We've got an impromptu F18 weekend coming up where we will have 4 or so F18s for some informal buoy races and possibly a few tuning sessions. If you wanted to go out as a group and collectively work on boat tuning, drills, and setup testing, what would you do to work toward better performance?
Keep in mind that although these are very similar boats in performance, they will be three Nacra F18s and one Hobie Tiger - and all three Nacras have different sails.
When we were training with two other tigers over last winter we used two main types of training session.
Firstly, long runs on the same tack (10 minutes or more) with one boat keeping their style constant (normally the fastest boat) and the others changing their tuning and style to try and build boat speed. We would work our way upwind for an hour, then repeat the formula down wind. This worked very well for our team - helping to "get out of the rut and into the groove" which became our mantra. Whenever one boat pulled out a serious lead they would stop and we would have a brief discussion before setting off again.
The second practice session was twice around a short (n.m.t. half a mile) windward/leeward course. We set a pin next to the C mark and used that as the start-line. We ran two minute start sequences and twice around the course. Repeat again and again and again and again until you are both exhausted.
Sometimes when it felt like we really sucked at something (such as sets and takedowns with the chute) we would just do reps on our own for a couple of hours. We also talked over our sequence of setting, dousing, tacking and gybing with the other teams to improve our choreography.
Then a good debrief session in the evening over rum & beer. We did this on Saturdays and Sundays every other weekend all winter and the improvement in our speed relative to the fastest boat was huge - I think we packed a couple of seasons into 3 months.
I'm looking forward to next winter already!
Chris.
Hi Jake,
One of the best drills that some of the more competitive sailors in our fleet use is sailing upwind/downwind for a stretch and then tacking/gybing at a pre-determined interval i.e. 30 sec. We start as a group by sycronizing watches and just tack or gybe as the case may be at the 30 sec mark. You can use a whisle if you like to note the tack/gybe time.
You will quickly see how much distance is gained by the more experienced sailor by the distance they gain as the drill progresses. When the group gets really stretched out the leaders just wait and then start again.
You are also close enough to observe, if you wish the different techniques of the faster sailors.
Straight line speed testing is usually done with a control boat. Usually a fast (and honest) sailor. Do a fairly long speed run on a single tack, staggering as to stay in clean air. stop and all but the control boat make some changes and then do it again and again and again......
Downspeed boat handling practice never hurts...holding the boat in one place, short radius turns, starting and stopping
Switch with your front person to let each of you have a feel for what the other is doing
Chris mentioned the all important de-brief!!!!
Point High & Foot Fast
Tom Korz
Agree with the other posters.
Our best boat tuning is done when we focus on _not_ competing but working together. Waiting for the slower boat etc.
Usually we find racing around short courses brings out the competitiveness in people, so we prefer to do that at the end of the day if we are to do it, to se any progress to our training.
If I can digress a bit, I would like to recommend two books by Eric Twiname: "Start to win" a generic racing book and "Sail, Race and Win", a book about self coaching. The former is out of press, but the latter is still available and great reading (we train a lot alone, and have really been able to put what Eric wrote in his last book to use).
Geez, after all this time and you have not read my drill book:
Sailing Drills: How to Sail Better, Faster, Smarter, Safer?
Check it Out at Sailing Drills
The drills are right out of my Rick White Sailing Semianrs and Within is about 60 drills to improve boat handling.
And for tuning there I tell how to do speed testing.
Basically, it is this:
Take at least two boats. Space them even across the wind at about 8 boats lengths back and up. Then the lead boat times the run by dropping his hand (or some other signal) and you sail for about 2 0r 3 minutes, giving it your utmost.
Then determine if one boat did better than the other.
You measure boat lengths forward or backward and also boat lengths to windward.
Obviously, one run will not cut it. You need to do this about 10 times to get substantial results.
If the wind is fluky, forget it.
Big thing is that one boat (the fastest boat) must not change anything. All changes (i.e., jib lead settings, downhaul, etc.) have to be done by other boats.
You can also do the same for downwind, reaches, etc.
Good luck,
Rick
There's some great ideas in here....shamefully, Rick, that's the only book or video that I HAVEN'T read or seen that you put out! I'll get a copy on order soon though 