Dinghy Program. Instructing Gu id e. Better Racing

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Din g h y Pr o g r am

In st r u ct in g

Gu id e

Better

Racing

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Unit Purpose

The purpose of this unit is to introduce participants to the importance of careful physical preparation as a method of injury prevention and performance maintenance.



Equipment/Teaching Aids

Display equipment which may include OHT, Whiteboard or other Rescue boat appropriately equipped and manned

Megaphone

Rigged sailing boats

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Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this unit, participants will be able to: 1. Identify indicators of poor physical preparation

2. State the benefits of careful physical preparation with reference to injury prevention and performance maintenance

3. Identify and perform appropriate stretches safely with coach guidance 4. Identify and perform appropriate conditioning activities with coach guidance

No m in al

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Co n t en t cu es

Gr o u p

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Su g g est ed

Teach in g

Aid s

Lear n in g St r at eg y

2 min Introduction

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How fit do you need to be, anyway?

Seated with access to

teaching aids OHT, Whiteboard Group brainstorm activity “Being fit helps...”

2 min Affect of physical condition on performance

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Concentration

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Coordination

teaching aids OHT, Whiteboard Mini lecture using teaching aids

4 min Fit for Sailing



Specific training

7 min Fitness requirements



Core Strength

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Flexibility

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Aerobic fitness

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Strength

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Drugs in sport

5 min 5 min 15 min Practical session



Gentle warm up

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Flexibility

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“Brain Strain” activity

Grouped at mini -Circuit

stations Circuit station markers, Activity master sheet

Demonstration and participation in practical session

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Lear n in g

St r at eg ies

Unit 1

Fit f o r Sailin g

Coach Note: Mini lecture INTRODUCTION

BEFORE YOU START THIS SESSION!!!

You will need to create a set of circuit station cards using the master sheets supplied. Each card should have the name of the exercise and, for the warm up activity purpose, the number of repetitions they are required to complete before moving to the next station.

Comment

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During the first race of a 10-12 race series, you push your body to its physical and mental limits, and finish exhausted, leaving you to wonder how you are going to start, let alone finish the next 9-11races.



So the question arises - how fit do you really need to be?

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THE ANSWER....Fit enough to sail the very last beat of the last race as hard as you sailed the first beat of the first race in the upper wind range while also keeping up with the social activities which go hand in hand with a regatta!



To achieve the level of fitness required takes several months and at any point the level of fitness can be reduced by injury.



The purpose of this session is to introduce participants to the importance of specific physical preparation for performance excellence and injury prevention

Mini lecture using teaching aids

PHYSICAL CONDITIONING & PERFORMANCE



Sailing is a sport which is every bit as physically demanding as it is mentally demanding



As the body tires, coordination is reduced leaving the athlete open to costly handling errors



A tired sailor is generally unable to hike effectively and reactions and responses are slowed , often leading to capsize

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The ability to gather & process information and make decisions is also greatly reduced, leaving the sailor without the capacity to accurately read the conditions and produce the appropriate action/solution



With these facts in mind, it is obvious that sailors should prepare physically for their sport just as all other athletes have done for years

FIT FOR SAILING

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Conditioning programs should be designed for the activities of the individual and take into account the individual’s strengths and weaknesses



At this stage of your sailing it is important to develop general core capacities - good central control, endurance/stamina and flexibility for sailing rather than for other sports.



Fortunately, the core capacities that need to be developed for sailing are very useful for other sports and activities and will also help prevent some injuries in those sports

SAILORS NEED



the ability to trim sails effectively with their arms



the ability to hike long and hard with their legs

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the ability to move quickly and efficiently through the boat using arms and legs



Arms and legs are connected to the torso/trunk

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Strong legs and arms are a necessity in sailing, however, without a strong trunk, the effectiveness of the limbs are severely reduced - it is no good having

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Lear n in g

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Unit 1

Fit f o r Sailin g

co n t .

CORE STRENGTH & STABILITY, FLEXIBILITY AND ENDURANCE

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A stable trunk is the most important feature for a general sailing programme. Strength training for your trunk is part of what is known as Core strength training



Flexibility is also a must for injury prevention and mobility in the boat where room to move is often restricted

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Legs that are specifically trained to hike are also very important if the best performance from the boat is to be achieved

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While sailing is not an intensely aerobic sport, the benefits of superior aerobic fitness include improved quality of recovery in reduced time frames compared with those of people who are not as aerobically fit.



Clearly, in a sport where 2-4 races are completed each day, often for up to 4 or 5 days and sometimes more, gains in recovery quality and time are invaluable Mini lecture using

teaching aids and demonstration

TRAINING FOR SAILING



Human bodies are very adaptable and relatively easy to train



Core strength training should include exercises to strengthen your abdominal

region, pelvic (hips) and shoulder girdles.



Fortunately, hips and shoulders are almost directly connected to your abdominal region, so abdominal strength training will help improve strength and balance in these areas. This will help you hike, pull on sheets and move around the boat smoothly.



Exercises include reverse crunches, oblique crunches, one leg squats, push

ups and chin ups



These exercises can be done every day, although you might like to leave a couple of days in between your one leg squats, push ups and chin ups



To help increase and maintain your flexibility, you need to stretch your Hip flexors, quads, Gluteals, Lower back, shoulders, chest and neck. The seven super sailing stretches cover this. You might also like to add a calf stretch to your stretching list.



