AttenboroughSailing Club

Introduction to Racing

Mike Pritchard

8th March 2006

Introduction to Racing

• Setting the sail

• Rules

• Getting ready

• ASC overview

• The course

• The race

Parts of the Sail

Burgee

Head

Tack

Foot

Main SheetRudder

Boom

Clew

Main sailLeech

Jib / Genoa

Forestay

Shroud

BattenLuffMast

BoatParts

Points of Sail

BeamReach

BeamReach

Close Hauled

Close Hauled

Dead Run

Broad Reach

Broad Reach

Tacking

Gybing

No Go

Zone

Points of Sail

STARBOARD

PORT

Trimming a sail

• Sail eased completely flutters and generates no force (A)• Sail pulled slightly doesn’t flutter, but still no force (B)• When trimmed some more, sail starts to work (C)• More trimming generates air turbulence and lowers the force (D)• Hard trimming against the wind is highly inefficient (E)

win

d

win

d

OPTIMUM

wind

• A sail should be let out until it stops working,…and then trimmed a little to make it stop flutter

• Correct sail trim depends on the course, so:Changing your course? alter the sails!

• Both sails (mainsail and the jib) should be (more or less) parallel

Correctly trimmed

Sails not parallel – something is WRONG!

Overtrimmed – WRONG!

Not trimmed enough – WRONG!

windwin

dTrimming Sails

Proper Trim

• Sail close hauled • Sails in tight• Adjust lead position, traveler, outhaul, cunningham,

kicker. etc.• Keep all telltales flowing. • Adjust sails to keep helm nearly neutral

• Hull Trim• Flat is faster• Keep weight out of the ends

Rules of the Road

• Basic Rules

• Starboard Rule• Windward Rule• Overtaking Rule• Rounding marks

Rules of the Road

Starboard Rule

BA

PORT TACK

STARBOARD TACK

Who has right of way?

Boat B

Rules of the Road

Windward Rule

BBoth boats are STARBOARD TACK

Who has right of way? Boat B

A

Rules of the Road

Overtaking Rule

A

A

Both Boats are on PORT TACK

Who has right of way?Boat B

Overtaking boat keeps clear

B

Rules of the RoadMark Rounding

A

Both Boats are on PORT TACK

Who has right of way?

Boat B

Overlap - gained outside 2 boat lengths

A

B

rule

sru

les

things to remembe

r:

• on opposite tacks:• starboard has right of way

• on same tack• leeward has right of way• overtaking boat keeps clear

• at marks• inside overlapped has right of way• must est. prior to 2 boat-length circle

Time to Go Afloat at ASC

Clothing Preparation• Considerations

• Temperature• Location• Time afloat• Type of boat• Conditions• Wind and spray• Your health

• Possible Clothing• Tracksuit/fleece/t shirts• Spray suits• Wet suit• Dry suit• Sailing jacket and trousers• Trainers/plimpsolls/wet suit

boots• Hat and gloves

• Always• Buoyancy aid or Life Jacket

Other Items

• Stop watch• Food• Drink• Sun tan lotion

Launching & Recovery• More damage occurs to sailing dinghies ashore than on

the water• Never step or jump into a boat when on dry land• When moving a dinghy on a trolley, ensure the bow is tied

down and the rudder is secured up• When moving a dinghy on a trolley be aware of the

overhang of the stern• Consider the mast & overhead obstacles• Dependent upon boat, do not hoist the main sail when

ashore• Float the boat off its trolley, do not push it off

Leaving and coming ashore

Land

win

d

Land

win

d

both easy

difficult

dangerous!

Land

win

d

keep to windward

ready to ease or put down sails

Launching at ASC

The Race

cours

ecours

ewindwar

dleeward

wind

cours

ecours

ewind

Triangle

cours

ecours

ewind

TMiddle

• Where do we find out where the wind is coming from ?

• Can you name 5 ways of finding out?

