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Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club Start Racing Workbook Garry Packer 2 nd Edition
Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club
Start Racing Workbook
Garry Packer
2nd Edition
This workbook is the accumulated knowledge of over 25 years sailing and racing. During that time a number of sailors have freely shared their experience and been inspirational. This workbook is dedicated to all of them, but particularly Luke Van Beek and Colin Cotton. I have thoroughly enjoyed my racing and I hope this workbook will help you to have as much fun.
I am grateful to Alan Olive at the RYA for his helpful comments and Gael Pawson from Yachts and Yachting for permission to reproduce her editorial from the May 2006 edition.
© Garry Packer June 2006
Permission to copy or electronically store this publication is granted to non-profit organisations for the purpose of sail or race training. The rights of the original author should be acknowledged where part or all of this publication is included in another work. Where the organisation charges a fee for any training using all or part of this workbook they should make a donation of not less than one pound for every copy used to:
RYA SailabilityRYA HouseEnsign WayHAMBLESouthamptonS031 4YA.
A copy of this document in Microsoft Word ™ is available to download from www.cuckoos.eclipse.co.uk
ContentsContents...............................................................................................................................2Introduction..........................................................................................................................4How to use this workbook...................................................................................................5When did your boat last have its buoyancy tested?...........................................................11The Race Concept..............................................................................................................11The Race Concept..............................................................................................................12Sailing effectively: the five essentials...............................................................................14Fitness and nutrition..........................................................................................................17Basic rules..........................................................................................................................18
Opposite tacks............................................................................................................18Same tack...................................................................................................................18At marks.....................................................................................................................18First some definitions................................................................................................19Boats meeting on opposite Tacks..............................................................................21Same Tack.................................................................................................................23Tacking rule 13..........................................................................................................23Avoiding contact: rule 14..........................................................................................24Proper Course Rule 17...............................................................................................26Rounding and passing marks and obstructions rule 18.2..........................................28Hailing.......................................................................................................................30Back to rule 18...........................................................................................................31Penalties etc...............................................................................................................32
Sailing Instructions............................................................................................................34The Course.........................................................................................................................39
Some useful flags.......................................................................................................41Start line bias.............................................................................................................43
Boat Handling....................................................................................................................44Boat Handling....................................................................................................................45Boat Handling....................................................................................................................46
Tacking......................................................................................................................46Gybing.......................................................................................................................46Mark Rounding..........................................................................................................48
Boat Tuning.......................................................................................................................51Dynamic sail controls................................................................................................55Using the tell-tales.....................................................................................................59
Tactics................................................................................................................................60Plan............................................................................................................................60•Starting.....................................................................................................................60Starting.......................................................................................................................61Port bias.....................................................................................................................61Starboard bias............................................................................................................62Windshifts..................................................................................................................62Priorities on each leg.................................................................................................63The beat.....................................................................................................................63
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Reaching....................................................................................................................63Run.............................................................................................................................63Finishing....................................................................................................................64
Handicap Racing................................................................................................................65How is handicap racing organised?...........................................................................65
RYA and Class Associations.............................................................................................68Further Reading.................................................................................................................69Annex A Performance Profile...........................................................................................70Annex B Additional Flags.................................................................................................71Annex C Alternative Start Sequence.................................................................................74
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IntroductionThis workbook complements the general racing and sailing course run at BCYC. It is intended for members who have achieved the equivalent of RYA level 2 and develops your skills and knowledge through a number of practical exercises you can undertake on your own or with a training partner.
If you are taking part in the Wednesday evening practical course then you should progress through each section at your own pace on a weekly basis, building your skills and confidence. You will progress faster if you put aside some time (about 2 hours) on the Saturday or Sunday to try the practical exercises.
The objectives of the course and workbook are:
To improve your general boat handling in moderate conditions (F4) especially when sailing near other craft.
To explain how racing is organised at BCYC.
To provide an overview of the main racing rules of sailing and how these manifest themselves on the water.
To give you the confidence to join in racing at BCYC.
Add your own objectives here:
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How to use this workbookThe RYA has identified the key elements of sailboat racing. They are:
Mental fitness Physical fitness Teamwork Boat handling Boat speed and tuning Racing rules Tactics Starts Strategy and meteorology Boat preparation
This workbook takes you through a number of exercises to raise your awareness of these issues and help you improve your performance. To be successful during your training you need to:
Set clear objectives Tackle bite sized chunks Stop and talk about how the exercise went with your crew. Develop improvements Repeat the exercise Don’t apportion blame or apologise all the time, instead heave too and talk
through what went wrong and work out together the best way to improve performance (even better set up a shore drill and go through things step by step).
Remain positive.
When training always use a course to define your sailing area and don’t make the course to big. For example if practicing tacking set a windward leeward course rather than just sail back downwind.1 Set a clear objective i.e. complete 6 tacks between the leeward mark and the windward mark and we’re going to concentrate on crossing the boat together. On the way back downwind discuss how things went and improvements you could try with your crew or training partner. Set out your training regime beforehand and memorise it for use on the water. As your sailing improves so your objectives will become more complex. Alan Olive and Harvey Hillary2 have developed a standard one hour training session to do either on your own or with a training partner. When you have completed this workbook try theirs or have a go at devising your own training session.
1 The club has a number of blue training marks and ground tackle, if these are not being used then ask the OOD to drop them to make your course, or alternatively if you are qualified to drive the club ribs lay your own course before starting your session.2 RYA Race Training Exercises Alan Olive & Harvey Hillary available to download from the coaching section of the RYA website www.rya.org.uk or alternatively purchase a hard copy from the RYA (£10).
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If you are having difficulties with a manoeuvre on the water then try it out on land. Prop the boat up on tyres on the grass and go through the exercise step by step. Try and make it as realistic as possible by hoisting the sails and wearing your sailing kit (especially buoyancy aid). If doing trapeze work you will also need to securely anchor the boat with lines from the shrouds so it doesn’t tip over on you as you push out onto the wire. Often with a shore drill you can carry out crew tasks separately so the helm can coach the crew and crew the helm making them very effective and often underused outside sailing schools.
Insert sequence of G tacking contender and caption even experienced sailors can benefit from practicing routines particularly when sailing an unfamiliar boat.
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Safety
When you go sailing there is always an element of risk. When you attend an RYA recognised sailing course the instructor in charge will have assessed the conditions and taken steps to minimise or control the risks. When sailing on your own or racing YOU have to make those decisions. The main decision is whether you race or continue to race. This is dependent on your level of skill, the weather conditions (now and forecast), how exposed the venue is and the availability of safety cover. Only you can make that decision and it is your responsibility. If you don’t think you’re up to it is far better to accept that and remain in the clubhouse.
How then do you get the experience in bad weather? Think about how you could build up experience of sailing in bad weather while keeping the risks to a minimum.
When training on your own at BCYC (i.e. not organised training) it is strongly recommended you do the following:
Make sure the OOD is settled in and there is a safety boat on the water, is there an adequate crew? If the Red flag is flying from the clubhouse this means NO SAILING. If you’re already on the water and the Red flag is hoisted come ashore.
