Fine Tune Your Steering - Steering well is an art, and particularly steering well across a wide range of conditions is something that only the best have mastered through countless hours on the water.
Steering Position - Fine Tune Your Steering
It's important to have a steering position where you can see as much of the sails as possible and when...
I have set out below a number of heavy air techniques that will help you sail more competitively. Success and speed in heavy air grows from a combination of the following ingredients.
Firstly you have to learn to love it.
Secondly, you must prepare your boat so that nothing will break.
And lastly, be prepared to practice and train in heavy air....
Using a Race Compass - You win sailboat races by sailing faster and less distance than your opponents and to sail less distance, you must have a good feel for the angles.
Many sailors develop this feel visually over time but not everyone retains this visual information.
Compass as a Precise Tool
A compass gives you a precise tool for the angles...
To make the helmsman look great on your boat, they need good information and feedback, so who should provide it?
Everyone on the boat has a part to play
It probably sounds a bit crazy but believe it or not, everyone on the boat has a part to play. At the end of the day, when you have had a great...
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Read Your Helm - The feel in your tiller or wheel indicates what is right or wrong with your sails and the balance of the boat.
What the helmsman feels is dictated by sail trim, centreboard position, mast rake, heel and crew weight placement. With excessive helm, the steerer is working against the boats natural course.
By eliminating excessive helm you...
Holding Course - An underrated skill and something that we should all practice.
I have copied below an article that was written by Super Sailing Coach Adrian Finglas during his time coaching at Royal Brighton Yacht Club in Melbourne Australia.
This article has been reproduced with kind permission from RBYC and of course, coach Adrian.
One of the most underrated skills on...
Waves are never helpful when you’re racing upwind. Sailing in flatter water is always faster, and that should be your main aim on beats.
To be fast in waves requires a team effort between the helmsperson and crew. A crew member should be tasked with calling waves. They must keep the steerer informed of the approach and relative size of...
Strategies For Using A Compass - Sailing is a highly competitive sport that requires a combination of skill, knowledge, and strategy to succeed.
In yacht racing, one of the most critical tools for gaining an advantage over your competitors is the compass. It is one of the most important tools for any sailor in a yacht race.
A compass is a...