Aerobic training improves the ability of your heart and lungs to transport

oxygen to your muscles and it also helps your muscles to absorb the oxygen better.



To get any benefit, you need to do something continuously for about 30 minutes 3 times a week– you should enjoy it - try swimming, rowing, running, walking (fast), rope skipping, cycling, skate boarding – pretty much anything you can do for a sustained period of time.



Start with 15 minutes of any activity 3 times a week and build it up gradually over a period of weeks – in a short time you’ll be able to do the full 30 minutes, 3 times a week!

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Specific hiking training is something that just has to be done if you need to

hike to keep the boat flat.

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You need to get used to sitting out for as long as possible so that you can keep the boat flat.

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Unit 1

Fit f o r Sailin g

co n t .

Mini lecture using teaching aids and demonstration

Specific Hiking Training cont.

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One of the simplest ways to train for hiking is to sit with your back against a wall and your knees bent at right angles for as long as possible.

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To start, you can try it sitting a bit higher on the wall (knee angle about 130o_).

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Try to sit against the wall for up to 60 seconds before having a rest.

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During your rest periods (30 seconds max ) you will need to stretch and move your legs.

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Gradually build up to doing 5 x 60 second wall sits (knees at 90 o_{– 100}o_{) with} 10 second rests before you try to extend the length of time you sit against the wall.

DRUGS IN SPORT

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Drugs which my have a performance enhancing effect and those which are illegal are banned for use by all athletes and carry serious penalties for use such as 2-4 year suspensions from competition or life bans from competition

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The underlying principle for the bans is that sport achievements should be achieved by human effort alone and that sport should not endanger the lives of athletes

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Many of the drugs on the banned list have been shown to cause serious side effects to users and their appearance on the list is mainly a protective measure

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Be aware that some common medications such as Asthma preparations, cough and cold tablets and pain killers are also on the banned list.

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For your own protection, get into the habit of checking the make up of medications you are prescribed as in most cases there are approved alternatives

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A list of banned and permitted medications can be supplied by the Australian Sports Drug Agency

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The Australian Yachting Federation also has an Anti-Doping policy. For further information you can contact YA on (02) 8424 7400

Brain Strainer’ Activity

_{ACTIVITY BRIEF}

This session is designed to illustrate the effects of physical tiredness/exhaustion on mental processing capacity. It is also designed to introduce participants to some specific exercises for sailing

EXPLAINING THE ACTIVITY.

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You will each be asked a question before you start warm up for the circuit.

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Once each of you has been asked a question, we will all start the warm up and proceed with the circuit after stretching.

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The idea is for you to try as hard as possible during the circuitry after the warm up – make sure you count how many of each activity you do and remember your best score.

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The circuit lasts for only 12 minutes and you will spend 1 minute at each station at a time.

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In the last 2 minutes of the circuit, each one of you will be asked another question, which you need to answer within 6 seconds

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Once the circuit is finished, we will compare how many right answers there were before and during the circuit

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Lear n in g

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Unit 1

Fit f o r Sailin g

co n t .

Mini lecture and

demonstration

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_

WARM UP

_{To prepare our bodies for activity we need to warm up}

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The purpose of the warm up is to get the body’s systems ready to function at a higher rate than normal in an effort to prevent injury

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The warm up should be relatively gentle, but difficult enough to create a light sweat and increase breathing rate

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This should be a 5 minute circuit using the exercises detailed below and set out on the accompanying diagram.

Mini lecture and demonstration

CIRCUIT STATIONS

Explain each station:

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Short run/sidestep/skip around markers x 2 laps (where space is an issue,

running on the spot

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Oblique Crunches (hands on ears, elbows out, shoulders off the ground, knees

bent) x 10

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Push ups (knees, hands shoulder width apart, tight tummies) x 10

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One leg squats (on one leg, hands on hips, lower and raise the body. Trunk

may lean forward, take care that knees ‘track’ straight over toes – correct inward/outward wobbling ) x 10 each side.



Wall sit ( legs bent at right angles, back straight against the wall, arms folded

across chest) for this exercise, sailors are to ‘sit’ for as long as possible against the wall. If the 1 minute barrier is unachievable, they may rest/stretch for 5-10 seconds before sitting back on the wall.

ORGANISATION

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Split the group into 2 - 3 teams and allocate a starting activity to each team

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On ‘GO’ they should complete the exercises set at the station and then move on to the next station.

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They should continue rotating around the circuit stations for 5 minutes at which time they should have raised a light sweat and be feeling slightly breathless.

Flexibility

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Once the body is warmed up, it is ready to stretch



Flexibility exercises teach the muscles to lengthen and help prevent injury

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Guide the sailors through the Seven Sailing Super Stretches

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Once the body has been stretched it is ready for more vigorous aerobic activity

THE CIRCUIT

ORGANISATION



Split the group into 2 - 3 teams and allocate a starting activity to each team

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On the ‘GO’ signal they should start the exercise set at the station and continue until the signal for the station change is given (1 minute intervals)

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At the station change signal, they should move straight to the next station and begin the activity set at that station

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This will continue for 10 - 12 minutes

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Unit 1

Fit f o r Sailin g

co n t .

CONCLUSION

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As a coach you will probably find that there were more correct answers given before the activity started.

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Point this out to the sailors and ask whether they felt they had an easier time answering their questions before or during the session

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Relate this back to sailing on a windy day – when they have to be active AND think clearly to make the right decisions

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Do they find that as their body tires, the brain slows down and it becomes more difficult for them to think clearly?

