On the Water Exercises

Inspired by jamesd's suggestion of training with the
rudder not fully down to help promote flat sailing, what
other on the water exercises do people recommend?

This weekend the three new Laser 4000s at our club were
planning on receiving some coaching before our first race
on Monday but this is now looking unlikely as both the
coaches RIBs were nicked last weekend

Instead we will probably just end up sailing around
aimlessly laughing at each others cockups.

What's the best methods for boat-on-boat tuning etc?

If you can get a rescue boat out to assist, get some start practises going on, move on to upwind marks, then downwind mark rounding then combine it all to a few short races.

It all depends, what did you want to get out of the sessions? Do you know what the controls actually do to the sails? Lay your boat on its side and adjust each in turn.

Have you tried blindfold sailing? Blinddfolding the helm and relying on the crew can significantly improve crew communication and enable the helm to better understand the feel of the boat.

rabbit runs!!! they are without doubt the best way of improving upwind
speed, with more that 2 boats. discuss your set-up before you get out
there, make sure you are all reasonably close in static set-up. go on the
tide and someone sail on port tack, upwind, as fast as they can, then the
other boats duck their transom like a gate start, when every boat has
'started' the gate boat tacks onto starboard. just keep going until
someone is clearly ahead!
evaluate and start again!
then when you get to the top mark turn around and race downhill to
either a mark, or aim at something at the shore.
this is what i recommend the most, but there are other things to do, try
cacing downwind with the rudder tied in the middle, using your body
mass and sail trim to steer.
for tacking practice, set off at ten second intervals and every ten seconds
you must tack, with the aim of catching the guy infront. its great for
tacking and also as you get closer becomes great at match race practice.
its good also for working out how much room you require to tack/gybe
infront of someone without infringing them, brilliant practice for those
times you win the pin end, but the wind is in a left hand phase.

right its 3am, i just got in from a nightclub, if this doesnt make sense,
tough

by top mark i mean the point when you are tired of upwind, or you run
out of water.......no marks are needed. to start a downwind session get
everyone reaching in the same direction then on the blow of a whistle,
bear away, and hoist/nail it downhill.


Edited by Jamesd

Practice holding station by a bouy ... once you can stay within 1 boat length for 5 minutes you have it nailed.

Great for starting.