'racecraft' tips
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=12062
Printed Date: 27 Jun 25 at 12:13am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: 'racecraft' tips
Posted By: RoundTheBow
Subject: 'racecraft' tips
Date Posted: 28 Jun 15 at 12:10pm
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A while back I remember watching Sir Chris Hoy explaining how his switch to car racing isn't as silly as it looks as he re-uses a lot of the 'rcecraft' techniques from cycle racing. It's taken me a long time to get my boat up to speed. Finally seem to have got there this season after refitting almost everything, asking everybody for tips and nosing around other people's boats. Now I'm further up the fleet, I notice a distinct lack of expereince in terms of getting around the course quickly in the presence of lots of other boats. Aka 'racecraft'. Examples: * thinking about which boats you're going to slot in between at the next mark, as you are rounding the current mark * when it pays to go round the outside of a mark * when you should be cutting in and trying to go round the inside (e.g. gybe mark) - or OK to round outside (e.g. leeward mark) * boats that you can take on vs ones you can't (e.g. anything with an unstayed rig that can be on starboard seemingly in any wind direction) * when to slow the boat down by sheeting in - to stay on someone's transom * avoiding trying to slot in between two boats on a run - they'll close you out * generally looking around and prediciting as far ahead as possible where everyone will be and how to avoid them and stay in clear air The starts have been a little more simple to get vaguely right, the key there is just to make sure you're in the viscinity of the line when the gun goes off. Anyway - any more 'racecraft' tips welcome... |
Replies:
Posted By: Woodburner
Date Posted: 28 Jun 15 at 4:40pm
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What you're talking about is called tactics, there are basically two key functions to racing, one making sure the boat sails as fast as it is possible to sail it, then sailing the shortest possible course around the marks. As to other boats, they are a secondary issue, you're not there to sail at their convenience, they are obstacles so you need to learn the rights of way rules, if you are forced to come into contact with them learn what tactical measures and physical properties your boat has that will impede their progress whilst enhancing your own, but the best thing, is to avoid them and focus on the marks, making sure you have an inside line for roundings and that the wind shift you are on is always the one taking you closest to the next mark. Read books, like that Eric Twinames start to win, excellent book even in this day and age. There's a guy who posts on here now and again, Clive Ephlet, he's written a book within which most of your questions will no doubt be answered. http://clubsailor.co.uk/wp/club-sailor-from-back-to-front/" rel="nofollow - link here
------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/moses" rel="nofollow - Foil fun |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 29 Jun 15 at 10:12am
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Amazing. I was, as usual, looking for things to disagree with in a post from grumph, and can find nothing. Nothing really to add, either. Just read those books, and any others you can find. Then go sailing. A lot. What you read in the books, look for on the water. Act on it. Most who read the books, don't, so you'll quickly get ahead of them. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: RoundTheBow
Date Posted: 29 Jun 15 at 1:42pm
| Thanks chaps :) |
Posted By: Mike Holt
Date Posted: 29 Jun 15 at 10:53pm
| A couple of easy tips to remember, in wide out tight on mark roundings. Have a plan for the race before you start. |
Posted By: Alistair426
Date Posted: 30 Jun 15 at 10:41am
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 30 Jun 15 at 11:05am
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Learn to use a compass when sailing on the sea. I haven't, and the lack of landmarks means I'm pretty much blind when it comes to picking the correct side upwind.
------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 30 Jun 15 at 11:05am
Hmm. Von Moltke's maxim springs to mind. If you stick rigidly to your plan you may well be beaten by those who successfully modify theirs according to what actually unfolds on the course. |
Posted By: Alistair426
Date Posted: 30 Jun 15 at 11:12am
| And the first rule of warfare is that no plan survives first contact with the enemy. However, 'got to head out of the tide' or 'noticed a wind bend when we sailed the beat before the start' are fairly fundamental. |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 30 Jun 15 at 11:14am
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I suppose the trick is to know when the plan is being modified without your consent (ie, you are being dictated to by others) and when you need to modify the plan yourself to improve your chances.
------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 30 Jun 15 at 12:39pm
Good post from Grmupf, just one thing to note the shortest course is not necessarily the fastest course. This is why you will usually see the good guys going 'gust hunting' on offwind legs and trying to find a clear lane if they find themselves stuck in traffic. Having a plan is great but be prepared to improvise if you need to. ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: Woodburner
Date Posted: 30 Jun 15 at 3:08pm
Well you could go on forever but then you would be in book writing territory "How I learned to stop standing up and still win sat down" seems like a useful working title to me.. (With an extra long chapter on tidal lee bow and its effect in coastal waters  )------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/moses" rel="nofollow - Foil fun |
Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 01 Jul 15 at 3:25pm
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Keep a notebook, write down what you get right and get wrong. Crew for someone really good. ------------- Happily living in the past |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 01 Jul 15 at 4:09pm
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One of the best sailors I know, now over 80 years old, has been keeping a notebook with settings etc in it since he was a teenager. I think there are a lot of Firefly sailors who's like to get a look at them! Sadly, my brain really doesn't work that way - I tend to try and work by how the boat feels. This works well in a familiar environment, but falls down badly when out of my comfort zone. Crew for someone really good? Too right. Provided they aren't a total ***hole! ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 01 Jul 15 at 4:45pm
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Probably could learn from an *****ole if he was good. One of the reasons why two handed boats have their place. ------------- Happily living in the past |
Posted By: Caveman
Date Posted: 31 Jul 15 at 10:13pm
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If you can nail the start and sail into clear air, it will almost certainly be far easier to make the right tactical choices and achieve a good result. ------------- Enthusiasm>Skill |