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Get fit for sailing so that both your body and brain are effective during competition at all times

ACTIVITY REVIEW

CHECK for understanding



Sailing is physically and mentally demanding



Physically tired bodies cannot perform to full capacity

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Physically tired bodies are prone/open to injury

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Physical tiredness affects mental processing capacity

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For injury prevention and performance enhancement, sailors need 1. strong torsos

2. good flexibility

3. a superior level of aerobic fitness

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Ro u n d 1 Qu est io n s

An sw er s

1 When sailing upwind, is it best to tack when you are lifted or knocked? Knocked

2 What colour is a Port navigation mark? Red

3 True or False? The back of the boat is called the stern. True

4 Which boat has right of way – a Port tack boat or a Starboard tack boat? Starboard

5 Do sailing boats have right of way over commercial boats? No

6 Should you pull the mainsail on to bear away? No

7 Can you de-power the sail by making it flatter? Yes

8 Is it important to have strong abdominal muscles for sailing? Yes

9 Reaching is the fastest point of sailing. True or False? True

10 What is the penalty in racing for touching a mark of the course? 360o turn 11 On the first beat of an early race in a series that you expect to be tight

between the top 15 competitors, is it best to cover your main opponent?

No. It is better to get a good start and first work on which you can consolidate

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Ro u n d 2 Qu est io n s

An sw er s

1 Is a gust an increase or decrease in wind strength? Increase

2 What colour is a Starboard navigation mark? Green

3 Does a Lift help you sail closer to a windward mark? Yes

4 True or False? The front of the boat is called the bow True

5 Does an overtaking boat have right of way over the boat it is passing? No

6 Does leaning the boat to leeward turn the boat upwind? Yes

7 True or False? Pulling on the outhaul makes the sail fuller. False 8 True or False? A spinnaker can only be carried dead downwind. False

9 Can a traveller be used to de-power sails? Yes

10 In racing, what flag is used at the Preparatory signal? Blue Peter 11 When sailing up the last beat of a race, you find another boat has caught

up and passed between you and the boat you are covering. It is sailing to the opposite side and favoured side of the course – what should you do?

Cover the new challenger to the favoured side of the course

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Activity Sheet

Fit For Sailing

No m in al d u r at io n : 25 m in s

No t e:

These questions are sample questions. It is important that the questions are at a suitable level for participants – easy enough to get right without the distraction of fatigue and activity, and possibly challenging with activity. If you have a more advanced group, try using tactical questions, so the need to process and think while being active is highlighted. Make sure you have the answers ready and written, so that you can conduct the session effectively and efficiently. Number 11 questions are examples of these

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Activity Sheet

Fit For Sailing

No m in al d u r at io n : 25 m in s

Circuit Map

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The diagram below shows an example of an effective layout for a sailing fitness circuit, particularly with regard to the order in which the activities are arranged. There is no need for any special equipment for the circuit stations suggested below, but you will need a wall and some means of marking a 15–20 m long area for the shuttle runs.

Before you start!



Check the health status of your sailors and ensure to the best of your ability that participation in the exercise circuit will not put your athletes at risk of injury or ill health.



Demonstrate each of the circuit activities before assigning participants to stations

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Assign participants to stations: A number of 2 to 6 participants per station is most effective

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Ensure there is enough room for each activity to be carried out without risk of injury to participants

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Explain the activity so that participants know what to do.

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Use the Master sheets supplied to create a set of Circuit station cards

1.

2 .

Circuit Map

5.

3.

4 .

Shuttle run / Sidestep shuttle

15 – 20 m lo n g (x 2 f o r War m u p )

Oblique

crunches

(x 10 f o r w ar m u p )

One-legged

squats

(x 5 each sid e f o r w ar m u p )

Wall Sit

(x 15 seco n d s f o r w ar m u p )

Push ups

(x 10 f o r w ar m u p )

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1. Sh u t t le Ru n s

1. Sid est ep

Sh u t t le Ru n s

Fit fo r S ail ing

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3. On e - leg g ed

Sq u at s

2. Ob liq u e

Cr u n ch es

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5. Wall Sit

4. Kn ee

Pu sh u p s

Fit fo r S ail ing

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Unit Purpose

The purpose of this unit is to teach participants the basics of tuning and make them aware of the need for constant re trimming of sails to maintain speed and

performance.



Megaphone



At the completion of this unit, participants will be able to: 1. Identify the need to change power in the rig

2. Identify over sheeting by feel and sight 3. Identify methods of power control

4. Apply power control methods during practice 5. Perform a two boat tuning exercise

No m in al

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Su g g est ed

Teach in g

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Lear n in g St r at eg y

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Boat speed – a question of balance

2 min Revision

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Depth and Power

teaching aids OHT, Whiteboard Group questioning

10 min Controlling Depth

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Rig control

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Mast rake

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Spreaders

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Lower bend control (Rams, chocks)

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Sail controls

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Cunningham

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Vang

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Outhaul

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Inhaul

Seated with access to teaching aids

Standing around rigged boat, watching

demonstration

OHT, Whiteboard Rigged boat

Mini lecture and

Demonstration of rig control components

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No m in al

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Su g g est ed

Teach in g

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Lear n in g St r at eg y

8 min Optimising speed and power

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Trimming

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Twist

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The slot

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Sheeting

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centreboard

teaching aids OHT, Whiteboard Mini lecture and demonstration

5 min Activity Briefing Seated with access to

teaching aids OHT, Whiteboard rigged boat

Mini lecture using teaching aids

45 min Practice session In boats on marked

course area Boats, rescue boat, marked course

Participation in two boat/multiple boat tuning exercise

10 min Return to shore

8 min Review session Seated with access to

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Unit 2

Tu n in g

INTRODUCTION

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Knowing how to manipulate the power in a sailing rig, without the ability to detect the need for change, is wasted knowledge.



