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Archive for the ‘Dinghies Racing’ Category

Starting Techniques
It is often said that races are won or lost at the start so it is essential that your starting sequence is the best it can possibly be. You, the helm, are aiming to have your boat crossing the start line exactly as the race is started and the count down reaches zero!! Remember though that you do not want to be crossing the line to early or too late.

Race committees sometimes set up start lines that have a favoured end – more on this below. Starting at the favoured end can pay dividends, and also being the windward boat helps – but remember – windward boat must give way so make sure you aren’t squeezed out of the start line.

Another aim is to be crossing the start line at maximum speed – it is not much use to park yourself on, or just below the line, and then try and accelerate from a standing start – boats with more momentum and carrying speed will just cruise past you. So, how to carry speed? Well, the best method is to keep the boat moving prior to the start and make sure that you are lined up with your chosen start point on the line so that you can power over the line on the gun (start signal, usually a horn or whistle, accompanied by flags). So, to summarise and generalise, you want to be starting on starboard, as close to windward as possible (without getting squeezed out), at full power – hence maximum speed, crossing the line as the bell goes. Sounds easy in theory!! Remember that everyone else is thinking and trying to do the same!

There are alternatives though. The most common of which is the “port-end-flyer”. This can be quite a risky manoeuvre – but can pay off. Starting from the less favoured end, on port and usually in clear air (everyone else is at the other end) means you have no rights what so ever, but what you do have is speed – the aim is to hopefully cut across the pack and stay in clear air to maximise the boat speed. WATCH OUT FOR THE OTHER BOATS – YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS! So be prepared to tack and avoid as necessary.

Correct end
Which end to start? There are two ways to discover the favoured end (if there is one). The first and simplest is to position your boat right in the middle of the line, facing DIRECTLY into the wind, then, the bow of the boat will be pointing to one end more than the other – the end it is pointing towards is the favoured end. What you are working out here is which end of the line will give you the highest upwind sailing angle (races are usually started with an upwind (beat) as the first leg.

The alternative method, and one that is used when there are a lot of boats to make the above dangerous/risky, is to sail along the line, in both directions, directly from one end to the other. This will allow you to see which angle will provide you with the highest pointing angle, and thus is the direction/tack to be on at the start.

Line of approach
As stated earlier, the line of approach should be the one that allows you to be one of the most windward boat, sailing at full speed, on starboard (assuming you arent doing a port end flyer!) This is crucial to the start as the correct line could mean a difference of several places – selecting the right line comes with practice and appreciating the wind shifts that will invariably happen – something to consider if maybe you have cut it a little fine for getting round the committee boat or start line mark! Allowing for such shifts will help you select the correct line of approach.

Speed
Speed – as stated you need to be crossing the line as the gun goes, at full speed – irrespective of a starboard or port start – a boat carries a lot of momentum so starting from a standing start will not be as good as carrying momentum and having the boat already cranked up. Use the area downwind of the start line to sail around in, staying close to the line, and tacking and gybing as neccessary and avoiding the other racers! It is important to stay close to the line so that you are able to hear any commands, such as course changes, easily – you cant if you are half a mile from the line!

Local weather patterns
Dinghy racing is usually conducted in a relatively confined area and as such any advantage that the local weather patterns can offer presents an opportunity!

Things to look out for include winds swirling around headlands and tunneling off the shore which may present slightly stronger winds than other areas of the course. Watch out for patches of ‘dark’ water – showing a patch of wind stronger than the surrounding area.

Also, take note of the tactics followed by local sailors – particularly if you are sailing at an unfamiliar venue. Be aware also, that features on the shore can have an affect, particularly when the wind is blowing offshore.

Sources of Information
It often helps for racing sailors to equip themselves with as much knowledge as possible about the conditions they are going to be racing in, and not just the winds, but visibility, sea states and tides amongst others. The tides are particularly important as know when the tide is ebbing and flooding and where the tidal streams are strongest can present advantages. Obviously this doesnt apply to inland sailors, but the wind behaviour is just as important, if not more!

Strategy
Once the racing sailor is equiped with all the knowledge they can get about the area they are be racing in it will be necessary to devise a strategy for the race – what end of the line to start from, port or starboard, whats the course, proposed route around the course, other boats, who to watch, time limits, the sailing instructions for the race, protest flag onboard, etc!

The success of a race is often in the start, particularly in one design racing, so it is essential that you are crossing the line as the gun goes – not too early though as then you can be recalled and have to restart. If lots of boats are over the line as the gun goes there may be a general recall and the whole fleet must restart. It is poissible to carry out a ‘port end flyer’ which is when you are aiming to cut across the fleet on port (so you have no rights) but are relying on boat speed to get you across. As this is not the most popular starting method you can often find yourself in clean air and be out of the possible melee ensuing with the startboard starting boats. If starting on starboard then rememebr that while you have right of way over boats on port, you must keep clear of windward boats.

You are aiming to start closest to the wind on starboard, and therefore in clean air (no wind shadows from other boats).