Aug 2011 Issue - the Aberdeen Boat Club

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Photo by Rolex and Kurt Arrigo P.22 The best way to find an open space on the start line is a port-tack approach. on a port tack you’re sailing against the grain because the majority of boats will be on a starboard tack before the start. on this path you can observe the entire line, not just your immediate area, looking for open spaces. By sailing against the fleet on a port tack, more spaces will become available as you are not caught in a starboard-tack traffic jam (Figure 4). on this approach, spot your gap and move into the space, tacking underneath a starboard tack vessel and briefly luffing to develop more space to leeward. this will be your wind hole, allowing you to accelerate when the time comes. if nearby boats try to poach your hole, you must fight to protect it. Typically, boats try to steal your hole in one of two ways: they come from behind on starboard, or use the above port-tack approach. it’s easy to get involved with the boat to windward and lose sight of others approaching, but you have to keep a vigilant watch and be aware of your surroundings. if time is running down and no one is coming to steal your hole, it’s now just a matter of accelerating and having a clear idea of the countdown time and distance to the start line. once you are happy with your timing and distance judgement in relation to where the line is, getting a good start is really about finding and defending a position that allows you to execute your skills. Get Set... the rules controlling marker roundings are many and complicated, and there are often many factors at play. Mastering this perennial source of collisions and protests can seem daunting, but once achieved will open up a whole new world of strategic sailing. skippers must know the rules regarding behaviour at course markers. the international regulations for Preventing collisions at sea, or colregs, trump any other instructions. During a race there are times when boats will converge onto a very small piece of the ocean, i.e. start and finish lines and marker roundings. You must always be aware of the boats around you and who has right of Way, especially as boats change positions, overlap each other and change tacks. As for actual roundings, the idea is to go into the turn wide and come out of it tight, on the optimum heading for the next leg of the race. this is easily remembered as Wide in, tight out or Wito. Aim for a point about a boat length off the mark and then tighten up around the mark, coming as close as possible without hitting it (a 360 penalty turn will negate any benefit from a slick approach). Go! the smooth operation of your boat is essential to good performance, and having each crew member know their role on
oard is vital. A quick rundown of the traditional roles in a race crew will serve as a starting point for assessing your own crew. on larger boats there will be more crew and more specialised positions or roles, however, the following is a good start for most small- to mid-sized race boats. For the gender sensitive, we are using traditional names for these jobs – no sexist bias is inferred or intended. • Helmsman – calls tacks, gybes and steers the boat; is responsible for developing and revising race strategy; monitors weather and boat instruments. • Mainsail Trimmer – trims mainsail for the best speed; communicates constantly with the headsail trimmer and helmsman to keep both sails in the same trim mode; maintains a balanced sail plan; and keeps the boat going on the right heading and speed. • Headsail Trimmer – Adjusts headsails for the best possible boat speed; communicates directly with helmsman about speed and height, the pressure in the sail, and the location of nearby marks and other boats. • Tailer – tails new jib sheet during the tacks; trims guy downwind and backs up headsail trimmer; and calls approaching breeze upwind. • Cockpit – Adjusts halyards, spinnaker pole settings, and some sail settings; calls time to the start; adjusts settings such as the Figure 1 A Figure 2A Figure 2B ODM Figure 3 ODM Sails flapping on centerline, bow points to biased or favoured end. Figure 4 ODM ODM A Windward Mark A has shorter run to mark. B has right of way in a collision situation. Windward Mark Windward Mark ODM Biased towards ODM or pin end. A shorter line reduces the effect. A approaches on port looking for a gap to tack into. B P.23 Committee Boat Committee Boat Committee Boat
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Aug 2011 Issue - the Aberdeen Boat Club

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