A keen sense of feel which is aware of small power changes in the rig is

developed from hours of focussed time on the water, generally with at least one other boat to assist in judgement of whether or not changes being made are significant and therefore warrant the effort.



A second boat can also assist in identifying the need for change to the rig due to speed differences.

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At this stage of the athlete’s development it is important that they learn to identify, by feel, changes in the power developed by the rig and that an automatic response to re trim is generated by the knowledge.

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Re trimming in response to a significant change in power is called ‘changing gears’

REVISION

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The sail works in a similar fashion to an airplane wing



LIFT force is created by resulting pressure differences which occur when the wind flows over the sail

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The power generated by the sail is related to the depth of the sail



To control power effectively, it is necessary to understand how and when to control the depth in the sail



Sail depth is controlled by the sail controls and the mast controls

Mast controls



Mast rake balances the rig. Moving the mast rake forward increases lee helm,

while moving it backward reduces rig power and increases weather helm.



Each different class has optimum mast rake settings for each wind range a well as for flat or choppy waters



Mast rake is usually measured from the bottom of the black band at the top of the mast to a central point on the top of the transom



Spreaders



Spreaders control the fore and aft and sideways bend of the mast



These are not adjusted during the race and generally are only adjusted for extreme changes in weather



Mast ram/Chocks/strut



These control fore and aft bend in the lower part of the mast.



When used these power up the mainsail by increasing the depth of the sail and closing the leech/controlling twist. To reduce power, release the chocks. This allows the mast to bend and the sail then flattens and twists.

Sail controls Boom Vang



Closes the leech/controls twist



Flattens the top 1/3 – ½ of the mainsail



Moves the draft aft



Twist is used in light winds to encourage wind flow over the sail



Twist is induced in heavy weather to de power the sail by ‘spilling’ wind



In all but extreme conditions, leech tension should be such that the leech ribbon flows approximately 50% of the time

Outhaul



Flattens the bottom 1/3 – ½ of the mainsail



Draws the draft aft



Opens the lower 1/3 – ½ of the mainsail leech

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Unit 2

Tu n in g

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Mini lecture using teaching aids, group questioning and demonstration

Sail controls cont.

Inhaul



Draws the draft forward



Flattens the foot of the sail

Cunningham/downhaul



Draws the draft forward (to it’s designed position)



Opens the leech

Topping Lift (Spinnaker pole height)



Controls the height of the spinnaker pole in much the same way as the boom vang controls the height of the boom



When the spinnaker pole is raised, the spinnaker luffs are opened and the spinnaker flattens



When the spinnaker pole is lowered, the luffs tighten up and the spinnaker becomes fuller

Mini lecture using teaching aids and demonstration

OPTIMISING SPEED AND POWER



While the ability to optimise the rig set up is an important one, it is important to remain balanced in approach and not develop rig tuning capacity at the expense of more fundamental skills such as boat handling which have far greater reaching effects than boat tuning at all but the elite level



That said, it is important to understand that when setting up the rig and sails for the day’s racing it is not enough to just set up for the general conditions



The general condition ‘set up’ should be used as the base from which to make minor adjustments to suit the dynamic changes of the conditions



Just as the mainsheet will need to be re trimmed each time the breeze strength changes, the sail controls also need to be re adjusted



As each gust affects the boat, re trim the mainsail. As the wind pressure decreases, the mainsail needs to be trimmed again.



Re trimming is called ‘changing gears’ and in variable conditions should occur each time the breeze conditions warrant it, sometimes several times each leg



Experience in a variety of wind conditions will teach you how much to alter each of the sail controls for a variety of conditions



Each control should be marked so that it is easy to reproduce settings which have proven to be effective



After each race, the conditions and settings should be recorded for each leg so that a ‘bank’ of settings is developed

Mini lecture and

demonstration

SETTING UP THE RIG



Mast rake and spreaders are generally not adjusted during racing.



Check that the rake is set as recommended for your class and the prevailing conditions



If exact figures are not available, a general guide for light to moderate conditions, is that the boom should be approximately parallel to the gunwhale deck line.



In heavier conditions it may be necessary to rake the mast back slightly to de-power the rig

Mini lecture and

demonstration SETTING UP THE MAINSAIL

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Unit 2

Tu n in g

co n t .

