.

https://sailingtowin.com/49tips

Techniques to avoid being controlled

You must work hard to avoid being pinned by your competitor, and you should know how to escape when you’re taken down.

At the same time, you have to go on the offensive. A classic example in sailing is the pre-start circling that happens in match racing. Here each boat circles to get on the tail of the other boat (offensive) and to keep the other boat off their tail (defensive).

To avoid being controlled on the race course the most important thing is anticipation. Keep thinking ahead and avoid situations where you could get trapped.

Stay away from the corners and laylines.

The closer you are to the sides of the course, the easier it is for someone to control you. So try to stay closer to the middle, where you keep the option to go either way.

Find lanes of clear air.

Clear air is key in following your strategy. So keep looking up the course for channels of undisturbed wind that will let you sail in the direction you want.

Avoid overlaps with other boats.

It’s usually dangerous to sail upwind or downwind very near other boats. The closer you are to your competitors, the more likely it is they’ll interfere with your plans.

Communicate your rights.

Loud hails are recommended not only for safety reasons, they’re a good way to keep other boats from infringing on your space. A typical example is yelling “Hold your course” when you duck a starboard tacker.

https://sailingtowin.com/49tips

Techniques for controlling other boats

Use your wind shadow.

The large area of disturbed air to leeward of your sail plan is your most effective tool for affecting other boats.

Pinning and blocking.

Often the best way to “herd” another boat is simply to use your physical presence. For example, you can prevent another boat from tacking by setting up just to windward of them on the same tack.

Steering a converging course.

Your right-of-way under the rules is another tactical tool for helping you gain control. The best example I know of is when you’re on starboard tack and you bear off at a port tacker to prevent her from lee-bowing you or squeezing around the windward mark ahead of you.

https://sailingtowin.com/49tips

How to improve your tactical skills

Learn the racing rules.

Knowing the right-of-way rules is an incredible confidence-builder when you get into tight situations.

Try match racing.

This one-on-one competition offers the ultimate experience in tactical control. The more you match race, the more comfortable you’ll feel whenever you’re near another boat on the race course.

Sail in tight, close, competitive fleets.

You have to get your feet wet if you really want to become a better “tactician.” Fleets of small one-designs are perfect for this.

Be assertive.

If you want to come out on top, you can’t be passive. It’s nice to be laid-back at times, but if you want to avoid being stepped on, you have to assert your rights.

Develop A Race Day Routine

Brett Bowden

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24/08/2022

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Whether it be a single race or a regatta, you need to develop a race day routine if you want to be successful. This is not only for those in Fantasy land at the back of the boat but everyone onboard needs to be included. This ensures that every crew member understands their position, duties and what is expected of them whilst they are racing.

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There are 4 main phases of the race day routine.

1. Pre-Race

Review the starting schedule.
List your goals for the days event or for each day of the regatta.
Make sure that you have the correct number of crew and maximum crew weight to match your rating certificate,
Have a list of pre-race jobs and who is assigned to them such as sails, rig tune, gear, navigation and weather to list a few.
Have a schedule and stick to it. This builds morale, enhances the leaders integrity and respect.
Set the boat up for days race prior to leaving the dock.

2. After Leaving the Dock – Develop A Race Day Routine

When heading out to the course have a crew meeting and review goals which gets everyone’s head in the game.
Having a team uniform is great to build teamwork and also shows professionalism.
Ask for and listen to and if necessary act on crew comments and even consider changing positions if the team believe it is beneficial.
Go over safety procedures and refresh the team on where equipment is stowed and who is the go to person in different scenarios. eg Man over board.
Practice upwind and downwind maneuvers for at least 30 minutes.
After the practice and at least 10 minutes prior to your starting sequence take time to rest, stretch and chat amongst the crew for final comments related to the race.

