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Why do dinghy sailors never train? |
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Chris 249 ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 10 May 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2041 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: 15 Oct 14 at 11:51pm |
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I can only agree that you can improve in cycling much faster than in sailing - but only until you reach a certain level. Then you start to need to do a few hundred kilometres a week in cycling to get better. The top Master in our club does 600+ quality ks a week, which would take him around 17 hours or so. Because sailing is a mid-sized sport with lots of different classes and many of us don't train much, I used to assume that when sailors moved into other sports we may get thrashed. Interestingly, the sailors and windsurfers I know who gave up sailing and went into cycling often did much BETTER at the bigger sport. One mid-fleet club Laser sailor returned to his old sport of cycling and has since won a bunch of state championships in his age group. A good national level windsurfer (fast enough to get places but not wins IIRC) has been national masters champ on the bike a couple of times and has an amazing ability to go from winning track racing to getting 2nd out of 600+ mountainbikers before hopping on a time trial bike and getting 2nd from 60. Another windsurfer and another Laser sailor went into cycling and did well at the MTB 24 hour worlds; a good national-level Tasar/Mirror sailor got into cycling, then triathlon and qualified for the Worlds. One world-class sailor who was cruelly robbed of an Olympic spot got 5th in the Masters worlds on the bike. So while dinghy sailors don't tend to train that much, when we do get into a sport where you have to train a lot AND IT'S LOGISTICALLY EASIER TO TRAIN A LOT, we seem to do as well or better than we do in sailing. That seems to me to say that our comparative lack of training is not because we are lazy, but because it's harder to go out and train on a boat and also that it's a sport where thinking is much more important than in some other sports. Edited by Chris 249 - 15 Oct 14 at 11:52pm |
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Caveman ![]() Groupie ![]() Joined: 17 Sep 11 Location: Kent Online Status: Offline Posts: 64 |
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I do train to maintain my personal fitness rather than improve my sailing. A couple of gym sessions each week and a 30-40 mile bike ride with friends early on a Saturday morning. Sundays are generally reserved for sailing (cycling substitutes for drifters).
I am chuffed with how my cycling has progressed over a short period. It is quite possible to get remarkably quick on a bike in months whereas it usually takes years to become any good at sail racing. That for me is what lies behind the appeal of sailing. It is so much more satisfying as a sport. As to training in the boat, most of the time I just want to get out and have fun racing with a bunch of like minded friends. Sure I'll never be a top sailor but, for someone with limited time, I reckon that regular close fleet racing (particularly if some fleet members are better sailors than you are) is a great way to improve. |
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Enthusiasm>Skill
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getafix ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 28 Mar 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2143 |
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Be sure to get her consent first
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iiitick ![]() Far too distracted from work ![]() Joined: 04 Jun 14 Location: gb Online Status: Offline Posts: 478 |
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Sitting here with man-flu and close to death, sunny Sunday seems a long time ago. Ones very presence in the house seems to offend ones wife who keeps attacking one with the Hoover. Training? Up yours!
I do need to pull myself together though as I have to demonstrate the differences between Byte and Lightning for a young lady on Friday.
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iGRF ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499 |
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That'll be me then. I worked out it was my tenth anniversary this summer just gone, so that's now ten years of dinghy sailing gone by in a flash.. I did attend a training session from the Musto folk which was good but it also convinced me when I watched the really good guys on the 2nd day in strong winds, that I'd left it too late and probably the boat was too difficult to bother with anyway so gave it back not long after. Other than that I consider returning to winter activity down the lake as training, I'd long since given up windsurf racing once the temperature dips below 10 degrees, but here I am death bagged up looking forward to another winters sunday mornings. My main weakness is now strong winds on the sea, a real annoyance as it used to be one of my strengths windsurfing, once it was windy enough for everyone to be equally overpowered I'd do well, my weak point was force 4-5 where the taller lard boys have it away. No amount of practise can overcome body shape once you have achieved a certain level and I feel that is even more exaggerated in dinghies, unless there is some technique I've yet to master, there comes a point when weight or lack of it has its way with you. Although I could do with brushing up stronger wind gybes, but the problem comes that there is no rescue cover around to train in the winds you need to train in and the times you get caught out are when the wind comes up during a race. |
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zippyRN ![]() Far too distracted from work ![]() Joined: 14 Sep 06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 437 |
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also for many people their club racing is their 'training' for their percieved big events ( which might not be viewed as such by others , who are more serious) ...
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bristolmustoskiff ![]() Groupie ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 Nov 12 Location: bristol Online Status: Offline Posts: 84 |
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yea agreed
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live hard race harder
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winging it ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 22 Mar 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3958 |
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And also, practice like that, boat on boat, can often be much more fun than racing.
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the same, but different...
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bristolmustoskiff ![]() Groupie ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 Nov 12 Location: bristol Online Status: Offline Posts: 84 |
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well just are preference and as we are all mates it good to get together
i drive 1hour 30 mins every weekend to sail and practice
also i said i practice lots dident say i was any good ![]() the musto needs practice you can never expect to jump into a boat and be fast straight away |
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live hard race harder
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kneewrecker ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 09 Apr 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1586 |
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Well that's not doing much to convince the rest of us that a MPS is as attainable as the class like to think it is ...
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