starting line problems handicap
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3363
Printed Date: 05 Aug 25 at 12:29pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: starting line problems handicap
Posted By: Wrighty
Subject: starting line problems handicap
Date Posted: 07 Sep 07 at 12:26pm
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Having years of practice in the laser 1 with good starts im now on the start line in my RS700 with merlin, k6, 505,FF, Tempest ect. I now have to start away from them as they kill me if get close to windward, The k6 go slow but sail very high.I now have to sail for a gap at speed and punch through. I did like starting before but now feel so disavantaged.lits like playing chess without a queen, I do miss starting as it was part of the fun. If i go for position they come under me then sit head to wind and call windward boat, i'm racing for fun and donot want an insurance claim as my wings are sharp making nice holes in wood. so far I just keep going under them leaving them behind, on days with a short beat its crap.
------------- Wrighty |
Replies:
Posted By: English Dave
Date Posted: 07 Sep 07 at 12:45pm
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Sadly it's part and parcel of handicap racing that some boats will point higher than others. Those boats with a jib and long narrow hulls are always going to have a height advantage. Best advice is to stay in as much clean air as possible to make your VMG stick. You may find that this invloves starting on the opposite tack Short courses are going to screw with you - full stop. Upwind you can't point high enough and downwind you have to soak down so much when raising or dropping the kite that you are likely to fall foul of a "windward boat" call at some point. ------------- English Dave http://www.ballyholme.com - Ballyholme Yacht Club (You'd think I'd be better at it by now) Hurricane 5.9 SX RS700 |
Posted By: Scooby_simon
Date Posted: 07 Sep 07 at 1:14pm
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IF you are one of the faster, this opens up Port tack flyers as if there is the room, you can make port tack starts that if you were slower you cannot make. ------------- Wanna learn to Ski - PM me.. |
Posted By: FireballNeil
Date Posted: 07 Sep 07 at 3:39pm
| I don't know where I readit but Stevie Morisson reccomended port tack starts in fast skiff type boats becuae you need to be able to foot for speed and the loss from taking a few transoms is less than from getting in the post start "stuffathon" |
Posted By: mike ellis
Date Posted: 07 Sep 07 at 4:04pm
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think that was in Y+Y last issue. ------------- 600 732, will call it Sticks and Stones when i get round to it. Also International 14, 1318 |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 07 Sep 07 at 4:05pm
I think it was in last week's YY. Being about the lousiest starter in the country I've found its a good tactic if its a small and high quality fleet because everyone will be on the startline. Then you come across at high speed behind them in the lighter but lifted (for you) wind and you get across the line maybe half to one boat length behind in clear air and good speed. But if its a lower quality fleet or there are 60 of them and half of them are still struggling in past the committee boat 20 seconds after the start and there are about 4 rows then getting a gap to cross the line can be a bit more difficult. |
Posted By: GARETH C
Date Posted: 08 Sep 07 at 8:56pm
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Think it becomes less of a problem the better the OD is. If there is a port end bias, most of the fleet wont recognise it and your preferential speed and loadsa gaps will pay. Poor start lines with mega bias will cause problems with a short beat. You could always get a canoe as leaving the seat out to leward at pre start does give you that little bit of extra room. I have also found that acting eneptly also encourages people to give you a wide berth....and yes, i know it comes naturally! |
Posted By: mike ellis
Date Posted: 09 Sep 07 at 5:02pm
600 is a good boat for that sort of starting tactics gareth, my sister has admitted to starting at the unfavourable end of the line to conter balance the risk of me capsizing on her. ------------- 600 732, will call it Sticks and Stones when i get round to it. Also International 14, 1318 |
Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 10 Sep 07 at 4:57pm
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, mble();Port tack starting only
works if the whole fleet is reasonably on the ball - nice point Jim -
our average club start sees a whole raft of slow stuff still rounding
the comm boat end (on typically short lines) well after the gun, you
need a big port bias to make it happen if you're not in a high-pointing
speed machine upwind (i.e I-Canoe), i've found you can actually create
a decent bit of room to leeward by arriving earlier than you ever did
before, then going head to wind... slow yourself right down but try to
keep a tiny amount of way on by pulling occassionally on the mainsheet
falls (also stops you getting into irons)... now use the racks to stop
you being dragged backwards too far or to leeward too far, thus opening
up a gap below you, then use the gap to go for the acceleration before
the gun, you may not hit the line full chat but if you've got it right,
9 out of 10 you've got enough of a gap below you to foot into and power
up, allowing you to leave the stuffers fighting it out behind you by
the time you chuck in your first tack. Racks can be very useful
at low speeds! ------------- Feeling sorry for vegans since it became the latest fad to claim you are one |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 12 Sep 07 at 8:46am
Could you explain this a bit further? Do you mean heeling the boat so the racks dig in on the lee side? We use the above tactic for starting quite often, arrive early stuff it head to wind, particularly if there's a favorable tide. We have so many none rule abiding numpties that coming up from leeward it's just a windward "barge in fest" and when you shout at them they just look at you all clueless, wiered, hurt and upset. Then there's the dash in from above the line type, dip it, totally off the scale in breaking every windward boat keep clear rule in the book. You'd never think it would come down to windsurfers having to explain the rules to a sailing club.. |