Crewing a Scorpion
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Technique
Forum Discription: 'How to' section for dinghy questions and answers
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10657
Printed Date: 27 Jun 25 at 12:08pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Crewing a Scorpion
Posted By: EmmyC
Subject: Crewing a Scorpion
Date Posted: 23 Jan 13 at 6:12pm
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Hi all, this year I've managed to secure place as a crew in a Scorpion for a super-experienced and talented helm at my club. Any Scorpion-specific tips or just any tips in general for getting the most out of the boat and not looking stupid? Many thanks  |
Replies:
Posted By: SoggyBadger
Date Posted: 23 Jan 13 at 6:57pm
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Nothing Scorpion specific. Just practice, practice, practice and remember when tacking or gybing that it's not a race to see which one of you can get to the other side of the boat first. ------------- Best wishes from deep in the woods SB |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 23 Jan 13 at 7:00pm
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gosh lucky you - think how much you're going to learn! Scorpions are great little boats, but hard work - make sure you've got decent hikers. Other than that what the Badger says - lots of practice, get trhe kite work so slick you pull can pull off the trickiest moves in the tightest of spaces.
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: Roger
Date Posted: 23 Jan 13 at 7:30pm
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Sounds like a great opportunity, great boat and a top helm. As said already practice a lot, and if you feel you need more don't be afraid to ask if you can practice/train some more. Spinnaker is pretty important in the Scorpion as it is with most 3 sail boats, but the Scorpion carries a good sized spinnaker compared to the size of the boat, so maybe a little more so than most. I would strongly recommend you ask the helm what feedback he/she would like from you, even though they are very experienced they will be used to getting communication from their crew and you will be able to help with anything from wind/gust spotting to tactics. Talk a lot and you'll learn absolutely loads, it is a great opportunity I'm sure. People vary a lot, some are very talkative on the water and others are very quiet, try and get into whats going through your helm's mind, if they don't tell you, ask, and that way you will both be on the same wavelength and you'll be learning faster. |
Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 24 Jan 13 at 10:27am
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One tip I would give it to get the toe straps set up correctly for you as well. A good pair of hikers is a must in a Scorp too as, while the deck looks nice for hiking if the straps are the wrong length it can be very painful. Aside from that they are great boats, very responsive and surprisingly quick. The fit out is also pretty free in them so the helm will have the boat optimised for how they like to sail. They should talk you through it all though. It sounds like a great opportunity! If they invite you to do the nationals with them then go for it, the fleet is very friendly and the socials are the talk of legend... (not quite up to Andy the Dancing Farmer though....) ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: GybeFunny
Date Posted: 24 Jan 13 at 11:20am
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I helm a Scorpion. A lot depends on the fit-out of the boat you will be sailing, is it wood or plastic? Spinnaker chute or bags? Raking rig or not? Twin poles or double ended pole? etc Mine has adjustable crew toestraps so if they are adjustable have a play to get comfy. Hikers will be very useful and make a big difference. The spinnaker is massive (same size as a Fireball I hear but without the extra righting moment of the trapeze) so tight reaching is tricky if you are under weight, the helm may occasionally want you to curl the front few feet of the spinnaker to depower, this is very tricky though as it is very near collapsing at that point. You will probably want to tack facing backwards as it is far easier with where the jib cleats are and you can see (and mirror) the helms speed across the boat in tacks. Good luck.
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Posted By: fab100
Date Posted: 24 Jan 13 at 12:44pm
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Communicate Talk about and agree tasks, expectations, commitment levels and goals and of course read and apply the section "For the crew" in my book ------------- http://clubsailor.co.uk/wp/club-sailor-from-back-to-front/" rel="nofollow - Great book for Club Sailors here |
Posted By: EmmyC
Date Posted: 24 Jan 13 at 6:30pm
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Thanks very much for the advice everyone. SoggyBadger - Thanks, I'll take it on board!! Winging it - I have my hikers from my Laser days so will be able to put them to proper use, finally! Roger - I definitely need to get some spinnaker practice in, to be quite frank I've never actually used one, let alone an old-fashioned symmetrical one. Jeffers - I'm a fairly lightweight sailor so I'm hoping the crew toestraps are nicely adjusted for me! He has been racing a Solution for the last 4 years or so and went to a lot of opens and the Nationals, so I'm definitely hoping to go to a few in the Scorpion! GybeFunny - I wish I knew all of those details, but I have only just been asked by him! I may need to eat a few burgers to be able to keep the boat down with him to be honest! Fab100 - Thank you. We get on very well so I don't assume communication will be difficult! Wow, how many books have you written?! I'll make sure to add it to my birthday list! |
Posted By: NickM
Date Posted: 24 Jan 13 at 7:45pm
| Way back in the mists of time when people still wore woad, I remember my first crewing experience in a Scorpion. It was at an Open at Beer and there was a typical big sea, SW F4-5. My helm was pretty competant and reasonably wanted the boat held flat. Etched in my memory was how narrow the boat seemed and hiking it was very Hard Work. Down wind was brilliant. I was a reasonably fit teenager at the time. So my tip would be consider developing Jessica Ennis abs! |
Posted By: EmmyC
Date Posted: 25 Jan 13 at 6:15pm
Thanks for the advice! I do GCSE PE, so do 4 hours of sport in school as well as running and cycling outside of school. My abs are etching as we speak! |
Posted By: NickA
Date Posted: 30 Jan 13 at 8:41pm
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As in any boat with lots of ropes; talk through who will do what, try it and when it works stick to it. In the Javelin (basically a scorpion only bigger and trapeezier) our main irritant is the twinners, we always think the other person has / will do them and often sail half a reach with the wrong one pulled in. Likewise who pulls the boom across when gybing and stuff like pulling the board down, pulling on some cunningham etc when rounding the bottom mark. Once racing, there probably won't be much time to say "excuse me Emmy would you mind terribly much pulling the spinny pole back so as we can gybe in a moment". ------------- Javelin 558 Contender 2574 |