If the conditions are such that you are likely to capsize a lot let the OOD know and ask them to keep a special eye on you.
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Make sure you wear the right clothing for the conditions and your boat is in a sound condition, especially its buoyancy.
Wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid at all times.
If the club is very busy and the weather bad consider postponing your training to a less busy time so as not to put undue pressure on the safety resources available.
If windy use a training sail, cut down main or reef.
You will find it a lot less tiring if you fit some masthead buoyancy to your boat for your training sessions.3
If sailing at another venue make sure you are aware of the local hazards and have a current weather forecast. Open meetings at sea often set their courses a considerable distance offshore. Two miles is not unusual. Before setting off think about what might happen and if you have the ability to get to safety. You certainly shouldn’t go out if you don’t think you’ll be able to get back to the beach unaided in the prevailing conditions. A few things to consider:
If the weather catches you out and there is an onshore breeze, drop the main and work your way back in under jib alone.
If you have a gear failure and can’t sail it will make your situation more obvious if you drop the main. To prevent you drifting too far downwind if you are unable to anchor throw a bucket tied (or spinnaker) to the mast with the mainsheet and led through the bow fitting out the front of the boat to act as a drogue.
Make sure you know the international distress signals and have the appropriate safety equipment for your venue to include anchor, flares, radio4 etc
If you can make some progress but not make it back to safety try and get within hailing distance of the committee boat.
You don’t always have to get back to your launching point to be safe, consider what options exist before going out and if the weather deteriorates consider more achievable landing points.
Always know what the weather and tide are up to and how this will affect the sea state.
Always let someone ashore know where you are going and when you will be back. Also tell them who to contact if you haven’t reported in after a certain time.
3 This is not intended as advice for catamaran sailors where there are a number of complex safety issues associated with masthead buoyancy.4 Mobile telephones may not have reception at sea.
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At open meetings there may well be a tally system, make sure you understand how this works.
The RNLI produces an excellent series called “Safety at Sea” get a copy of the dinghy sailing booklet by calling 0800 328 0600.
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Insurance, Measurement and buoyancy testsBefore racing you will need to have insurance. As a minimum this should cover you for third party risks when racing.
Measurement certificates are issued by the RYA or Class Association. They confirm that the boat was built to the class rules. If you are buying a boat and intend to race it you should try and obtain the measurement certificate. Some classes will provide you with a copy for a nominal fee.
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Look at the BCYC operating procedures and find out the minimum level of third party cover the club requires you to have?
Where could you get this?
Buoyancy tests should be carried out annually on boats with tanks, this normally consists of putting a small positive pressure into the tanks and checking it holds the pressure for a few minutes. Class rules require this to be done annually. Even if you don’t race at open meetings you should still check your buoyancy regularly. If you have repaired the tanks or find a large quantity of water in them then check for leaks.
If you have a glassfibre boat you will often find a few blocks of polystyrene in the tanks to ensure the boat won’t completely sink if holed.
If your craft has bags then check they are inflated and secured every time before sailing.
When did your boat last have its buoyancy tested?
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The Race ConceptIn dinghy racing you either race against other boats, called class racing or the clock, called handicap racing. The idea is to start, sail a predetermined course of buoys and then finish. Pretty straightforward! So why race?
Gael Pawson, writing in Yachts and Yachting put it like this:
“I’m a great fan of racing, you learn so much, and a lot faster than simply sailing around on your own. The discipline of sailing round a course plus the potential to learn from your fellow competitors not only on the water but in the dinghy park and in the bar means there really is no better way to progress your sailing, especially if you concentrate on getting better, rather than getting too carried away with results.
Pride does get in the way sometimes – we all want to do well and when you’re new to the sport or stepping into a new class it’s difficult to sail round at the back. I’m like that on my mountain bike - especially if I haven’t been out for a while, I’d prefer to go out on my own until I’m happy my fitness level (or complete lack of it) isn’t going to embarrass me too much. But it’s worth making the effort to overcome that pride, get out and get yourself round the race course, you’ll learn heaps, have a lot of fun and it’s a much more sociable experience all round.”
Gael is advocating you go out and enjoy yourself, learn lots and don’t worry about where you come.
I race because I enjoy the challenge, even when the wind is light, rather than drift aimlessly you are trying to get that extra bit out of the boat and crew. This is sailing with a focus, a specific aim! You also get to meet lots of like-minded people; some are bound to become good friends. Its typical to be cut-throat on the water, squeezing every advantage you can to beat those around you and yet socialise in the bar or clubhouse afterwards. What is more in many classes everyone shares their secrets of success, helping others to do better.
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What do you want to get out of racing?
At BCYC we will try and pair you with someone with a more experienced member who sails the same or a similar class. They will offer advice and help you analyse your race.
Write the name of your buddy here (introductions will normally be done on the first evening of the course).
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Sailing effectively: the five essentialsJon Emmett, currently campaigning a 49er with his sights set on the Olympics expresses the view that races are won and lost on boat handling. This section focuses on the five essentials; these, along with tacking and gybing are the building blocks of good boat handling and speed round the course. When you did your level 2 course you will have learnt about the five essentials and how to tack and gybe. So how is applying them to racing different?.
Sailing effectively requires a great deal of concentration! I recall a relative beginner crewing with me for the first time in a race commenting on the 100% concentration required, I didn’t have the heart to tell him I was taking it relatively easy so I could also provide coaching to him. When sailing at a higher level we aim to make application of the five essentials automatic, allowing you to concentrate on the tactical picture. Work hard during your training sessions and you will find, in time, sailing becomes as automatic as the drive to work.
To be successful you need to develop the 3Cs
Courage to believe in yourself (especially important as you approach that windy gybe mark). Communication so you and your crew work seamlessly together and Concentration, 100% mental and physical effort 100% of the time (that means no taking it easy on the run)
Back to the topic in hand… Can you remember what the five essentials are?
Don’t turn over the page until you have had a go at writing the five essentials in the space above.
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Balance – dinghies are designed to be sailed flat. The force of the wind in the sail causes the boat to heel, you balance this by sitting out (hiking). If you heel the boat it will tend to turn away from the lower side.
You have now learnt basic steering without the rudder and also are able to understand how balance affects the boat. This is important because using the rudder slows the boat down. If we want to sail fast we need to use the rudder as little as possible.
Trim – When your dinghy is displacement sailing you want to maximise its water-line length. As the wind picks up and you start planing you want to start moving back in the boat. Conversely when the wind is very light you want to move forward to reduce the amount of hull in the water. Changing the trim also changes the feel on the rudder and the stability of the boat.
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Ex. Get the boat sailing flat on a beam reach, now let the boat heel to leeward, which way does the boat turn?
Ex. Repeat the exercise but this time heel the boat towards you.
Ex. When you have mastered the above try tying the rudder using strong elastic on the centre line and steer along on a beam reach without using it.
