| So you want to start coming first instead of last in club | | | | constricted and the front bottom of the mainsail begins |
| racing? | | | | to luff. If the slot is too large the Genoa begins to luff. |
| Well you have come to the right place! In this article | | | | The slot must be trimmed correctly so that the Genoa |
| you will learn how through just 4 simple tips you can | | | | is about one and a half inches off the leeward shroud |
| improve your ranking in sailing to get third, second or | | | | so as to provide optimal airflow. This slot distance |
| even first place. | | | | changes with wind speed so it must be constantly |
| These tips are used so little by amateur racers that | | | | watched by the crew. This is something that only |
| they always end up last and wondering why the same | | | | experienced sailors know about and so should be |
| top few keep coming in the top positions for racing. | | | | utilized against other sailors to improve your position |
| The secrets of racing are revealed. Follow them and | | | | and gain some ground on your opponent. |
| become a club sailing dinghy champion! | | | | - Take lifts and avoid headers - Lifts and headers are |
| These 4 tips outline an entire race strategy that the | | | | where the wind changes direction. If the change is |
| pros use to come so high up in the rankings. In the next | | | | more to windward, it is called a lift and if the the |
| ten minutes prepare to delve into a world in which | | | | change is more to leeward it is called a header. You |
| winning had become standard! | | | | should always take lifts and avoid headers by |
| Tip Number One: The Start | | | | changing the boat's direction. In a lift turn windward and |
| Welcome to the race course sailor! The start is the | | | | in a header bear away. In big lifts you should always |
| most important part of any race and many novice | | | | expect a large header, which could make you tack so |
| sailors do not understand the significance of the start in | | | | be careful about overshooting and taking the lift too |
| relation to the rest of the race and this is where they | | | | far. Lifts are useful by taking you more windward of |
| go wrong. | | | | your opponent, which means closer to the windward |
| The start is the single most important part of the race | | | | mark. |
| for most sailors as if they are only moderately skilled, a | | | | These techniques are rarely used by inexperienced |
| bad start will break them. Only very skilled and | | | | sailors and if you use them you can climb to the top of |
| experienced sailors can claw back to the top from a | | | | the fleet in no time and no-one will understand how |
| bad start and if you are reading this article I am | | | | you optimized your sails or managed to go so fast. |
| assuming you are not an extremely skilled or | | | | Tip Number Three: Rounding Marks |
| experienced sailors. I am expecting you to be quite | | | | In a typical course, there are three marks: the |
| good, but always coming between last and middle | | | | windward mark, the gybe mark and the leeward mark. |
| place. You want to get up there with the pros and | | | | Of course all courses will be more complicated than |
| start to get some wins under your belt. | | | | this, but all marks can be assigned one of these types. |
| Well look no further, the start is the most important | | | | There are some great rules you can utilize at marks in |
| part of the race. | | | | order to take the advantage when you reach the |
| Here is a list of strategies that you should use on the | | | | mark. |
| line if you want to have a good start and a potentially | | | | - The starboard rule - The starboard rule is the most |
| good race: | | | | important rule in sailing. It says that a port tack boat |
| - Get a stop watch! - The number of people I have | | | | must giveaway to a starboard tack boat. This means |
| seen without stop watches on a race is appalling. No | | | | that if you approach a mark on port and there is also |
| wonder it is so easy for the experienced sailors to get | | | | a starboard boat coming towards it you must either |
| some lead over the more novice ones. All serious | | | | tack or bear away a little. As you can see when |
| sailing racers need a stop watch in order to start on | | | | approaching a mark it is always best to be on |
| time and in the right place without being caught | | | | starboard and you must take this into account during |
| unawares | | | | your beat. |
| - Learn the Flag types - The flags are there to tell you | | | | - The windward rule - The windward rule is also an |
| what is going on in a race. So not knowing them is | | | | important rule that states that a windward boat must |
| hardly going to help you understand what is going on in | | | | keep clear of a leeward boat. This is very important at |
| the race. It is highly advisable to find a good rulebook | | | | the windward mark, because it means that the |
| from your national sailing organization or the ISAF | | | | leeward boat can push the windward boat further up |
