Starting

If you have any opportunity to go to a coaching session that allows you to practice 10-20 starts in a day, your timing will improve.

I find the timing quite easy in a small fleet (say 10 boats). It is starting in a large and aggressive fleet that I find harder.

As above, also learn how your fleet starts; is there someone who will always try and kill the port tacker ?

Learn to keep your boat still (the box exercise is a killer)

Are there any special tricks in your class (can you make the boat stall bu sheeting in V Hard and backing the (fully battend) mainsail.

Can you make the boat go sideways ?

Etc.

I don't know about twin trapezes but my RS600 is close, right? So I find, compared to the Scorpion, you can accelerate very quickly...... 2 boat lengths to top speed. So all the fleet is lining up, you fly in on a close port tack reach, tack into a big hole 5 secs from the gun, then reach down fast as you can till your in clear air..... then your on for a great beat............ works for me.

In the toppers with consistantly 120+ boats at national qualifiers, and up to 150 boats on a line at the nats and inlands (with 4 flights) starting is the most important part of a race, a bad one is practically the end of your race. The things I've learn't are:

• Plan your start:-
• Get a transit- so you know exactly where the line is- important when there's line sag
• Work out the line bias and start close to the favoured end- a big advantage on a long line
• Accelarate slightly before others (literaly split second), to pop your nose out in front, be at full speed at the gun
• Get a gap to leward to foot off into , AFTER the gun. If you go reaching off into it before the gun yopu get too close too leward boat.
• Be aggressive, to protect your position/ fill in a gap in the line at the last minute. but be aware of your rights and limitations regaring the RRS
• Don't hang back, if you think everyone is likely to be over, stay with them, but keep your numbers hidden, and you won't get caught (you probably wont be over as people tend to be cautious, especially under the black flag)
• You will find that some helms roll the boat to leward and pump out of it to gain a bit of speed as you start to accelarate, or flick the leech once to give you an extra 1/4 boatlenght, and 'pop' out of the front. Some say this is cheating, and you shouldn't do it, but I think one pump will be ignored  as 'yellow light' zone, or whatever it's called in rule 42 interprtation.
• Most important of all: practice boathandling, so you can manouver well on the line and accelarate quickly

As above you need to plan your start and plan your defenses to what people might try in you.

Which end of the line do you want (and how am I going to defend it?)

 

Do I have a boat that can point high, if so you can create a gap below you by squeesing up but you then have to ensure someone does then not grab your nice gap below you.

Can you tack quickly?

You also need to understand the fleet you are in - is there a "stuffer" who will always sail people into irons even if it is slow for them too etc.....