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3. During The Race

Stick to the game plan.
Each team member needs to be conscious of where they are positioned with regard to balance of the boat. Should they be inboard, outboard, fore or aft.
Make sure they are low and not blocking anyone’s view.
Keep chatter to a minimum and let one person speak at a time.
On a boat with a very large crew, appoint a spokesperson for each major position. Only they should communicate with the afterguard.
Contain excitement when in front or behind, yelling on the boat only serves to unnerve everyone.
Play the averages and be consistent as that is what wins races, not taking a flier or making a “go for gold” move.
Continually update observations on where your competitors are, how you are going against them and changes in the weather and sea conditions.

4. After The Race

Pack the boat up and stow all gear and sails.
Make a list of any maintenance issues that have arisen during the race and where time permits attend to as many jobs as possible.
Have a crew de-brief and make notes about what has been learned.
Before leaving the boat, let everyone know when the next race is and find out who is available.
As a team, head to the clubhouse and catch up with fellow competitors. Its amazing how much you can learn from talking with them.

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Troubleshoot Your Sailing

Boat Speed and Handling

Brett Bowden

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17/08/2022

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When you are suffering in certain conditions follow some of the tips below to troubleshoot your sailing.

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Slow in waves or a chop:

In a chop or waves, your boat needs to be set up for power to push through the waves. Sails need to be fuller with a little more twist and steering should be less drastic. A degree or two further off the wind also assists with getting through the adverse conditions.

Other things to adjust depending on how your boat is set up or class allows is to straighten the mast which makes the mainsail deeper. Drop the traveller a little which gives you more drive and move your weight aft but most importantly, don’t pinch.

There needs to be constant action with the mainsheet trimming in and out depending on whether you are going up the wave or down the back.

Good pointing but Slow Boatspeed

A tight leech of the mainsail is probably the culprit, likewise, an over-sheeted jib may also be the cause. Another cause could be sails that are too full with a closed slot.

Things to check and remedy:

Ease the main and jib and after easing the main, you may need to pull the traveller up a bit so that the bottom of the main keeps working to maintain pointing.
Bend the mast to flatten the main which will open the slot. Pull on the Cunningham to move the main draft forward which also frees the leech.
Pull on the outhaul which flattens the lower sections of the mainsail.
Rake the mast a little and make sure that the mast is not bending sideways to leeward which also has the effect of closing the slot. More rig tension will remedy this.
Check the centreboard to make sure that it is not down too far or raked too far forward.
Move your jib leads outboard.

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Poor Pointing but Great Boat Speed:

The reverse of what is outlined above. The sails probably have too much twist and a really good indicator of this is observing the top leech telltales on your mainsail. In flat water, it should stall 50-60% of the time and in waves and chop, stalling 40% of the time is acceptable.

Things to check and remedy:

Check the mast to make sure that it is not overbending and straighten it by adding chocks or pulling down on the strut if you have one.
Increase rig tension to straighten the jib luff if it is sagging too much.
Make sure that you do not have too much sideways mast bend to weather. If you do change your spreader lengths and increase rig tension.
If your centreboard is not all the way down, put it down.
Move your Jib leads in board and ease the outhaul.

Upwind Low and Slow: Troubleshoot Your Sailing

When you have copped a double whammy of Low and Slow this is an indication that there are a number of things not right but it may just be as simple as weed or something else caught on your foils.

Is the slot gasket working properly or has it failed? Look around the boat and rig for anything else that may have broken or dislodged.

Is this a new occurrence and in the past in these conditions and against the same competitors, were you competitive? Make sure that all settings are the same as they were last time and if not reset and check again.

Is the issue the same on Port and Starboard tack? Systematically go through the boat and settings until you locate the cause of the problem.

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Downwind Slows: Troubleshoot Your Sailing

If you find that you are getting beaten off the wind there are a number of things that you can do to improve your speed.

Check that you are sitting far enough forward to get the large flat area at the back of the boat out of the water to reduce drag.
In most conditions, keep the boat flat but in light air, even a small heel either to windward or leeward will reduce wetted area and reduce drag.
If in doubt, let it out, ease sheets.
Make sure that the vang and Cunningham are eased off the appropriate amount for the conditions.
Have the rig raked forward but don’t overdo it, make sure the rake induced is relevant for the conditions.
If running deep, pull your centreboard up to reduce drag.
Constantly ease and trim the spinnaker as the heading changes and the wind speed increases and decreases.