(you may need to raise the centreboard to about half way to balance the helm)
Ex. Sail the boat on a broad reach with even trim, try moving forward and back in the boat. How does the feel on the rudder change? Look at your wake. How does that change?
Centreboard – When close-hauled a lot of the force generated by the sail pushes the boat sideways. The centreboard changes this force into forward motion and a tipping force. When close hauled put the centreboard all the way down. As you bear away the forces move further forward so you need less centreboard until on the run all the force is forward. The centreboard adds extra friction and so the conventional wisdom is to progressively raise it. On a run it is best to leave about a quarter down to give the boat a small amount of stability. If you have a centreboard, rather than a daggerboard, then raising it also moves the centre of lateral resistance aft changing the feel of the rudder.
Sail setting – We adjust the sails to give us maximum drive. This occurs when the front edge of the sail (luff) just stops lifting. To create maximum power the sails need to be adjusted continually and together.
Course over the ground – your boat is affected by both leeway and the tide. To sail the fastest course you need to make sure you sail the shortest distance over the ground. Make use of transits, compass and local knowledge to achieve this.
Sailing without using the rudder isn’t easy, start by getting the boat settled on a beam reach, adjusting the centreboard to balance the boat so it sails in a straight line when flat and sails set correctly. Make small frequent adjustments to balance. To tack, heel the boat to leeward and pull in the main. To gybe, ease the main and heel the boat towards you.
Think about how successful you were at these exercises? What have you learnt?
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Ex. Get the boat on a close hauled course, pick a reference point on shore. Now raise the centre or dagger board. What happens to your course through the water? How does the rudder feel?
Ex. Repeat the sailing without a rudder exercise above, but use all the points above. Can you sail closer to the wind? Further away from the wind? When you feel confident try tacking and gybing. Can you sail a triangle without using the rudder?
Fitness and nutritionSailing is a physical sport, to do well you need to be fit. The level of fitness required depends on the type of competition you are entering and how well you want to do. However, it is worth remembering that sailing puts considerable strain on your lower back, forearms, abdomen and legs. A few stretching and warm-up exercises are essential before starting a race if injury is to be avoided. Even if you only every intend to race at club level you will notice the improvement if you spend just 15 minutes a day in the gym as higher fitness levels allow you to concentrate for longer and hike harder.
When I am in the office I spend about 20 minutes in the gym doing the following programme:
2 minutes Stretching and warm-up10 sit-ups
5 minutes Exercise bike or rowing machine10 sit-ups
10 minutes Cross- trainer10 sit-ups
2 minutes Stretching and cool down
It is easy to devise your own programme or if you join a gym they will normally offer free advice. If you don’t have gym membership or availability you can organise your own programme by putting together a range of exercises that need minimal equipment.
Probably the biggest problem from a nutritional perspective is dehydration. Even on a cold winters day you can loose a lot of water. There is the worry about needing the loo and that certainly may have a psychological impact on why people don’t drink enough, by drinking small sips regularly you can maintain your hydration levels without crossing your legs. Dehydration leads to a lack of concentration this will effect your performance on the water. A good diet is also important to good performance as the fitter and healthier you feel the more likely you are to perform well.
For further information readers are recommended to read the chapter on physical and psychological preparation in Jim Saltonstall’s book “The RYA book of Race Training”.
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Introduction to the rules
What are the sailing rules trying to achieve? Have a go at answering this question, my interpretation is over the page.
Basic rulesThis section is based on the 2005 – 2008 racing rules. The racing rules are available from the ISAF website. There are 90 rules plus 14 appendices to the rules. On the water we only need to know a few, there are12 actually and they can all be found in part 2. However, to start with you can get by with:
Opposite tacks
Port keeps clear of starboard
Same tack
Winward keeps clear of leeward
Clear astern keeps clear of boat ahead
At marks
Outside gives inside boat room to round
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More details on the basic rules are explained below (wind always comes from the top of the page).5 These are my interpretation and you are advised to study the rules as your experience increases.
First some definitions.
Keep clear: One boat keeps clear of another if the other boat can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action and when overlapped on the same tack if the leeward boat can alter course in both directions without making immediate contact (I call this wiggle room, can I wiggle my tiller without hitting the boat to windward?). Remember your boat pivots around the centreboard; this means if the boat to leeward steers closer to the wind when you point up to avoid them your stern will move to leeward.
5 The red boat is printed darker when using a black and white printer.
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Ex. Sail on a close reach parallel and level with your buddy to leeward about a foot away. Slowly turn your boat to windward watching your leeward stern quarter while your buddy continues in a straight line. What happens?
Rules! What are they for? The rules are there to allow boats to manoeuvre in close proximity to each other while avoiding knocks and collisions. After all sailing would be very expensive if every time you went out you ended up having to pay for your boat to be repaired. They give each boat obligations and rights. Know and use the rules effectively, protesting if necessary, that way racing will be fair and free from downtime repairing boats or expensive insurance claims. Above all don’t be intimidated by all the shouting. Finally, avoid incidents if you spot them developing; the obvious one is the crowed gybe mark on a light wind day! Watch and you will see the boats behind piling into those in front when it is obvious that they have no where to go. Don’t just follow them and join the raft! Slow down or go around the outside.
However there may come a time when you can’t keep clear, either because of other boats, obstructions or the manoeuvre the right-of-way boat is doing. If you apply a bit of common sense you will generally stay within the rules. The right-of-way boat has to give you the opportunity to keep clear. In the situation below assume red is allowed to luff (alter course to windward) and yellow is required to keep clear (we will discuss when this applies later). At position 1 red starts to head-up. At position 2 & 3 yellow is still keeping clear. However, at position 3 it will probably be very difficult for yellow to continue to keep clear if red carries on luffing. Somewhere around this point red is required to slow their luff to allow yellow to gather speed and open the gap. However, the onus is still on yellow to keep clear, but in a protest room a collision when yellow was head to wind could easily go either way!
A similar situation occurs when there are many boats to windward, the leeward boat has to give them all the opportunity to keep clear and therefore must alter course accordingly.
Room: the space a boat needs in the existing conditions while manoeuvring promptly in a seamanlike way. This is a bit of a problem for those new to sailing as no allowance is made for your inexperience.
Boats meeting on opposite Tacks
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12
3
On opposite tacks (rule 10) A port tack boat must keep clear of a starboard tack boat. A boat is on the tack, when sailing normally that corresponds to the side the wind is coming from. However, it is much simpler to think of being on port tack when the boom is out to starboard and starboard tack when the boom is on the port side (this avoids confusion when running). Many people write port and starboard on their boom, I feel this is unnecessary, but if it helps you by all means do it.
When beating to windward this rule is fairly straightforward: the starboard tack boat carries on while the port tack boat is required to avoid them.
Which boat is on starboard? Yellow / Red. Which is required to keep clear? Yellow / Red
If you are on port tack and a collision course with a boat on starboard how could you avoid them?
There is no concept of overtaking boat in the rules; therefore you need to be careful in this situation.
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Which boat is required to keep clear? Yellow / Red
How can the keep clear boat achieve this?
