Hi Everyone
Continuing on the 5 Pillar themes from last week, below are a couple of often overlooked areas and certainly from the racing I saw on the weekend, very applicable to a number of classes.
Technique Pillar
Gybing symmetrical spinnakers.
The objective is to keep the spinnaker set and keep the boat speed as fast as possible going into and coming out of the gybe.
Wave (or flat spot) selection is always important to consider with timing and both helm and crew knowing the precise time to turn. Some sailors like to count down timing. This is not a bad idea with big teams, but I prefer everyone to be able to know and feel the correct timing with little communication.
In small boats, the skipper needs to be able to control the sheet, brace, mainsheet, and steering, whilst the crew swaps the pole. Both balancing the heel angle at the same time to minimise rudder drag. So there is a lot on.
Here’s a good example from the weekend. The green boat did a really nice job to get the inside on the wing mark.
However, the blue boat was able to do a nicer turn (Jenny Craig) and gybe and while the green boat had their brace too far forward (Pulling the boat sideways) and was, able to sail through their bad air and get in front.
Simply working out how to control the ropes in one hand, with the tiller hand as an extra pulling arm is difficult but critical. The old school way of steering between your legs can be done but it is not ideal in all conditions. And sitting stationery also doesn’t allow accurate weight placement.
When coaching in New Zealand many years ago in 420’s the group of Kiwis I coached, never practiced the steering between legs technique, instead they taught the advanced all ropes in one hand and weight goes on the optimum place technique instead.
This was one of the first times I noticed that we can teach advanced skills early in sailors, rather than slower bad habits that need to be corrected. Young sailors pick it up early.
This feedback loop of advanced skills taught early is something I am continually doing with current training programs.
Anyway back to the gybing tip, Make sure the Brace doesn’t go out too far. Marks on your sheets are handy. If you need to come up hard to protect a position, know where the brace goes. Often the tack patch of the spinnaker on the forestay is a good reference point and allows the spinnaker to keep set and pulling forward.
The Boat Pillar
Vang Control downwind
This one is easy to see from off the boat and sometimes hard to see on the boat. The back part of the top batten should always be parallel to the boom. If more twisted, you won’t have enough power and pumping will feel effortless. If over vanged you will stall any cross-flow of wind across the sail.
Flying 15’s, 125’s, Pelican and 29er were often not vang trimmed correctly on the weekend.
Take a look up next time and if a coach is nearby, ask their opinion with a simple pointing and thumbs-up sort of body language question.
Starting – Technique Pillar
Here’s a couple of images of some slow boat skill training and a nice sunset from a Laser squad
Many sailors and coaches will be away at Sail Freo this weekend. Goodluck and see you there.
Happy Sailing
Denis