Steering Fast

Brett Bowden

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10/08/2022

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Steering fast is a combination of mechanical skill and intuition. Being a fast helmsperson is something sailors acquire by spending a large amount of time on the water both practicing and racing.

Common traits of a good helmsperson are intense focus and heightened senses. Added to these, they also need clear visibility and be able to accept input on their performance.

Understanding changing tactical options is also a prerequisite for being successful.

Correct Posture

On a boat with a wheel, stand facing forward, preferably with both hands on the wheel.

Standing gives you more visibility, sitting limits visibility and means your head is turned which can cause soreness and result in fatigue.

When you are standing, your feet and hands are touching something, which means that your whole body acts as a sensor. Always steer from the windward side where you have better visibility and can feel the elements better.

With a tiller, keep your arms and legs parallel with the tiller or tiller extension being an extension of your arm.

An exception to being to windward is in light air where it might be helpful to sit to leeward to assist with the necessary heel of the boat.

Getting in the Groove

The optimal sailing angle to windward is dependent on wind strength and sea conditions. In a chop, you would not sail as high as you would in flat water.

The average sailor sails their boat too high and too slow. There is a fine line between being in or out of the groove. This often happens when you are nervous or anxious. The best strategy here is to put the bow down a few degrees and sail for speed.

To get in the groove, set your sails for the fastest shape in the conditions. Observe your performance against your competitors. Next, balance your helm by adjusting the sails and your crew weight.

If your boat is set up well, ideally you will feel a slight pull to windward. Once the boat feels right, start experimenting but only make one change at a time to learn what works.

Steering References

There are plenty of references to use when steering and you need to keep each in mind simultaneously.

The heel angle – compare this to the horizon and this tells you the force from the wind.
Trim of the sails – over-trimmed or under-trimmed sails give an indication that you are off course or the sails need adjustment.
Speed compared to other boats – this will show whether your steering and setup are correct for the conditions.
Water colour – look for darker patches of water which will indicate more breeze.
Masthead wind indicator – keep an eye on this as the wind changes at the masthead before it changes at deck level.
Sailing Instruments – Boat speed, if your class allows it. The goal is to maintain a steady speed by adjusting the course and sail settings. Apparent wind angle, If the wind shifts and the apparent wind angle remains the same, you’ll be sailing on a new course. Wind Direction, by monitoring your speed, sail trim and compass course it’s easy to detect changes in wind direction.
Turns of the wheel or angle of the tiller – this indicates how much pressure is being exerted by the sails.
Flags, smoke and other land references – use every source available to read the wind.
Telltales on the shrouds – use these to establish the apparent wind angle.
Compass – use the compass to give you a steady reference to keep track of your course. On a multi-crewed boat, a crew member should be allocated this job. The helmsperson should instruct that person on how they would like the information to be related and how often.

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Getting Into Sailing Shape

Fitness, Diet and Health

Brett Bowden

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03/08/2022

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Getting into sailing shape is essential if you want to compete at the front of your fleet. This is just as true for the young sailor trying to master an ILCA dinghy through to the round the cans keelboat sailor or long-distance ocean racer.

Getting Into Shape

The type of physical training needed depends on the boat you sail, your position on the boat and your age.

Sailing relies a lot on upper body and core strength for most repetitive moves. If you are racing, you need a far higher level of power and endurance than leisure sailors.

In a perfect world, we would sail ourselves into shape but because of the pressures of modern life, this is rarely possible. If you have the luxury of sailing yourself into shape, you exercise and build the exact muscles that you need to do your job.

In small boat sailing, body control, posture, stamina and balance are very important skills to have. Crewing on a keelboat, upper body strength and balance are two of the many required skills needed.

As a skipper, it’s important that your backbone is straight and perpendicular to the water. This keeps your head level with the horizon as you look straight ahead, from side to side or up at the sails.