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Same Tack
When boats are on the same tack rules 11 and 12 apply.
The windward boat (if overlapped) or clear astern (if not overlapped) must keep clear.
Which boat is required to keep clear? Yellow / Red
Which boat is required to keep clear? Yellow / Red
Tacking rule 13.
After a boat passes head-to-wind, she must keep clear of other boats until on the new tack (close hauled course, sails don’t have to be drawing).
Which boat is required to keep clear? Yellow / Red
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Which boat is required to keep clear now? Yellow / Red
Avoiding contact: rule 14
A boat must avoid contact with another if reasonably possible. This means that if you are right of way boat you must try and avoid a collision when it becomes clear that the other boat is not going to comply with the rules. Note that in the event of a serious collision with major damage both boats could be disqualified. This rule stops the right of way boat just ploughing on regardless.
In position 1 it is clear that yellow cannot respond in time and infringes rule 10, Red therefore tacks, meeting their obligations under rule 14 and then protests yellow.
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Starboard
1
2Protest
Acquiring rights rule 15: When a boat acquires right-of-way she must initially give the boat room to keep clear unless she acquires right-of-way because of the other boats actions.
At position 1 which boat is required to keep clear? Yellow / Red
At position 2 which boat is required to keep clear? Yellow / Red
Which boat has infringed the rules at position 3? Yellow / Red
Why?
At position 1 which boat is required to keep clear? Yellow / Red
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1 23
1
2
At position 2 which boat is required to keep clear? Yellow / Red
If red runs into the back of yellow immediately after the gybe what rule has been infringed and why?
Proper Course Rule 17
A boat’s proper course is the one she would sail to finish as soon as possible in the absence of other boats. There is no proper course before the start signal.
When boats are within two lengths of each other a leeward boat that establishes an overlap from clear astern must not sail above her proper course while the overlap exists (17.1) At position 2 red establishes an overlap within 2 boat lengths of yellow from astern. Red is not allowed to sail high (as shown in position 3).
.
Is red allowed to do this?
Why?
Except on a beat to windward, a windward boat or clear ahead boat must not sail below her proper course if the other boat is steering a course to leeward unless she gybes (17.2).
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1 2 3
Proper Course
1 2 3
Proper Course
Is yellow allowed to steer this course?
Is yellow allowed to steer this course?
Why?
Rounding and passing marks and obstructions rule 18.2
Giving room; keeping clear. This rule takes a bit of mental agility.
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1 2 3
Proper Course
1 2 3
Proper Course
Ex. Measure the distance from where you sit in your boat to the bow. Add 2x your boat length. What distance do you have?
Place a cone or other marker in a field or large area.
Measure out the distance you have. This point is your view of the world when your bow is 2 boat lengths from a mark or obstruction. Everything that follows revolves around the boats relative positions when the first boat’s bow reaches 2 boat lengths.
When boats are overlapped, the outside boat must give the inside boat, or boats room to pass the mark or obstruction providing that the overlap was in place when the first boat reached the 2 length circle, even if the overlap is subsequently broken.
At position 1 when red reaches the two length zone yellow has an inside overlap. Therefore red must give yellow room to round the mark. However, red only has to give yellow sufficient room for a seamanlike rounding in the prevailing conditions.
In the diagram above red surges forward just inside the 2 boat length mark. There is then a collision, who is wrong? Yellow / Red
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1
2
3
2 boat lengths
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3
2 boat lengths
Why?
If a boat is clear ahead when she reaches the 2 length zone, the boat then clear astern must keep clear and is not entitled to room to round inside even if she then achieves an inside overlap.
In the diagram above yellow surges forward. Yellow runs into red.
Which boat is wrong? Yellow / Red
Why?
Hailing.
Do you need to hail? In most cases the rules do not require you to make any hails. However, it is often wise to establish what the other boat is going to do prior to an incident developing. This helps establish the facts and avoids misunderstandings. Hails should be loud enough to be heard, unambiguous, polite and genuine. Calling starboard when, you were, in fact on port is a breech of the fair sailing rule and could result in disqualification.
When should you hail?
The rules require you to indicate to an offending boat if they have infringed a rule by shouting protest. However, you can still protest them, even if they didn’t hear you. The required call is protest, do your turns or something similar is not acceptable.
Room to tack. If approaching an obstruction that requires a considerable alteration of course and you choose to tack then you can hail for room. The other boat must either immediately tack away or call you tack. The onus, if you are or become give way boat, is still on you to keep clear, if you can. We will come back to obstructions later.
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1 2
3
2 boat lengths
You may also, although the rules don’t require it call Starboard if you think a port tack boat is not keeping clear. However, in most cases the port boat will immediately tack under you. Starboard is a call to be used cautiously in close tactical racing, but useful if you don’t think the other boat is keeping clear or has seen you.
Finally you may ask for water at the mark or call no water when approaching the 2 boat length circle.
Back to rule 18
Tacking at the mark 18.3. If a boat completes a tack within the 2 lengths zone rule 18.2 doesn’t apply. The boat that tacked is not allowed to force anyone fetching the mark to sail above close-hauled, and shall allow the other boat room if they become overlapped on the inside. Watch this one when you come in close to the mark on port, especially remember you are going to be slow and have virtually no rights.
Has red infringed rule 18.3?
The situation below is also very common, what do you think?
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2 boat lengths
1
1
2
2
3
Gybing 18.4 requires a boat that needs to gybe at a mark or obstruction to sail no further past the mark than her proper course requires. This means you have to gybe promptly. If it is windy at the gybe mark and you intend to wear round (tack) then don’t get stuck on the inside. Slow down so you can go outside everyone.
Passing an obstruction (18.5) if you are approaching an obstruction sailing close hauled you need to tack you can hail for room to tack. But you are only allowed to hail if safety required it and you had to make a substantial change of course.
If hailed you have to respond by tacking promptly or replying you tack and giving room as required. This rule doesn’t apply at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water, so don’t get caught by the committee boat. However, you can call for the shore at BCYC and another boat on starboard if you need to tack to avoid them.
Penalties etc
Penalty turns, starting errors and moving astern (20). If over the line and returning to start you have to keep clear of all boats starting correctly, however you are subject to the normal rules until you start your return. If taking a penalty you have to keep clear of all other boats. If you are going astern by backing a sail you have to keep clear of other boats.
Capsized, aground… (21) If possible you should avoid boats capsized, aground, out of control, anchored, trying to help another vessel… Just use common sense for this one
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2 boat lengths
1
2
2
3
1
really, but remember an experienced crew in a dinghy can manoeuvre alongside a capsized or damaged boat nearly as easily as a safety boat so don’t assume that sailing boats can’t offer assistance.
Finally in this section (22) you mustn’t deliberately interfere with other boats once you have finished.
So what do you do if you infringe a rule of hit a mark?
Assuming there is no serious damage you can exonerate yourself by taking a penalty, normally two tacks and two gybes all in the same direction, called a 720 or turns.
If you hit a mark you are required to do a 360, that is one tack and one gybe.