SETTING UP THE HEADSAIL



Upwind sailing performance is heavily reliant upon the headsail being set to match the conditions and the mainsail



The headsail must be set with appropriate draft, depth and twist just as for the mainsail



The headsail must be set to induce the slot effect

To set up the headsail



sheet in and sail close hauled



Slowly luff the boat and watch the windward wool tufts on the luff of the headsail



If the tuft at the head of the sail stalls first, the sail requires less twist and the sheeting position should be moved forward



The tuft at the head of the sail is at the pointy end of the sail, so the sheeting position has to be moved closer to the pointy end of the boat (forward)



if the tuft at the foot of the sail stalls first, the sail requires more twist and the sheeting position should be moved back



The tuft at the foot of the sail is at the blunt end of the sail, so the sheeting position has to be moved closer to the blunt end of the boat (backward)

The Slot



The slot runs vertically along the length of the jib leech and is the horizontal distance between the leech of the headsail and the mast



it can be controlled by the sheeting system on the boat and by sheet tension



If the slot is too narrow, or closed, the flow will be restricted and the boat will choke



A closed slot is identified by watching the luff of the mainsail which will invert if the slot is too closed



If the slot is too wide, or open, not even slight back winding will be apparent. Flow will not be increased over the mainsail and the boat will be underpowered



Care must be taken that the slot is neither too closed, nor too open



As a guide, the headsail should be set inboard just enough to create slight back winding in the luff of the mainsail, and the slot should be approximately the same size at the head of the headsail and at the foot.



Fine adjustments to the twist and slot can be made by adjusting the sheet tension

ACTIVITY BRIEF



The purpose of the session is to provide sailors with the opportunity to practice maintaining optimal sail trim at all times



The sails should be trimmed effectively for each leg of the course as the leg is started



Necessary adjustments should be made as each leg unfolds



Look for gusts and lulls and re trim sails accordingly



At each mark rounding trim the sails for the next leg



Describe the course shape (long windward/leeward or square)



Notify the start sequence (3 min, Go)



For each pressure increase or decrease, alter the boom vang, sheet tension, outhaul and cunningham where necessary



As the conditions normalise, re trim once more



At the top mark, ease outhaul, cunningham and vang for the off wind leg



Pull the centreboard up after the mark has been rounded



At the bottom mark, the centreboard should be lowered and upwind settings

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Unit 2

Tu n in g

co n t .

ACTIVITY REVIEW



The sail functions much like an airplane wing



Sail depth is directly related to the power generated by the rig



Sail depth can be modified by using the sail controls to adjust the sail for the conditions



As conditions are dynamic and constantly changing, it is necessary to adjust the sails to match the conditions



Changing the sail shape in response to a change in wind pressure or sea conditions is called ‘changing gears’



for each different condition experienced, it is advisable to log/record both the conditions and the sail settings so that they can be reproduced.



The more experience gained in different and variable conditions, the more intuitive and effective gear changing becomes

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

Unit Purpose

The purpose of this unit is to introduce participants to more complex tactics and strategies



Megaphone



At the completion of this unit, participants will be able to

1. Identify persistent. geographic and oscillating wind patterns and use these to advantage whilst racing

2. Identify the wind-favoured side of the course 3. Execute the lee bow manoeuvre successfully

4. Sail the boat into a favourable position for the leeward mark rounding

No m in al

Du r at io n

Co n t en t cu es

Gr o u p

o r g an isat io n

Su g g est ed

Teach in g

Aid s

Lear n in g St r at eg y



Sailing: the dynamic chess game



Wind shifts



tide



boats



the course

teaching aids OHT, whiteboard Mini lecture using teaching aids

4 min Wind shifts



Types



Identification



Anticipation

teaching aids OHT, whiteboard Mini lecture and group questioning

7 min Upwind tactics & strategy



Favoured side



Covering



Lee bow manoeuvre



(24)

No m in al

Du r at io n

Co n t en t cu es

Gr o u p

o r g an isat io n

Su g g est ed

Teach in g

Aid s

Lear n in g St r at eg y

7 min Downwind tactics & strategy



Favoured side



Covering



High/low track options



Leeward mark rounding

45 min Practical session Boats on marked course

area Boats, rescue boat, signals Demonstration and practice by participants

10 min Activity review Seated with access to

(25)

Lear n in g

St r at eg ies

Unit 3

Tact ics & St r at eg y

INTRODUCTION



The game of sailing is much like a dynamic chess game



Using the conditions presented, the aim of the game is to start and find your way around the marked course, past various obstructions such as other competitors and finish first.



The tactics used during any one race take into account individual boats and the fleet around you and are related to both race strategy and the racing rules.



Tactics are used at the start and finish and on every leg in between and are reliant upon you making a decision



REMEMBER: an average decision is better than no decision. Assess the conditions and make a decision



Although people try to make tactics a complicated issue, the application of a few basic rules and simple techniques will help you come out on top regularly.

SOME BASIC RULES



Very simply, the rules of tactics are 1. Start

2. Consolidate 3. Win



Remember, for the majority of the race you are racing against every boat on the course (the FLEET), so don’t get caught up in one-boat issues that have the potential to cost you many places



Work with other boats around you to move up the fleet

Mini lecture using

teaching aids

UPWIND

_

Use the wind shifts (geographical, oscillating, persistent) to ensure you are on the tack that will sail you closest to the windward mark

teaching aids

DOWNWIND

_

Use the wind shifts that will give you the fastest, most direct route to the leeward mark

BE CONSERVATIVE



Always stay between the majority of the fleet and the next mark - PROTECT YOUR POSITION.



For example, having decided that the left side of the course is favoured, sail to the left of the fleet, rather than hard left. This way if the conditions don’t change, you remain ahead and continue to gain ground, and if the wind (as happens) does change dramatically, you will lose less due to the lateral separation



The size of lateral separation is directly related to the gains or losses resulting from a favourable or unfavourable wind shift



At all times, and especially when trying to fight your way back after a bad start or shift, consolidate each tiny gain. Remember, the shift isn’t worth anything until you cash it in. Each gain should be used to get you back in touch with the fleet.