Many sailors develop back problems because their stomach and back muscles are not sufficiently toned so they compensate by slumping.

Exercises for Sailors – Getting Into Sailing Shape

Engage a health professional who understands sailing or better still is a sailor themselves. Have them design a program for you based on the needs of your position on the boat that you sail.

An exercise that you can do ashore is bent knee situps as they can do wonders for your back and stomach muscles. I cannot stress enough though that an exercise professional should design your routines for you.

There is no need for gym memberships if that is not your bag and many exercises can be carried out at home with a minimum amount of equipment. Barbells, dumbells, a swiss ball and perhaps some resistance bands that can be purchased cheaply online.

How extensive the conditioning program you undertake is up to you.

Some types of Programs. Getting Into Sailing Shape

Do some running if your knees are up to it. Do arm exercises but always warm up first. Other programs might include swimming, and ball games such as squash, tennis or basketball.

The advantage of ball games is that they assist in developing reflexes, hand-eye coordination and body flexibility.

Stretching exercises are particularly beneficial and swimming is a great way to work on muscle extension. If you sail a dinghy, work on your neck muscles by turning your head from side to side to limber them up.

Cardio workouts are crucial for building your stamina and strengthening your heart and lungs. The better your aerobic fitness, the better your results will be on the water.

Effects of Sailing Fitness – Getting Into Sailing Shape

On the first windward leg, everyone is more or less equal and competitive. Where the champions streak ahead is the last time upwind where their fitness is the difference. They are working their boat as hard at the finish as they were when the start gun went.

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Visual Clues For Reading The Wind

Weather, Wind, Waves and Current

Brett Bowden

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28/07/2022

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Looking for visual clues for reading the wind is a talent that all the most skilled sailors have in abundance.

One of the first things a new sailor is taught is that sailing revolves around the wind. The thing that they must study and become skilled at is knowing the direction of the wind and its strength.

This information is the cornerstone of our sport and dictates where the boat can sail and how fast you can go in a specific direction. It also dictates what sails you can put up, how you will set the boat up or whether you can go sailing at all.

When you are racing, being able to react to changes in the wind is the difference between winning and losing.

Whether you are sailing a short windward leg to a mark or a much longer leg in an ocean race, being able to predict what is going to happen during that leg is essential to give you an edge over the competition.

In an around the cans race, what worked on a previous windward leg may not be the same the next time you do that leg.

Keep Your Head Out Of The Boat

The ability to use your eyes to see the wind is a skill that all sailors need to develop.

Seeing the wind has been referred to as being able to see colours on the water. The lighter shades are caused by fewer ripples in areas with less wind. The darker shades are caused by more ripples which are an indication of more breeze.

The secret is to have someone with their head out of the boat looking for more pressure at all times. More colour means more pressure which means more speed.

Other Visual Clues

Other boats on your course whether they be in the same race or even a different class or size give excellent clues. Their angle of heel will indicate wind strength and of course, where they are pointing will indicate wind direction.

Be sure to consider the different attributes of the boats you are observing. Also, make sure that you are referencing racing boats and not boats that are out day sailing or cruising.

Look around for other clues such as flags, and smoke. If you are close to shore you can get clues from the way trees are being blown about or dust rising in the air.

In your quest for “seeing the wind,” practice makes perfect and even when you are out enjoying a sail with friends always be casting your eyes about to practice this skill.

When you are at a race venue, especially one that you have not sailed at before, travel to a high point and observe the wind pattern from there. The higher the vantage point, the easier it is to see the wind on the water.

There are cases in lake sailing where stronger wind from higher up will sink down to the surface. This makes a distinctive shape on the water called a cat’s paw. The wind direction on the left side of the cat’s paw will be a right shift compared to a boat on the right edge.

Clouds – Looking for visual clues for reading the wind

There are times when you can notice a consistent trend by watching the clouds and their position relative to you.

It pays to watch the sky at the same time as watching the water to build your race strategy.

The direction clouds are moving and the speed of that movement should always be factored into your course planning. The water’s surface always has the best clues though but don’t discount what is going on above.