The above section sums up the main rules you need for racing. To start with work on the basis that port gives way to starboard, windward boat keeps clear and outside boat gives room and you won’t go far wrong. As you become more experienced you can start to apply some of the subtleties and use these to gain tactical advantage.
A final comment on the rules
Although the rules can seem daunting, especially if you look at the XXX pages in the rulebook you only need a little bit of knowledge and some care and common sense.
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Sailing InstructionsThe sailing instructions outline how racing will be organised at your venue, they also tend to modify some of the rules. Typically they will tell you:
What course you are to sail and how it will be communicated to competitors. Including start and finish lines.
The starting sequence and flags to be used
Penalties for premature starters
The penalty system in operation
When and how protests are to be lodged
How positions will be scored.
A template is included as an appendix in the rules published by the ISAF.
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Ex. Read the BCYC sailing instructions and answer the following questions.
How will races be started?
What scoring system is used?
How is the course identified for club racing?
What is the protest time limit?
The Start
Because the start line is on the water it is not possible to mark out with chalk or paint. Instead sailors use a system of buoys and transits to identify the line. A transit is an imaginary line through two objects you can see. Imagine you are in a field and ahead you can see a telegraph pole and a tree. Its fairly straightforward, as long as nothing gets in the way, to keep these two objects lined up. If you dragged a paintbrush behind you then you would mark out a start line as you march forward. This is just one use of a transit. Transits are used a lot in sailing and racing and it is important to grasp how they work.
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In The dinghy park line up the masts of two boats. Now walk towards them staying on the line. After 4 or 5 paces stop and take a step to the right. What does your transit look like now? What do you have to do to get back on your imaginary line? Repeat the exercise but now step to the left. What happens?
Imagine the transit you have selected marks the start line. Approach the line perpendicularly. Can you stop when you’re the start line. How could you make sure you could stop exactly two paces behind the line?
How would you know where it was if someone blocked your view?
It is necessary to communicate with the sailors on the water. Shouting is not very effective and so the race officer uses flags and sound signals. It makes sense therefore to use the flagpole as one point on your line. Often you will see the line marked by the flagpole and a moveable pole. The transit they make when aligned is used as the start line.
Sometimes the line will be limited by a buoy. There are also times when there are two buoys set up and you start between them.
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Flagpole
Transit Inner distance mark
Outer distance mark
For on the water starts the flags will be set from a mast on the committee boat and a buoy.
On the water start photo
Flags and sound signals provide a countdown to the start. The sequence is
T = –6 minutes hoist class flag and 1 sound signal.
T = –3 minutes hoist flag P and 1 sound signal
T = 0 minutes (start) 1 sound signal and lower flags.
What’s your class flag? For training we will be using the handicap flag M
Ask your buddy what flag is used for your class? Draw it in the space below.
If someone is over the line then an extra sound signal is made and the class flag is left at the dip. This is the system we use for club racing at BCYC. The Sailing Instructions will tell you if an alternative system is being used.
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Think back to the rules section, which of these rules apply when starting?
Before the start?
After the start but not yet crossed the line?
Immediately after crossing the line?
If you are over the line and returning to start properly?
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The CourseAt BCYC the course is displayed as a series of numbers on the committee boat or at the race officers box. If the numbers are red you leave them to port if green to starboard. All the buoys on the reservoir are numbered, starting with the red buoy outside the clubhouse as number 1 and proceeding anticlockwise alternate yellow and red buoys 2,3,4,5 and 6. Even numbered marks are yellow, odd Red. There are also two white marks with a black stripe, these are A and C. A is used to prevent what is called a hook finish and will normally be fairly close to 1, but could be either side as shown below. C is a turning mark near the centre of the reservoir.
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Sail around the reservoir identifying the various buoys.
The race officer will often move the marks so they are not always in the same place, however they are always in the same relative positions; so starting with 1 they alternate in
colour anti-clockwise around the reservoir.
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Club
2
1
3
4
5
6
A
C
A
So the course displayed in the picture above (p37): 5, 6. 3, 2’ A, 1. boards 5 and 6 are red indicating they should be left to port. 3, 2, A and 1 are green indicating starboard. The rest are black. One lap is shown in the diagram below.
The next board shows the start sequence, in this case 3/6, so class flag at 6 minutes and P at 3 minutes to start. The final board indicates the number of laps, in this case 3. Note when more than one class is starting in sequence then flag P will not be dropped until the last class starts, so watch out as your 3 minute warning will be the class flag for the next class after you) to start.
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Club
2
1
3
4
5
6
C
A
Some useful flags
Flag P 3 minutes Flag M 6 minutes Flag S shortened course
AP race postponed, new start sequence.
1st Substitute general recall. Too many boats over to identify, everyone has to start again.
When the start signal goes you want to be crossing the line at full speed. To do this you need to be able to control the boat at low speed and then accelerate it quickly.
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Position the boat stopped alongside a buoy, how long can you keep it stationary?
Start by keeping within 1 boat length for 15 seconds. Try and keep your boat stationary for 1 minute.
Once you have mastered that try accelerating from standstill. To do this you need to sharply pull the tiller to get the bow to bear away, sheet in the jib and then the main as the boat picks up speed and heels, sit out smoothly and hike hard.
Sailing backwards; a very useful skill on the start line, but remember you have no rights when reversing. To sail backwards just push the boom out and control the boat’s angle to the wind with the rudder, keeping the bow towards the wind. You can also use this technique to stop the boat.
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With your training partner. Stop both boats alongside each other. One boat calls 3-2-1-go. Who gets away first? Sail until one boat has a clear lead and then repeat changing the boat that is to leeward and who calls the start.
Sail slowly towards a mark when you get along side slow the boat by releasing the sails. Now push the boom out and sail backwards back past it.
Try it starting on the other tack.
1
3
2
Start line bias.
There is an advantage to be gained from starting at the end of the line closest to the windward mark. Of course so might everyone else!
A good race officer will set the start line perpendicular to the wind. However, often one end will be slightly nearer than the other. How can you find out which end is preferred?Sail along the line and stop head to wind. You should be able to determine the closer end
by sighting along something across the boat (shrouds, transom).
Alternatively, sail along the start line in one direction setting the sails correctly tack and sail back, if you need to sheet in to sail correctly you are now sailing towards the favoured end of the line.
Doing this on a real start line with 20 or 30 other boats is not so easy.
Once you know the favoured end you can use other knowledge you have to decide where to start. There are a number of starting strategies, two useful ones are:
1. Sail along the line about 4 boat lengths back on port at about a minute to the gun look for a gap, tack into it and control your speed hovering just behind the line until the start.
2. Arrive at the starboard end early and slowly sail down or hold position on the line on Starboard 1 boat length behind at about 10 seconds to go sheet everything in and hike hard.
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Start this end
Start this end
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2
1
3
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2
1
3
Boat Handling.So you have managed to start you now need to sail as quickly as possible around the course. This requires efficient tacking and gybing. Remember we want to minimise the use of the rudder.
