Key training

for the nationals, here is my key ideas on training:

1) starts: get a feel for the boat, even if it is on the day: take time to go out and time the line, find the bias and transits and time your different approaches before going up the beat and back to do it again to a 1min gun. Get any transits : a safe one to pull in from and go at 10 seconds in 9ms. Get an on the line or early to correct.

2) chill , drink, eat: remember to tell the crew to do this too.

3) tacks, speed in, heeliong- liuffing, round enough not too much, speed out, height.

4) hoist: be confident in a gybe set but trained up for a bear away hoist ON the bouy. Look at the boats ahead; are they pretty dead on STB and deep without pointing to the leeward mark?

5) leeward: better harden up : with speed, take a big luff or tack if it is good to do so: with lack of speed, get the boat moving ! Get distance for the starboard response to a high, fast port boat piling in behind you. Do a windward drop drill on the day.Gear is then on the correct side for STB next time! Infront of shrouds.

6) bends, shift pattern, tide : remember to look at all these: Kite is more sensitive, so sail a straight line on the windier side or the LHS if even and look for the pattern and any bend. Look at bouys and stalks.

7) Save a bad start : double tack up to a better band even if you loose one boat more you will gain.

Late start: cross the fleet on a close hauled port tack and go right

early: tack right onto port , take only a boat legnth heigh, see the line and then reach off to restart on the RHS , clearing the line completely: maybe you were not so early anyway. If you are early, so will everyone be because I am a bunch, lane starter, so this will open gaps on the RHS big enough to fall into.



KEY ON THE DAY

scrub the hull

check the gear



stats: start and beat

start : timing, transits, 1 min practice, bias?

beat:clear wind to port if needed; first big shift; or aim in the bend, or go to offhsore for the lift on stb, get doubel tack as early as possible either from behind or if you lead in your lane and can get over on port.

play the layline

good bear away hoist, only gybe set with indicators