START TACTICS



STRATEGY - Sail the left side of the course

1. Start to leeward of boats at the port end if it is favoured OR

2. Start to leeward of the boats at the starboard end if it is favoured

T ac ti cs a nd S tr ate g y

(26)

Lear n in g

St r at eg ies

Unit 3

Tact ics an d St r at eg y

co n t .

THE WINDWARD LEG



Generally the bottom and top of the middle of the course will have large areas of confused wind and water - STAY AWAY - Sail one side of the course or the other and if you need to cross, wait until you get half way up the work where there is less confusion of wind and water



Once out of the start begin to assess your position in relation to the rest of the fleet



is your strategy correct - are you heading to the favoured side of the course, are you on the favoured side of the majority of the fleet



Are you in clear air?



If not, take a clearing tack and once in fresh air, return to the original plan



Are you on the favoured tack, sailing closest to the windward mark?



if you are lifting, stay on that tack



if you are knocking...tack over to the favoured tack



Once on the favour side of the fleet, do not let the fleet or individual members sail to that side of you.



As the fleet begins to tack toward you, take the next shift back and maintain the lateral distance until you are on the lay line

As you approach another boat on the opposite tack, ASSESS



whether you are heading to the desired side of he course



whether you are on the favoured tack



If on the desired side of the course, protect it by tacking back, to leeward and ahead



tacking to leeward and ahead of the fleet, puts you in the favoured position for the next knock



if you are on a lift and tracking to the opposite side of the course, bear away behind the boat, whether you are on Starboard or port and continue to the favoured side of the course



if you are knocking, on the favoured side of the course, apply the lee bow manoeuvre to the approaching boat. this puts you on the lifted tack, heading to the favoured side and your opponent on the knocking tack, heading to the unfavoured side of the course



APPROACH the windward mark on Starboard tack - it is the safest position to be in



Determine whether you want to sail to the left or right of the fleet downwind



if right, stay high when rounding



if left, you may want to consider gybing around the top mark



This decision can be complicated by a rounding involving many boats. it is possible that it may be more profitable not to gybe instantly, but to stay high and keep sailing, rather than being stopped by the fleet coming around the mark behind you. With speed you have many more options available than if you are stopped, blanketed by the fleet



On the last work to the finish, you must keep between the next boat and the finish mark.



if the boat behind tacks, tack to cover



if you have more than one boat close and challenging, decide which is the favoured track and tack to cover the majority of boats heading in the favoured

(27)

Lear n in g

St r at eg ies

Unit 3

Tact ics an d St r at eg y

co n t .

DOWNWIND TACTICS



As with the upwind leg, you are ultimately trying to sail in the most pressure and the most direct route



keep your head out of the boat an look for pressure at all times, also ensure that you are not being covered

ON DOWNWIND RUNS



Remember that being the inside boat, on starboard tack is the most powerful position to be in most cases



Sail as low as possible, using the knocks and the waves to sail down the run in an effort to position yourself as the inside boat at the bottom mark rounding



Gybe as breeze lifts



Bear away and run low as the breeze knocks, or the wind pressure increases



Sailing downwind can be frustrating in the company of others. It is difficult to maintain a clear air supply/simple to cover without intention. Unless you are second, fighting for first on the last run, it is best not to cover the boat in front of you



instead, use the leeward quarter waves of the boat in front to help you down the run. This has the added effect of not slowing down the boat in front of you and bringing you both back to the fleet closing in behind

ON REACHING LEGS



Sail for pressure and clear air



try to gain inside rounding rights at the gybe mark



The direct line is not always fastest



keep your head out of the boat; look for pressure and sail toward it



once in the pressure, bear away, sail the rig underneath the boat



use waves and wind pressure to help sail the boat as fast as possible down the reach



If trying to overtake a boat in front, move into the ‘passing lane’ BEFORE you become an obvious threat to the boat in front



you will need to pass approximately two boat lengths to windward, or five boat lengths to leeward

Windward/leeward racing

ACTIVITY BRIEF



Define course shape



Define starting procedure



the purpose of the session is to alert participants to the need for planning and decision making and to introduce/refresh simple tactics



Before each race, participants are to name which side of the course they have determined to sail and why



Participants are to use newly learned tactics where opportunities are presented



The coach is to observe proceedings and record placings at the start, top mark and finish

Group questioning

ACTIVITY REVIEW



Plan & Prepare



Identify wind conditions



Identify strategy



DON’T BE GREEDY, take the small gains wherever possible, one at a time.



Upwind, sail the tack closest to the windward mark

T ac ti cs a nd S tr ate g y

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

Unit Purpose

The purpose of this unit is to give participants the opportunity to develop their sense of ‘sail feel’



Megaphone



At the completion of this unit, participants will be able to:

1. Sail a boat blindfolded with the aid of a second pair of safety eyes

No m in al

Du r at io n

Co n t en t cu es

Gr o u p

o r g an isat io n

Su g g est ed

Teach in g

Aid s

Lear n in g St r at eg y



Developing feel as an automatic skill

3 min Boat controls



Steering



balance

teaching aids OHT, whiteboard Mini lecture with Group questioning

30 min Practice Session In boats on designated

course area Boats, marked course area Guided practice session

5 min Activity review Seated with access to

teaching aids OHT, whiteboard Coach Feedback



Unit 4

Advanced Boat Handling

No m in al

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Lear n in g

St r at eg ies

Unit 4

Ad v an ced Bo at Han d lin g

Mini lecture INTRODUCTION



Because sailing is a sport which involves a large amount of information processing, it is important to ‘automate’ as many skills as possible so that the brain has more space available for producing good strategic and tactical responses to situations that arise on the course.