Tacking
1. Is it clear?2. Centreboard down?3. Push the tiller away gently.4. Ease the mainsheet 6 inches or so.5. Centre the tiller on the new close hauled course.6. Cross the boat.7. Pull in the sails.8. Sit out hard to drive the boat forward.
4, 5, 6 & 7 need to be varied to control the amount of heel when you come out of the tack.
Gybing
1. Is it clear2. Centreboard ¼ (depends on boat)3. Boat at maximum speed4. Pull boom off shroud5. Heel boat towards you6. Tiller towards you slightly and steer through gybe7. Pull boom across8. Centre tiller so you come out on a stable course9. Set sails and accelerate boat by bringing upright.
Again 5, 6, 7 & 8 need to be adjusted to the type of boat.
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Exercise
Do 6 tacks in quick succession. How did they go? Discuss with your crew. Break down what you do and see where you can improve it. Do a couple of slow tacks does it work? Refine and repeat. When happy do another 6 quick tacks. How did they go?
Repeat the above for your Gybes.
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Exercise
With a training partner set up as below.
Boat to leeward (yellow) should tack to try and break out of the wind-shadow. Windward boat tack to cover. Carry on until leeward boat breaks free.
Repeat but set up as below and (yellow) gybe away, partner follows. How long before you break free?
Discuss these with you training partner. Note any important points.
Mark Rounding
In the absence of other boats you want to go in wide and out close.
As you approach the mark you need to set the boat up for the next leg so you’re travelling at maximum speed as you exit.
In the example above what changes might you need to make for the upwind leg?
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Exercise. Pick a mark and practice rounding it in different ways using the examples below as a guide.
In wide out close In close out…? How closecan you come out?
Approach on layline and bear away Approach inside 2 boat lengths, bearAway
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Gybe Tight circle around a mark or safetyboat
After each exercise take some time to discuss how it went with your crew and look at improvements you can make. Then try these out. Most important is to take things at a steady pace so you keep the manoeuvre smooth, use boat balance to help you steer through the turn so you use as little rudder as possible.
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Boat TuningTuning is about giving you an edge, if you have good boat speed then tactically you have more options. This section considers how you set your boat up to realise that potential. A modern sail is a masterful feat of engineering. It converts raw wind energy into a driving force that propels your boat through the water. At the same time it also has to adjust for a wide range of conditions from barely a puff to a full blown gale (although I don’t recommend trying to sail when the wind is that strong).
A sail works by turning the wind from its original course, this causes the air to flow at different speeds over different surfaces giving a combination of push and suck. The more we turn the wind away the more power we generate, up to the point where flow breaks down. The secret is to adjust the sail shape to keep it driving at maximum power for the wind strength until we can’t handle it anymore.
In a simplistic way there are two set-ups on your boat. One is static, you adjust the mast rake and bend while on the shore for the conditions you expect. The other is dynamic, you adjust the sail controls to keep the power turned on up to the point where you can just about cope. After that you use the same controls to reduce the power.
Some boats allow you to adjust the mast settings on the water. However, in this section we will concentrate on setting the mast up before going afloat and just using the sail controls on the water.
We can adjust the foot position, rake, mast bend and rig tension before going afloat. The average or starting settings for these can normally be obtained from the class association or your sailmaker. Mast bend is controlled in a number of ways and so we need to look careful at the interaction of the adjustments.
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These two adjustments should be close to those recommended by your class. They work together to keep the helm balanced: moving the foot forward requires the mast to be raked back more and vice versa. Mast rake is always measured with rig tension on. To measure the rig tension use a tension gauge. They are about £60, but a number of club members have them so try and borrow one and then mark the appropriate setting point with marker pen or tape so you can repeat the setting.
Fit the gauge about half way between the shroud adjuster and spreaders as shown in the photo below.
For an Enterprise the rig tension should be about 350lbs measured on the shroud.
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Foot position
Mast Rake
Use a long tape tied to the halyard to measure the rake back to some defined point on the transom (the class tuning guide should tell you). Make sure your tape isn’t too old as its rather inconvenient if it breaks! Tension the tape and take a reading. For an Enterprise you are looking at getting a reading of about 21’2”. Mast rake is adjusted using the shroud adjuster. If these have holes then as a general rule one hole equates to about 2 inches change to the rake. You will need to release the tension to adjust the shrouds.
Another useful check while the tape is at the top of the mast is to check the distance to each aft quarter of the boat. They should be the same, indicating that the mast is straight.
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Read on this scale and convert to Kg force using chart
The spreaders allow you to prebend the mast using the rig tension.6 If you rake the spreaders back they will push the centre of the mast forward as you apply rig tension. Moving the spreaders forward reduces the bend until the mast inverts (inverted mast sections are more likely to break, so avoid inverting your mast). As the mast bends it flattens the sail. Again I would expect the class tuning sheet to give some guidance here.Prebending the mast using the spreaders does not affect the leech. A bent mast Allows you to achieve a flat sail, a straight mast puts fullness back in the sail.
Ex. In light winds, about 3 - 5 knots do you want a straight or bent mast? What about 10 - 12 knots? If its really blowing >20 knots how would you set up then. Think about the same question but this time what your mast rake might be?
Spreaders also support the rig sideways, the more tension the more support the mast has and the mast tip won’t bend off in the gusts so easily.
6 Rig tension is normally achieved by tightening the jib luff and is what gives the shrouds the twang if plucked!
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Inverted No bend Pre bendSpreaders forward Neutral spreaders Spreaders aft
Your class tuning guide should be able to give you a good idea of the general set-up.
Dynamic sail controls
These are controls we have available for use while out sailing and generally adjusted for each point of sailing.
MainsheetKicker or GnavOuthaulCunningham
These controls allow us to change the profile of the sail.
Pulling in the mainsheet changes the sails angle of attack to the wind. Also as the boom approaches the centre-line the mainsheet starts to pull the sail down, tightening the leech.
The kicker pulls the boom down. As you apply more kicker it pulls the leech in powering up the sail. As you continue to pull on more kicker it starts to bend the mast and flatten the sail.
The cunningham compresses the top of the mast causing it to bend and open the leech at the very top; de-powering the top third of the sail. It also drags the centre of effort of the sail forward.
The outhaul controls the amount of camber in the bottom third of the sail.
Some class tuning guides give you some indication of how to set these control, a general guide is below (but this is just a starting point as there are variations between classes).
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Upwind Reach Downwind
Light (Crew has to sit to leeward to balance the boat upwind)
Prebend YesRig tension HighKicker No No NoCunningham No No NoOuthaul Tight Ease slightly Med Medium (can keep the boat flat by hiking
hard upwind)Prebend NoRig tension Med to highKicker Yes Less As reachCunningham No No NoOuthaul Med Med Med Heavy (impossible to keep the boat flat
upwind)Prebend YesRig tension Med to lowKicker Loads/eased Eased MedCunningham Tight No NoOuthaul Tight Med Med
Applying the kicker or gnav also bends the mast, especially on unstayed boats. However, the kicker also changes the leech profile, powering up the rig as it comes on and then flattening the sail. Going to windward when it is really windy you can overdo the kicker and there comes a point when you have to start easing it again.
