Skiff fitness

   Hi all,So my RS600 is kicking my ass. As much as I love this boat, I've never been so physically exhausted after anything. I regularly feel nauseous during a sail. I'm young and I work hard on my fitness but I'm still a relative sailing novice, and very very definitely a skiff novice. I assume, and hope, that when (read 'if') my familiarity with the boat increases, then I'll find it less physically exhausting. In the interim, my questions are - why is the 600 so much more physically taxing than a say, a Laser, and how could I adapt my fitness work to accommodate the demands of skiff sailing?

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dohertpk Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 28 Sep 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 172	Post Options Post Reply Quote dohertpk Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Skiff fitness Posted: 03 Jul 14 at 11:09pm
	Hi all, So my RS600 is kicking my ass. As much as I love this boat, I've never been so physically exhausted after anything. I regularly feel nauseous during a sail. I'm young and I work hard on my fitness but I'm still a relative sailing novice, and very very definitely a skiff novice. I assume, and hope, that when (read 'if') my familiarity with the boat increases, then I'll find it less physically exhausting. In the interim, my questions are - why is the 600 so much more physically taxing than a say, a Laser, and how could I adapt my fitness work to accommodate the demands of skiff sailing?

craiggo Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 01 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1810	Post Options Post Reply Quote craiggo Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jul 14 at 11:20pm
	Probably because of all the swimming. You don't need to be fit to sail a skiff, just have good muscle memory, good balance and good agility. Having recently bought a road bike and started to regularly commute 9 miles each way to work on it, I can tell you I am not fit, but I could happily sail my 700 or a 600 or even a 49er tomorrow and not feel too bad. The key thing really is learning the drills for tacking and gybing, and developing the boat handling to keep the boat smoothly trucking along. Learning to read the wind and pre-empt gusts or lulls will make a huge difference as overreacting to these events sap energy.

Null Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 May 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 745	Post Options Post Reply Quote Null Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jul 14 at 11:23pm
	I would suggest it's not more physically taxing, not in any great amount where you should feel sick! I think what you will find is that you are getting more worn out as your expecting things to go wrong, as such you won't be breathing correctly which is all important at getting oxygen round your body, so you are feeling tired and worn out. I get it in nervous situations DH mtb riding, I just don't breath enough! The other reason you maybe knackered more than in a laser is you will no doubt be swimming more! Or righting the boat after a capsize, all of which sap your energy! Just try and relax a bit, the boat isn't going to kill you. If you fall in really the worse thing that happen is you will get wet! Do you get nervous before showers at home?

dohertpk Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 28 Sep 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 172	Post Options Post Reply Quote dohertpk Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jul 14 at 11:35pm
	I think you both probably hit the nail on the head; the nervousness is totally exhausting as much as anything. Funny thing is; I'm actually through the 'swimming phase' (don't really capsize anymore) and into the 'oh christ this thing is quick' phase. Just a bit frustrating to have to back off because my nervous system is having second thoughts about the wisdom of the whole enterprise.

dohertpk Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 28 Sep 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 172	Post Options Post Reply Quote dohertpk Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jul 14 at 5:25pm
	Just as an interesting addendum...found this on the MPS website: http://www.mustoskiff.com/reports-and-news/2011/gps-hrm-data.htm Much higher heart rates recorded than I would have imagined and would seem to go some way to explaining the exhaustion.

PeterG Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 12 Jan 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 822	Post Options Post Reply Quote PeterG Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jul 14 at 6:10pm
	Interesting, though it doesn't surprise me. My heart rate used to get very high when tacking a Contender when I was newish to it - a significant factor was uncertainty about whether I was going to go swimming or not!
	Peter Ex Cont 707 Ex Laser 189635 DY 59

Riv Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 23 Nov 13 Location: South Devon Online Status: Offline Posts: 353	Post Options Post Reply Quote Riv Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jul 14 at 10:47pm
	Sounds familiar......... I sail a Laser a fair bit and also cycle so my fitness is OK, however I'm also sailing a board and I find that after half hour I'm exhausted in an F3 or so. So the answer had to be my attitude rather thatn the fitness, I was so tense at time I just froze up and fell and that only made things worse, so now I: 1) Do a warm up on the beach for 10 mins 2) Sing(very badly, even the seals stay away) 3) Swear, curse and use every invective at the top of my voice 4) Do a lot of deep breathing. This is all possible because usually there is no one else using the water or in hearing distance. Relaxation is the key

bristolmustoskiff Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 20 Nov 12 Location: bristol Online Status: Offline Posts: 84	Post Options Post Reply Quote bristolmustoskiff Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jul 14 at 5:42pm
	well after having a 600 for 6 years and now in a musto i can tell you yes you need to be fit really other wise you tire quickly then make mistakes then fall in making you even more tired the key thing i found was to get your tacking and gybing drills right to minimise the capsizes i must be honest i was at the gym 4 times a week when i had the 600 but that wasn't just for sailing it would be beneficial to work on your core if you have a weak core you fell it in your back and shoulders as you over compensate so do say 20 super mans 1 min plank 30 sec left plank 30 sec right plank 20 crunches 20 full sit ups 1 min spoon 3 times a week but like i said the key is to get the drills i got some good vids on you tube just search rs600 sailing fyi the mustos even more physical jay
	live hard race harder

dohertpk Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 28 Sep 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 172	Post Options Post Reply Quote dohertpk Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jul 14 at 6:06pm
	Thanks for that Jay. I've actually watched your vids more than a few times to try and refine my tacking technique. They're very helpful so thanks for that! Quick question: in your videos you seem to employ slightly different technique through the tack in the MPS and 600. You seem to sit down more in the 600 (as do most in the 600 from the vids I've seen). Could I ask you to explain why? I've been trying to use the musto 'standing up' approach, simply because there are more musto vids than 600 vids by this point (and Sten's DVD is very convincing). My core and cardio are solid; I hit the gym three times a week and do two 14k runs a week...which makes the exhaustion in the 600 even more frustrating and baffling!

craiggo Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 01 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1810	Post Options Post Reply Quote craiggo Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jul 14 at 6:23pm
	The cockpit ergonomics and rack position make sitting down easier in the 600 and make it a little harder to stay on your feet. Also the boom is lower on the 600. Back to fitness, I'm sailing my Grad a lot with my daughter which I have to say I find every bit as tiring as my 700. It really is all too do with keeping relaxed and keeping the boat going smoothly rather than overreacting to every little puff.