Being a responsible adult I've started a new thread, but this relates to dicussion on http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1286 - http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1 286 , which ranks starting as possibly the most important factor in doing well at events

Please, please, please can I have some top tips for starting well ... mainly hitting the line on the gun with boatspeed ... two man trapeze boat, inland still water ... I never get the timing right

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.

I'm absolutely not an expert, but let me share what I learned when I was being taught this in coaching sessions (in fully-battened trapezey boats)

- Useful basic start-handling exercise #1 - imagine a rectangular box 2 lengths deep, one edge of which is the start line, the other edge is 2 lengths back.  Practice getting yourself inside the box, on any tack, but under control, 10 seconds before a start signal, and stay there.  Sounds ludicrously simple, but hard to do at first in a high-performance boat.  You could do a version of this on your own, just using a mark - aim to position yourself within 2 lengths to leeward, close-hauled, to a countdown.

- Useful exercise #2 - do short-cycle starts over & over again - find a friend who will set a short line and run '2min-1min-go' starts, and get them to tell you just how close to the line you are every time

- Boat handling when semi-stalled, to hold a position close to the line - this is easy in a heavy boat with soft sails & short battens; much harder in a lightweight boat with fully-battened mylars.  There were some fiendish exercises in Y&Y earlier this year for practicing this,  A key skill is avoiding the 'flip' where the boat tacks involuntarily - to avoid this, the crew needs to be alert and have the lazy jibsheet in their hand all the time for a quick 'backing'

- watch the 'higher & faster' video for some other starting techniques, including double-tacking and sailing backwards

HTH

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 think the key is to visualise a plan then do it; rather than letting the start happen to you ...

Rick

Dream on bumble ... 2 boat lengths to full speed ...

As for big gaps they are not ALWAYS there ...

Rick

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

If you do all that then you'll have a pretty good chance of a good start.

Rick

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..... 

Some great advice all round, and 'grim' and Harry have nailed it for me.

Must be difficult in a shifty breeze when you have little headway to manoeuvre and you may be partly blanketed ... guess you have to work the sails and keep room to bear off into? Easier said than done.

Bet I mess up a few peoples starts for them, as well as my own ... won't be popular in the bar!

It's a balancing act - a poor start is often not much worse than an OCS

Rick

I have been having some really good starts as of late.  I go out there and say that i'm not going to mess around on the line and stay out of trouble and i always seem to be first off the line. And I sail on a river.  Use reverse tactics it the best way