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Ex. Rig the boat and put the rig tension on. Adjust the boat so it is at about 50 degrees to the wind. You will need to do this on a lightish day and also get your crew to stop the boat blowing over. Adjust the kicker, outhaul, sheets and cunningham to see how they affect the sail shape.
You can see in the pictures above how applying the kicker has tightened and closed the leech.
Tightening the outhaul flattens the bottom third of the sail.
Tightening the cunningham pulls the draft of the sail forward and opens the top third of the leech. Note how in the photograph below the lower leech is closed but the leech at the top batten is more open.
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Using the tell-tales
You should put tell-tales, small lengths of wool on your sails. Generally 3 on each side of the jib about a quarter to third of the way back from the luff (called surface tell-tales). On the mainsail position 1 just above the top batten (this is called an exit tell-tale).
Adjust the jib tell-tales so they all fly horizontally. If the outside ones lift then ease the sail or head up. If the inside ones flutter than sheet in or bear away. The jib sheet lead should be adjusted so that as the jib is eased the inside tell-tales all lift at about the same time (maybe the top one first). As a rule of thumb the jib sheet angle if traced back when close hauled should bisect the clew. <insert photo>
For the mainsail we should ease the sail until the exit tell-tale is only flying about 60% of the time. The rest of the time it should be curling around the leeward side of the main.
Going to windward pull the jib in tight (setting will depend on the class of boat) and then adjust the main and course to keep these all just flying and the boat flat. On other points of sailing steer the best course and then continually adjust the sails to keep the surface tell-tales on the point of lifting.
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TacticsTactics is the race strategy you employ to get you around the race course allowing for the actions of others. There are 5 golden rules: Plan, widshift, priorities on each leg, sail the windshifts and finishing.
PlanWhat are your priorities? Clear wind, getting in the tide, covering the opposition? Consider these points and what are the important ones for this race.
•Wind strategy•Tidal knowledge•Sailing the shifts•Good start•Using the fleet•Clear air•Good lanes•Boat-speed•Good awareness•Good pressure
•
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Ex. What would be your top 3 priorities at BCYC in a SW F3?
StartingWhich end of the line do you want to start? Is there going to be a pile up? Which side of the course should I go? The decision about which side of the course depends on the priorities in your plan.
Port bias
The port end is favoured.
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I want to go
left up the first beat I want to go
Right up the first beat
Starboard bias
Right side of the line is to windward.
Windshifts The wind direction is always changing and is rarely constant. When going up wind we always want to be sailing on the tack that takes us the quickest to the windward mark. In the absence of other considerations this is the shortest route. As the wind swings about it is necessary to tack when the heading is below the average on starboard and above on port. To do this effectively we need a compass and before the race we need to collect some data (even if we hold that information in our head) about the average wind direction. Ideally we should sail around in the start area for 20 or 30 minutes recording the wind direction and building up a picture. For club racing this is a bit excessive and I would suggest 5 minutes as being practical.
How do you spot the shifts if you don’t have a compass? Look at similar boats above you are they pointing higher or lower. If higher then you are about to sail into a lift. If lower then you are about to get headed.
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I want to go
left up the first beat
I want to go Right up the
first beat
With modern asymmetrics you also need to gybe downwind as the wind direction
changes to ensure you sail the shortest route to the leeward mark.
Priorities on each legThe beatOn the beat the important thing to decide which side of the beat to go. However, don’t go out to the lay-line too soon, because once you’re on the Lay-line you close off your options. Keep in the lifted shift and clear air on your preferred side. If there are a lot of boats racing, don’t leave it too late to get into the lane for the windward mark.
Reaching
On the reach there is a tendency for everyone to go high in their search for clear breeze. This sometimes leaves a gap to leeward. However, it is most important to keep clear air, because once one boat rolls you others will follow. As you approach the mark try and get an inside overlap.
Run
On the downwind leg you need to gybe on the opposite shifts to those for the beat. Again protect your wind and try and position yourself on the inside track to the leeward mark
Finishing
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As you approach the finish keep your boat between the finish and anyone following if they are in a position to challenge you. Other than that choose the course to get you across the line quickest; either because it has more breeze or its closer.
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Handicap RacingIdeally we want to race against similar boats. We know exactly where we are positioned in the fleet, all the boats have similar boatspeed and the first boat to finish wins. In the UK there are a wide range of different classes and providing class racing for all of them at clubs would be impossible. Some clubs limit membership to only the classes sailed. However, it is more common to have designated fleets and a handicap fleet for the other classes with just one or two boats. At BCYC the class fleets are: Laser, Solo, RS200, Enterprise and National 12 if you don’t sail one of these you join the handicap fleet.
How is handicap racing organised?
There are a number of different handicap systems. In the UK, for dinghies the RYA supports the Portsmouth Yardstick scheme. Nothing stops clubs from using other handicap methods but the reality is everyone uses the PY scheme. The RYA collects the data back from clubs and updates the numbers used. When you race rather than your finishing position being noted your elapsed time is recorded (number of seconds from starting until you cross the finish line). This is then corrected depending on how fast your boat is. There are a number of terms associated with the scheme: primary number, secondary number etc. We are not too worried about their definitions here. However to understand how your final position is calculated we do need to do a bit of maths!
Consider a 3 boat race between a Solo, Lark and RS400. Their PN’s are shown below.
Class PNSolo 1155Lark 1073RS400 952
These are the new number format; some of us still have a tendency to quote the old 3-digit handicap number when asked. However, these are no longer used. You can find out your handicap for the most popular classes from the RYA website, the club website also lists common classes.
What is the handicap for the boat you sail?
For a race the following elapsed times (ET) have been noted by the race officer.Class PN ET Solo 1155 1h09m45sLark 1073 1h04m49sRS400 952 0h59m00s
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This shows the RS as finishing first followed by the Lark and the Solo coming in well behind. However, this is not a true picture as the RS400 is the fastest boat and the Solo the slowest. To calculate the handicap (corrected) finish times you simply divide the elapsed time in second by the PN and multiply by 1000.
Step 1 convert ET to seconds: multiply whole minutes by 60 and add any odd seconds (if your race has lasted for longer than an hour you will first have to convert hours to minutes and then minutes to seconds)
Class PN ET ET (seconds)Solo 1155 1h09m45s 4185Lark 1073 1h04m49s 3889RS400 952 0h59m00s 2540
Step 2 Divide by PN
Class PN ET ET (seconds) CT (1000s)Solo 1155 1h09m45s 4185 3.623377Lark 1073 1h04m49s 3889 3.624418RS400 952 0h59m00s 2540 3.718487
Step 3 multiply by 1000
Class PN ET ET (seconds) CT Solo 1155 1h09m45s 4185 3623.377Lark 1073 1h04m49s 3889 3624.418RS400 952 0h59m00s 2540 3718.487
You could convert this back to hours:minutes:seconds if you wished, but this is rather meaningless and generally the final time is left in this format and first awarded to the crew with the lowest number, second to the second lowest etc.
