Why all the topics about ...

Originally posted by iGRF

Originally posted by iGRF

Just as a matter of personal interest, how are they broken down these days, what does get taught, do they do pre race prep, course observation, startline tactics, 1st beat strategy, 1st reach strategy according to position, what to do if your in front, what to do if your behind, stuff like that?

How to tackle the run, when to soak when to sail high, how to spot downwind shifts, port starboard advance planning?

Do they cover tidal situations?

Windshift strategy when to tack when not to?

Approach to the finish?

There must be so many books on the subject around by now..but which get used or suggested as reference matter?

When we do race training we usually start with starts. Just getting them to be anywhere near the line is an achievement to start with.

Once they crack that we work on the first beat, finding a lane, trying to keep your wind clear etc.. and refining upwind technique. Lots of short windward/leeward 1 lap races is great for this (along with taking some video).

Then we start looking at offwind, emphasizing that the quickest course on a reach or run is not always the shortest distance so keeping an eye open for gusts.

then mark rounding (which introduces the idea of tactics, ie making your rounding effective so another boat cannot get in above you and take your wind on the next leg).

Then we come back to starts and introduce the idea of line bias, how to spot it and use it to your advantage.

Somewhere in there we will also approach boat specific tuning and technique.

It is not something you can do quickly as there is just too much!

There is, of course, the RYA 'method' and courses but these are very basic IMO and once you have covered start racing you are more in to coaching and refining rather than out and out teaching.