Keep Your Plans fluid

Sometimes what you observed when you first got out on the course pre-race may not now be relevant.

As with all plans and strategies keep revising right up to and after the start gun.

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Prevent Sailing Breakdowns

Preparation and Planning

Brett Bowden

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20/07/2022

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Prevent Sailing Breakdowns – This very handy list was created by good mate David Dellenbaugh as part of his excellent Speed and Smarts collection. https://www.speedandsmarts.com/

Sailing fast and smart is hard enough when your boat stays in one piece. But when something breaks, it can upset your entire rhythm and kill your speed. Therefore, you must view breakdowns as your enemy.

Work hard on your boat in between races, and treat it with respect on the water. For example, when you have more than 15-20 knots of wind, don’t do unnecessary jibes and never let your sails flog unless it’s absolutely essential.

If you’re using vang tension upwind, be sure to ease it before you bear off to go downwind. And when you need more genoa luff tension, don’t grind the halyard up with the sail fully loaded.

Below is a checklist of areas on your boat where breakdowns are most likely. Inspect these each race morning before you rig your boat. Better yet, check them a day or a week before your race.

If you sail more than one race in a day, go over this list again in between races. When it comes to breakdowns, you can’t be too careful or too prepared.

Hiking straps.

On one-design boats, this is #1 on the list because it’s a common disaster. How many times have you seen or heard about someone going overboard because their hiking strap broke or came untied? Check all your straps for wear: especially inspect the attachment fittings, lines and knots.

Rubber hiking stick universal.

If you have a tiller with a rubber universal, check this regularly (especially in colder weather) for cracks. Use the type that has an internal wire in case the rubber cracks. In hot weather, put sunscreen on the universal to slow aging and drying due to the sun.

Sheets and guys.

Check over all running rigging to ensure no lines have worn spots where they might break. If possible, turn your sheets end for end every so often, like rotating tires on your car. On smaller boats, attach sheets by tying. If you use shackles, make sure these are working properly.

Halyards. Prevent Sailing Breakdowns

Broken halyards are another common failure. Check the full length of halyards for chafe marks, burrs, etc. Look especially at points where the hoisted halyard sits on the sheave and where it connects to the shackle. Put a two-block mark on each halyard so you won’t grind it into the sheave.

Boom vang.

The vang takes a lot of abuse, so check it frequently for wear and tear. Look for frayed line or wire, and problems at the attachment points on the mast or deck and boom

Spinnakers.

Even a small hole in a chute can turn into a blowout, so inspect your spinnakers carefully for holes, tears or bunched-up seam threads.

Turnbuckles and mast fittings.

In heavy air, the strain on your mast and shrouds is huge, so don’t risk failure here. Make sure all turnbuckles and pins are tight and secured. Tape tightly around all fittings and sharp edges to keep them in place and prevent tears and injuries.

Battens. Prevent Sailing Breakdowns

Check your mainsail and jib battens to be sure that a) they are not broken; b) the correct (more flexible) ends are inserted first; c) the inboard ends are centred in the elastic d) the pockets are securely closed at their outboard ends.

Rudder fittings.

Gudgeons and pintles are common heavy-air victims, so check to be sure these are secured tightly. Inspect each closely for stress cracks.

Outhaul.

Examine the wire and car/shackle assembly closely. If you don’t have a flattening reef for a backup, I recommend using a small piece of line as a safety.
Winches.

Clean and lubricate your winches on a regular basis, especially before sailing in heavy air. The last thing you need is to have one of your primaries seize up just after the start of a windy race.
Spare equipment.

One of the best and quickest ways to repair a breakdown is with a spare, so consider carrying extra essentials such as a winch handle, guy, running backstay and spinnaker pole (especially in heavy air when breakdowns are more likely and extra weight won’t hurt you so much).
Ditty bag. Check your ditty bag to make sure all essential tools and supplies are there.
First aid kit. Be sure you have all the necessary first aid supplies in case of human breakdown.

49 TIPS FROM SAILING LEGENDS