| (International Sailing Federation) and learn all the flag | | | | in order for the leeward boat to go round the mark |
| types that will be shown at any given race. | | | | first. This only applies when the leeward boat's bow or |
| Preparation make Perfect! | | | | stern overlaps the windward boat's bow or stern. |
| - Learn where the marks are - If you are thinking of | | | | - The water rule - This is exclusively for mark rounding |
| club racing regularly, then you should learn where the | | | | and states that the inside boat that has an overlap |
| common marks that are used for racing actually are | | | | with in a certain number of boat lengths of the mark |
| so that when the committee boat shows the marks | | | | can call for water in which the outside boat must allow |
| you don't have to glance at a map constantly during | | | | the inside boat room to round the mark. The rule has |
| the race. This kind of preparation is essential for any | | | | been changed in the ISAF 2009-2012 rulebook. It used |
| serious racer. | | | | to be that if the inside boat (the boat between one |
| - Do a Transit - This little known tactic is something | | | | boat and a mark) had an overlap within 2 boat lengths |
| that very few novice sailors know about and proves | | | | they could call for water. Now however the rule has |
| to be a very useful technique in order to have a good | | | | been changed to 3 boat lengths and you must take |
| start. A transit is where you find put the boat between | | | | this into account and work out if there is an overlap or |
| the committee boat and the pin buoy an look for a | | | | not. If there is an overlap call for water. If not make |
| recognizable object on the other side of the pin. This | | | | space for the outside boat to round the mark. |
| tells you exactly where the starting line is and if there | | | | - Wide in and Tight out - This is a great technique to |
| is a black flag shown, you will know whether you are | | | | use to start beating just as you round a leeward mark. |
| over the line or not. | | | | If you go slightly lower to leeward than the mark and |
| - Find out if there is a bias - A biased line is one in | | | | then tighten up as you round the mark, you should end |
| which a certain tack is favoured. For instance a port | | | | up with a little burst of speed and be higher than a |
| bias is a start in which a port tack is favoured. To find | | | | boat that doesn't do this tactic. |
| out if there is a port bias, a starboard bias or if it is | | | | - Keep control of your wind! - The boat behind you |
| square (no bias), you can do it accurately or roughly. | | | | when you approach a mark on a beam reach will try |
| Doing it accurately requires a compass. Go along your | | | | to go windward of you so that they take your wind |
| transit and note the compass bearing. Then add 90 | | | | and you slow down. Instead of letting them take it go |
| degrees to that bearing and turn to that heading. If the | | | | windward yourself and push them higher up on the |
| boat tacks then the current tack is the favoured tack | | | | course until they decide it isn't worth it. Remember |
| and the bias. If the boat doesn't tack then the current | | | | though that reaches are faster than going up wind so |
| tack is the favoured tack and the bias. If the boat | | | | you have to calculate whether or not it is worth going |
| goes head to wind then there is no bias and it is a | | | | up wind. |
| square line. You can roughly do this by seeing if you | | | | These are very important tactics for mark rounding |
| are beating up one end of the line and broad reaching | | | | that any pro sailor will use and not tell anyone else |
| down the other end. If it is a square line then you | | | | about. Use them and see how far up the fleet you get |
| should be beam reaching from one end to the other | | | | to. |
| - Starting Position - This is also highly important for | | | | Tip Number Four: The Run |
| competitive racing. If there is a bias then most of the | | | | Running is the slowest point of sailing. Most dinghy |
| boats will be there. If you don't want to be in a scrum | | | | classes have spinnakers or gennakers that are large |
| and get a rubbish start, then start slightly lower than | | | | sail bags that capture the wind and pull the boat |
| the bias end or start on the opposite tack and then | | | | forward. All serious sailors should master the |
| tack on to the biased tack after horn goes off. By | | | | techniques of using spinnakers and gennakers before |
| doing this you will have your own unique heading and | | | | reviewing this tip of the article. |
| start. The worse thing you can do is follow somebody | | | | - Sit backwards - This the opposite to the beat where |
| throughout the whole race, because whatever | | | | you have to sit forwards, in the run you have to sit |
| happens you will never win. | | | | backwards. This is because the boat naturally pushes |
| If you can master all or most of those tactics, then | | | | the bow into the water creating drag or in especially |
| your starts will become better and better. Make sure | | | | high winds capsizing the boat. Instead sit slightly |