Class PN ET ET (seconds)
CT Position
Solo 1155 1h09m45s 4185 3623.377 1Lark 1073 1h04m49s 3889 3624.418 2RS400 952 0h59m00s 2540 3718.487 3
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Ex. Complete the table below.
Sail No. Class PN ET ET (seconds)
CT Position
298 RS200 1059 1h06m34s171604 Laser 1078 1h09m12s19560 Enterprise 1116 1h11m20s3445 Solo 1155 1h13m02s2752 Lark 1073 1h07m45s418 RS400 952 0h58m57s
In a conventional handicap race all the boats start together and finish at different times. An alternative is where the boats start at different times and should all finish at the same time. This is called a pursuit race. Your starting time is calculated from your handicap to give a race of a particular length. Each class starts at a different time, slowest boats first and sail the course. After the time limit the safety boat drives back through the fleet recording finish positions.
There are a number of problems with any handicap system, in part this is caused by the statistical nature of the process and the effort required adjusting the handicaps for a particular venue or wind strength. However, it is the fairest system we have and for all its imperfections works well. If you want to win on your own merit then handicap racing adds too many complications and you should stick to class racing. However, if you want to race in a non standard class at your club then handicap racing offers the best compromise.
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RYA and Class AssociationsFinally a word about the class associations and RYA. Should you join them? My view is if you can afford it then you should support them. Many clubs don’t insist on membership before they let you race. However, if you’re not a member you don’t have any influence over the way things are run. I personally don’t agree with a number of ways the RYA do things, some trivial, some more significant. At least by being a member I can contribute ideas and suggestions. The same goes for the class association. In my view not enough sailors recognise the enormous amount of hard work the committees of both these organisations do on everyone’s behalf.
RYA
The Royal Yachting Association supports boating activities in the UK. It is a misconception that they are only interested in Olympic sailors and the money for running the Olympic scheme is not funded out of membership contributions. At both class and club level they offer considerable support. They also lobby the European parliament and UK government on a range of issues. Some key things they do are:
Administer the PY scheme.Provide technical supportOrganise training in the UKJunior coaching schemeDisseminate best practiceProvide training for judges and race officersRepresent the UK on ISAF committeesOrganise the Dinghy show
Class Associations
Class associations are run by volunteers. They organise training and open events for class members, look after the class rules and provide help and advice. Without active class associations many classes would wane and the subsequent value of your boat decline. Class association that are active encourage new people to take up sailing in your class ensuring a buoyant second-hand market and good racing. Class associations also liase with the RYA, discuss issues with builders and sail-makers and often provide a very informative magazine.
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Further ReadingMagazines
Dinghy magazine published by Seascape media, The Barn, Back Lane, Southwick, Fareham, PO17 6EG.Yachts and Yachting 196, Eastern Esplanade, Southend-on-sea, ESSEX SS1 3AB.
Rules Book
Loads available but I currently have Bryan Willis’ the Rules in Practice published by Fernhurst.
General Racing guides
My favourite is still Richard Creagh-osbournes This is Racing published by United Nautical publishers but probably now out of print.
Others worth reading:
Dave Perry, Winning in One Designs published by US sailingJim Saltonstall, The RYA book of Race TrainingLawrie Smith and Ian Pinnell, Helming to Win. In this they break down each leg of the course.Andy Hemmings, Crewing to win.Glenn Bourke, Laser Racing if you sail a laser, but also useful tips for any unstayed single-hander.David Houghton and Fiona Campbell, Wind strategy. Lawrie Smith, tuning your Dinghy.
Videos and DVDs
Capture the wind – introduction to racing by the RYA.Better Sailing – introduction to performance sailing in asymmetrics.Breeze On – guide to more advanced tuning, race preparation and boat handling.
Websites
www.yachtsandyachting.com website for the magazine. http://www.seascapemedia.co.uk/dinghysailingmagazine.htmlhttp://www.rya.org.uk/ Royal Yachting Associationhttp://www.wb-sails.fi/news/ Information on sails and windshifts – try the boat race game.http://www.finckh.org/rspiel/indexe.htm Quiz on the Racing Rules.http://www.bcyc.org.uk/ Club website, look out for the latest news and your results.www.isaf.org International sailing federation, download the racing rules and other useful resources.www.cuckoos.eclipse.co.uk download copies of this workbook.
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Annex A Performance ProfileStart Racing Performance Profile.
Name _______________________________________________
Date _______________________________________________
Instructions Rate each key skill between 1 and 5 for how important you think it is, 1 being unnecessary and 5 very important. Then find the skill you are best at and score that 10. Score all the other skills relative to that. So if you are best at tacking, but your gybing was only half as good, tacking would score 10 and gybing 5.
Key Skill Importance Your Performance
Five EssentialsBalanceTrimSail SettingCentreboardCourse RulesPort & StarboardWindward LeewardMark RoundingSailing to WindwardTackingSailing Close HauledSailing a Close ReachSailing DownwindGybingReachingRunningManoeuvresStartingMark RoundingFinishingTacticsStartingBoat on boatSetting prioritiesWindshiftsFleet tactics
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Annex B Additional FlagsPostponement
AP Races not started are postponed. Warning signal 1 minute after AP flag lowered.
AP over H Races not started are postponed further notices ashore.
AP over A Races not started are postponed; no more racing today.
AP over numeral penant: postponement for number of hours as indicated by penant
Abandonment
N All races that have started are abandoned return to the starting area. New warning signal 1 minute after flag N lowered..
N over H All Races are abandoned; further notices ashore.
N over A Races are abandoned; no more racing today.
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First substitute: general recall. All boats return to the start area warning signal 1 minute after first sub lowered. In multiple starts the sailing instructions will tell you how your new start will be sequenced.
X: Individual recall, one or more boats over line at start. It is the competitors responsibility to decide if they were over and return to restart properly. Flag lowered when all premature starters have started correctly or obvious they are not going to return to start.
M: the object flying this flag replaces a missing mark.
Preparatory signals
P: preparatory signal
Z: time penalty for premature starters (rule 30.2)
I: round the ends rule. Boats in the triangle between the start marks and windward mark must return to the correct side of the line around the ends rule 30.1)
Black Flag. Boats in the triangle between the start marks and windward mark are disqualified and may not start in any subsequent restarts for that race (rule 30.3)
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Flag S: shorten course
Flag L: notice ashore
Blue flag: committee boat on station on the finishing line.
Red flag: committee boat on station on start line
Flags displayed on committee boat when on station will be in sailing instructions.
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Annex C Alternative Start Sequence.At some clubs and most open meetings the start sequence as defined in rule 26
Signal Flag and sound Minutes before startWarning Class flag; 1 sound signal 5 Preparatory P,I,Z, z with I or black flag; 1
sound4
One-minute Prepartory flag removed; 1 long sound signal
1
Starting Class flag removed; 1 sound signal
0
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