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The first 97-98%
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Steve411 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 10 Feb 17 at 10:31am
Originally posted by jeffers

Originally posted by davidyacht

For mixed fleet handicap racing buy a boat that points, it gives you all options off the start line.


Or know your opposition so you know who you can start to windward of and not get stuffed over. Traffic management in a mixed fleet is always key especially in a slower boat.

Good point. I know all the people in my fleet and in handicap races at my club - who starts well, who points high, who luffs downwind etc.
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jeffers View Drop Down
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Posts: 3048 		Post Options Post Options   Quote jeffers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 17 at 10:26am
Originally posted by davidyacht

For mixed fleet handicap racing buy a boat that points, it gives you all options off the start line.


Or know your opposition so you know who you can start to windward of and not get stuffed over. Traffic management in a mixed fleet is always key especially in a slower boat.
Paul
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Posts: 1345 		Post Options Post Options   Quote davidyacht Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 17 at 10:07am
For mixed fleet handicap racing buy a boat that points, it gives you all options off the start line.

Be in the ball park for the optimum weight for you chosen class.

Nothing wrong with sailing with an inexperienced crew, but it is worth having a regular crew.

Get reasonably fit.

Embrace any coaching that is available.

Use your class tuning guides.

Calibrate your settings.

Observe the routing of the guys with local knowledge.

Sail flat.

Sail often.

Sail the start and some of the first beat before the start of the race ... form a plan.

Keep a notebook.
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Posts: 3401 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sam.Spoons Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 17 at 9:56am
That's lots of interesting stuff. My approach to learning to sail the Blaze has been to set the rig up to the numbers, set the minor controls for the day/breeze/conditions and then concentrate on Chris' 'wiggle stick and three strings' (or one string in the case of the Blaze). Tweaking the minor controls is important for the last 2-3% but not so much for the first 97-98%.

Eric Twiname was/is indeed a god and I truly believe if every club racer was only allowed one sailing book it has to be "Start To Win"


Edited by Sam.Spoons - 10 Feb 17 at 9:56am
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jeffers View Drop Down
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Posts: 3048 		Post Options Post Options   Quote jeffers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 17 at 9:47am
Originally posted by Fatboi

sailing the shortest distance to the next mark

Shortest is not always quickest. Sailing proper course to the next mark is more accurate.
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Posts: 189 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Fatboi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 17 at 9:18am
I think set up is a crucial one. Amazed to get into some peoples boats, or borrow boats and they are miles out from optimum set up. The top guys are nearly always set up correctly, so by not being on the ball there you are immediately on the back foot.

The other thing is not getting the basics nailed. You can be in the top 20% by just doing them very well.
Being on the line, at the right end
Not sailing in dirty air
keeping the boat flat
sail set up
sailing the shortest distance to the next mark
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jeffers View Drop Down
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Posts: 3048 		Post Options Post Options   Quote jeffers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 17 at 7:58am
Try not to concentrate on too many things at once while you are still on a learning curve. Far too many people I see who start racing are trying to do it all and it just doesnt work.

Start by concentrating on one aspect say tacking (as the biggest gains and losses at club level are usually on the windward leg). Then move on the keeping the boat at the right angle to the wind. Then move on to mark roundings (it is staggering how much you can lose on a mark rounding). Then laylines (althought his might fall in to place as part of your being at the correct angle work).

Then move on to the offwind work.

Of course if you sail on the lumpy stuff you might need to bring some wave sailing technique in sooner rather than later. 

Above all speak to your peers, especially the guys at the front of your fleet.

Oh and make sure your boat is set up correctly and that your controls work. Far too many people try to learn in boats that just don't work. Imagine l;earning to drive in a car with a dodgy clutch or a sticky accelerator or dodgy brakes.....
Paul
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Posts: 3011 		Post Options Post Options   Quote RS400atC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 17 at 7:47am
Originally posted by Chris 249

Eric Twiname is the one true god, and Start to Win in the one true bible.

I've often thought it would be interesting to get into a boat and lock off everything but the tiller and three strings and then race it hard. So perhaps concentrating 90%+ on the tiller, crew weight, sheets and mainsail twist controller (ie traveller or vang) would give the best results. Obviously if the wind has kicked .in 15 knots more then you may grab some cunningham etc, but the point is not to worry whether it's been pulled down 3" or 5", but instead to just trim and hike through each gust more efficiently.

Apart from setting the outhaul to upwind or downwind settings, my sailing is a lot like that!
In the 400 I can even go whole races without touching the kicker.
I don't win very often though.
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Posts: 3011 		Post Options Post Options   Quote RS400atC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 17 at 7:36am
Originally posted by KazRob

(Properly) accept that your not as good as you think you are and when you start winning, move up a step (regional, national, international) and get well and truly beat.


Not the point I was trying to make.
If you want to get up with the top of your club fleet, go and learn from people better than them.
Or even equally good but different.
Learning from your local winner might eventually make you 95% as good as him.
Learning from the people in a better fleet might make you better than him, or get you level with him a whole lot quicker.

But local winners could do everyone a favour by ocassionally pushing themselves at a higher level, it raises standards for everyone.
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Chris 249 View Drop Down
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Posts: 2041 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Chris 249 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 17 at 12:27am
Eric Twiname is the one true god, and Start to Win in the one true bible.

I've often thought it would be interesting to get into a boat and lock off everything but the tiller and three strings and then race it hard. So perhaps concentrating 90%+ on the tiller, crew weight, sheets and mainsail twist controller (ie traveller or vang) would give the best results. Obviously if the wind has kicked .in 15 knots more then you may grab some cunningham etc, but the point is not to worry whether it's been pulled down 3" or 5", but instead to just trim and hike through each gust more efficiently.
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