One such ‘skill’ is the ability to keep the boat moving through the water at optimal speed.



This skill requires a well developed sense of feel that can be obtained through time spent on the water.



This session is designed to provide participants with an opportunity to develop their sense of feel by sailing blind folded. Utilisation of the blind fold is designed to encourage sailors to use feel to identify changes in the rig power etc

Participants experience sailing blind

ACTIVITY BRIEF



Name ‘teams’ of two or three boats



Blindfolds are only to be used one at a time - at all times only the skipper or the crew will be blindfolded



In teams of two / three, boats will line up approximately 3 boat lengths apart



Once lined up the skippers are to put on their blindfolds and when instructed to do so will sail the boats upwind to the best of their ability



The coach will be looking at how well the boat maintains a close hauled course and that the angle of heel is optimal at all times



The crews are welcome and encouraged to assist the skipper by communicating in the same way that would be done on any windward beat. eg calling gusts, height and pointing in relation to other boats



The coach will observe and note comments



This practice will be repeated whilst the crews sail blindfolded

Group questioning

ACTIVITY REVIEW



Sailing is a sport that requires athletes to use a variety of senses at relatively high levels



It is very difficult to perform effectively when you are consciously aware of all the necessary activity that needs to take place



The more skills that can be closer to automatic, the more brain space there is available to think and process incoming information



The sense of feel should be automated and can be if enough time is spent on the water



Practicing sailing blind is an effective method to use to assist the development of this skill A d va nc ed B o at H and ling

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

Unit Purpose

This session is designed to introduce participants to the compass and the benefits of its use to identify and confirm line bias and wind shifts



Display equipment which may include OHT, Whiteboard or other One Compass with telltale per 10 sailors (minimum)

Graph paper Rescue boat Megaphone



At the completion of this unit, participants will be able to: 1. Use the compass to determine wind direction and movement

2. Identify line and course side bias with knowledge of wind direction (Identify the favoured side of the course)

3. Identify major wind shifts by size (in degrees).

No m in al

Du r at io n

Co n t en t cu es

Gr o u p

o r g an isat io n

Su g g est ed

Teach in g

Aid s

Lear n in g St r at eg y



The compass as a valuable tool – for confirmation ONLY

6 min Reading the compass



Organisation of the compass card



No. of degrees



N S E W quadrants

teaching aids OHT, whiteboard Compass rose Mini lecture using teaching aids

12 min Identifying the wind direction



Recording



Lifts and Knocks



Major shifts

teaching aids OHT, whiteboard Compass Mini lecture using teaching aids

7 min Activity review Seated with access to OHT, whiteboard Feedback session

(34)

(35)

Lear n in g

St r at eg ies

Unit 5

Or ien t at io n t o Sailin g w it h t h e Co m p ass

teaching aids

INTRODUCTION



When sailing on inland waters a compass is a useful tool, especially as you become more skilful, but sights on the land can be also be used to effectively identify wind shifts.



Once on the open sea, however, with nothing but a distant horizon in view, identifying tacking angles and shifts becomes almost impossible without the help of a compass.



It is important to remember that while it is a useful tool, sailing the compass around the course rather than the boat is also counterproductive.



Use it to check/confirm suspicions of wind activity and heading changes, not as the centre of a very small universe



This session is designed to introduce the compass as a valuable tool to assist in the identification of significant wind shifts and the favoured side of the course

Mini lecture using compass

THE COMPASS



The compass is organised into four quadrants; North (000 degrees), East (090 degrees), South(180 degrees) & West (270 degrees)



Each quadrant has 90 degrees adding to a total of 360 degrees



You can read your heading (in degrees) on each tack from the compass by lining up the lubber line and the heading marked on the compass directly behind the line

Mini lecture using compass

IDENTIFYING THE WIND DIRECTION



If you luff head to wind you will be able to identify the direction from which the wind is coming



If the heading is the same as the direction to the windward mark, then the course is set with no bias



If the heading to the top mark is not the same as that for the top mark, the course is biased and the breeze will be blowing across the work, favouring one side



Once you have checked a few times and determined which side of the course is favoured, your strategy should include sailing to that side of the fleet



Record your Port and Starboard tack headings by reading the heading which lines up with the lubber line on the compass



You can determine your tacking angle by subtracting the smaller heading from the larger heading



If you know your average headings on each tack you can determine whether you are lifted or knocked



When lifting on Starboard tack, your heading numbers get larger



When lifting on Port tack, the numbers get smaller



Conversely, as the numbers get smaller on Starboard tack and larger on Port tack, the boat is being knocked



Be aware when using the compass to determine lifts and knocks and tacking angles that increases in pressure can give the impression of being lifted and may have the effect of reducing the tacking angle.

O rie nta ti o n to S ail ing w ith the C o m p as s

(36)

Lear n in g St r at eg ies

Unit 5

Or ien t at io n t o Sailin g w it h t h e Co m p ass co n t .