Wind Awareness

Wind AwarenessSources of wind direction information

• Flags• Burgee• Wind indicator• Smoke• Back of the neck or face• Sails• Other boats• Ripples on the water

Class Flag

5 minutes

start

start

starting sequence

5 minutes4 minutes

start

start

starting sequence

Class Flag

Class Flag

5 minutes4 minutes

start

start

starting sequence

1 minute

5 minutes4 minutes

start!

start

start

starting sequence

1 minute

Starting Penalties

• I “India” Flag

• “Round the End – 1 min rule” – You may not sail across the starting line the wrong way (downwind) starting 1 minute prior to start.

No Dip starts, must “round the end” if you are on wrong side of line from 1 min through start.

start

start

wind

square line

start

start

wind

wind right

right end favoured

start

start

wind

wind left

left end favoured

start

start

wind

starboard has

rights

start

start

things to remembe

r:

• starboard tack• favoured end• moving fast• clear to leeward• able to tack• on time• clear air

start

start

things to remembe

r:

• Follow a good starter (does require some boat handling ability)

• Aim for middle of line or slightly to the right (committee boat end)

• Make a plan and stick to it• Practice

start

start

things to avoid:

• Avoid being slow (late with speed is fine)• Avoid being really late

• Stay close to the line• Aim for a point nearer starboard end (you can

reach down or fall off line if a little early)

• Avoid other boats and collisions • Stay on starboard as much as possible and

especially in the last 45 seconds

• Avoid snap decisions and changes in plan

beat

beat

wind

wind square

beat

beat

wind

I’m on a header.

Great! I’m on a

lift.

wind right

beat

beat

wind

wind left

I tacked on a lift.

I tacked on a

header.

beat

beat

wind

wind right

beat

beat

wind

laylines(square)

beat

beat

wind

laylines(wind left)

Clear Air

beat

beat

wind

Clear air

Don’t stay

behind

beat

beat

wind

Clear air

Tack to get clear

air

beat

beat

wind

Windward Mark

Approach on starboard

The First Leg

• Sail Fast• Properly trimmed sails and Hull• Watching puffs, headers and lifts.• Light touch on helm

• Strategy/Tactics• Position on fleet and meeting other boats• Position relative to lay line

• Getting ready for rounding• When to go for the layline

Headers and Lifts

• Lift: When the wind shifts to bring your course more directly toward the upwind mark

• Header: When the wind shifts to bring your course away from the mark

• Tack in persistent header – stay in persistent lifts

Expected Shifts

• You have information about expected shifts

• Sail toward expected shifts.

• If favoured tack is expected to get more favoured, sail on bad tack early.

• If favoured tack is expected to get worse, sail on favoured tack early.

Tactics and Position

• Avoid extremes unless you know you are right.

• Recall that starboard has right of way• Try to avoid crossing through fleet on port• Have a plan for what to do when you are on

port

reac h

reac h

wind

reac h

reac h

wind

The Reach

• Shortest course to mark

• Clear your air

• Adjust your sails

• Approach mark on inside

• Beware of leeward boats

run

run

wind

wind square

run

run

wind

wind left

run

run

wind

wind right

The Run

• Watch for windshifts

• Adjust your sail(s)

• Laser – sail by the lee

• Clear your air

• Approach mark on inside

• Beware of leeward boats

• Beware of starboard tackers

Mark Roundingw

ind

PoorGood

finis

hfinis

hwind

square line

finis

hfinis

hwind

wind right

finis

hfinis

hwind

wind right

left end favoured

Race Result Calculations

Basic Calculation

Corrected Time = Elapsed Time x 1000

Portsmouth Number

e.g. Phantom 60:04mins, PY 1047

Corrected time = 3604*1000/1047 = 3442 secs

Race Result Calculations

Calculation – Average Laps

Corrected Time = Elapsed Time x Most Laps x 1000 Portsmouth Number x Actual Laps

e.g. Phantom 60:04mins, PY 1047, 5 Laps, Corr. = 3442 secsMirror, 56:05mins, PY 1384, 3 Laps,

Corrected Time = 3365 * 5 *1000 = 4052 secs3 * 1384

PHANTOM WINS!

What Next

• More talks – internal + external

• Coaching at weekends

• Coaching during club racing

• Bring in external coaches

• Attend Open Meetings

• Others?