| that you go over the line on the horn and at full speed | | | | backwards and allow the bow to right itself. |
| as well as using the above tips. | | | | - Don't go on a dead run - Dead runs slow down |
| So now the boat has crossed the line. You are on the | | | | boats. Remember that! The worst point of sail you can |
| beat! | | | | be on is a dead run as there is no aerodynamics |
| Tip Number Two: The Beat | | | | creating forces. All that is pushing the boat along is the |
| This is the hardest point of sailing to master and this is | | | | pressure of the wind against the sail. The fastest point |
| also where the fleet spreads out with the well trimmed | | | | of sail is the broad reach as there is a force created |
| and faster boats at the front whilst the untrimmed and | | | | through the aerodynamics as well as the pressure of |
| slower boats lag at the back. | | | | the wind against the sail. At all times try and get on to |
| A good beat can propel an okay or bad start to being | | | | a broad reach to go to the next mark, because it is |
| in the top ten or top five position. Here are some great | | | | much, much faster than a dead run or even a training |
| tactics to try and improve your position on the beat. | | | | run. The sails are far more efficient at broad reaches |
| - Keep the boat flat! - Another incredibly common past | | | | than runs. |
| time that I see on the race course is boats heeling | | | | - Take off the kicker, cunningham and out haul - Very, |
| constantly though out the race. This is terrible for boat | | | | very important. The whole point of these ropes are to |
| speed as the sail is pulled away from the wind. Make | | | | depower the sail. If they are all on at the point of sail, |
| sure that the boat is flat at all times. To actually | | | | which is the slowest you will inadvertently be slowing |
| achieve this make make sure boat crew members | | | | and depowering the sail even further. Make sure all |
| are hiking out of the boat in a comfortable position. If | | | | these ropes are hanging loose and that the sail is |
| this doesn't help then let out some main sail and pinch | | | | sufficiently powered as to move the boat. To |
| (go further up wind), this should bring down the heel. | | | | remember whether or not you have kept them on or |
| the moment this happens pull the main sheet back in | | | | off, check out the speed of other boats and see if |
| so that when the boat is flat the mainsail is fully in. This | | | | they are traveling faster or slower than you and then |
| has the effect of a massive pump on the boat, which | | | | tweak to compensate. |
| causes a burst of acceleration. Continue to do this | | | | The run is my favorite part of sailing, because I love |
| throughout the beat and you will find yourself | | | | sailing the spinnaker. It is also the precursor to the finish, |
| overtaking everyone who is heeling constantly, greatly | | | | which is usually on the beat. So to make your finished |
| improving your position. You can also use the kicker | | | | better just revise the information on beating, to give |
| and cunningham in especially high winds to depower | | | | yourself and advantage over your opponents. |
| the sail and keep the boat flat, but you must | | | | So that is the ultimate guide to sailing better. Review |
| remember to remove the kicker and cunningham | | | | this a few more times or send it to your crew or helm |
| when the wind dies down or there is a lull. | | | | so that you are both on the same wavelength. This is |
| - Sit forward in the boat - When the boat is not heeling | | | | practically everything you need to know to improve |
| your crew should be sitting on the centreboard and | | | | your sailing and your racing finishing position. |
| you should be sitting up against the shroud. Why? | | | | On the racecourse just watch as you fly by your |
| Because if you both sit back then the stern will act like | | | | racing comrades and see their shocked faces and |
| a massive drag in the water causing the boat to slow | | | | then tell them the secret by emailing them this ultimate |
| down considerably. If you both sit forward the stern | | | | guide to sailing and see the looks on their faces when |
| comes out of the water and the boat is no longer | | | | they find out it is so simple. |
| hampered by an extra dead weight in the water. | | | | Or be evil and keep it all to yourself! |
| - Make sure that the slot is trimmed - This is a very | | | | I hope you have enjoyed this article as much as I have |
| unknown technique in sailing. The concept of the slot is | | | | enjoyed writing it and will be continuing to think about it |
| very technical and is to do with the physics of sailing | | | | for the rest of the day with an excitement and |
| and aerodynamics, but here is a simplified version. The | | | | apprehension that you feel as you get closer and |
| slot is the distance between the Genoa and the | | | | closer to the time when you can put these tips into |
| mainsail. If the slot is too small the airflow becomes | | | | practice. |