Mini lecture and practical

wind tracking exercise

ACTIVITY BRIEF

TRACKING THE WIND



This exercise will give you experience at logging wind direction changes as you will need to do when on the water preparing for a race



Point out the direction of the “top mark’ which has been laid for the purposes of this exercise



You will need to take readings every 2 minutes



Using the hand bearing compass and tell tale identify the wind direction heading from the compass and record it



After you have collected 10 readings plot them on the paper provided



Identify the biggest wind shifts and their size in degrees



Determine whether the wind direction is steady, oscillating, or shifting with no particular pattern



Determine which side of the course is wind favoured

Group questioning

ACTIVITY REVIEW



The compass is a useful tool but should not be the only tool used to sail the boat around the course



it can be used to identify wind shifts

(37)



Unit Purpose

This session is designed to assist participants to plan and execute effective training sessions



Display equipment which may include OHT, Whiteboard or other Activity Sheets



At the completion of this unit, participants will be able to: 1. State three winning attributes of successful athletes 2. Identify the benefits of keeping a training diary 3. Plan an on water training session

No m in al

Du r at io n

Co n t en t cu es

Gr o u p

o r g an isat io n

Su g g est ed

Teach in g

Aid s

Lear n in g St r at eg y



Getting Excellent



Attitude



Skill

2 min Winning Attributes – Attitude is Everything



Desire



Dedication



Persistence

2 min Planning Training Seated with access to

3 min Getting the most benefit



DO it



Assess it



Refine it



Perfect it



Keep a Diary

20 min Activity Review Seated with access to

teaching aids OHT, whiteboard Practical Exercise

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Lear n in g St r at eg ies

Unit 6

Ef f ect iv e Tr ain in g

Mini lecture

INTRODUCTION

This session is designed to assist participants to plan and execute effective training sessions



Desire, Dedication and Persistence have the power to take ordinary talent and develop extraordinary performances



Planning maximises the effect of these attitude attributes

Mini lecture

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING



Often, what sets those who make it to the top apart from those who don’t is their attitude.



While natural talent is always desirable, desire, commitment and persistence toward achievement are the differentiating factors.



An internal driving force compels them to perfect each and every performance.



They know their strengths and weaknesses and dedicate to improving both



When they train, they are focussed on the purpose of the training session and when things go wrong, they try again and again until it is right.



They have open minds and welcome assistance. Their attitudes are sponge like, sucking up everything appropriate and available.



They are disciplined in their approach to training and they generally enjoy it.



When set a task, they complete it to the best of their ability, there is no goofing off.



In their pursuit of excellence they are largely self directed and capable of planning and executing effective training sessions without a coach

Mini lecture

PLANNING TRAINING



It is important to be able to plan and conduct your own training sessions because a coach is not always available or accessible



Planning training should not only extend to physical conditioning training, but also on water sessions



Planning saves time and can help avoid long pointless sessions on the water

When planning:



Identify the time available for each session



For each session, identify one (maximum of three) specific area of performance which requires attention



Identify specific performance goals for each session



Identify and plan appropriate drills



Drills are simply repetitions of the same things you do during a race such as tacking, gybing or mark rounding.



Simple drills may include only part of a manoeuvre, such as dropping the spinnaker, while a more complex drill could include a sequence of events such as a gybe, spinnaker drop and leeward mark rounding.



Keep a record of each of your training sessions to gradually build up a bank of drills you can choose from when you are training by yourself.

E ffe cti ve T ra ini ng

(40)

Lear n in g St r at eg ies

Unit 6

Ef f ect iv e Tr ain in g

co n t .

Mini lecture

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME



Once you have decided on your activities for the session, hit the water and set the boat up for the conditions first. Then…



Perform the drill



Assess the performance constructively: identify what was good & what to do for next time...



Do it again and again and again...and again until it is right, or until the time or daylight runs out



If you are having trouble achieving the session goal and become frustrated with it, take a short break, do something completely different, perhaps relatively pointless but DEFINITELY fun, before you try again



Never leave the water on a bad performance, always do ONE MORE good one.

REMEMBER



Desire, Dedication and Persistence are the secret ingredients that help to make all talent visible

Show an example of

training logs/diaries and distribute examples to athletes

RECORD YOUR PROGRESS



To get the most out of each session and to help keep you motivated, it is important that you log/record your training sessions



It is much easier to identify progress when it is recorded



Evidence of progress is a powerful motivational tool



A diary also logs what you have and haven’t done and helps to prevent you from falling into the trap of doing your favourite sessions time and time again when you need to be training a less loved aspect of your performance



KEEP A DIARY for both your on water sessions and your physical conditioning training

Plan a training session using a session planning guide

ACTIVITY REVIEW Training Session plan



You have 60 minutes of on - water time



With your sailing partner:

1. Identify one area of your sailing performance you will dedicate the session to improving

2. Identify the specific goal for the session eg which part of the tack or gybe needs to be improved

3. Decide on a practice drill – simple is best 4. Describe the drill briefly

(41)

Training Session Plan

Time Available: 60 mins

Skill area needing improvement:

Eg Tacking – very slow out of tack

Identified problem:

Eg. boat not being flattened early enough and perhaps jib is not sheeted on properly

Skill Drill and focus:

Eg. Practise Roll tacking every 40 seconds

Need to focus on getting boat flat straight after tack and making sure the jib ‘flops” from full on one side to full on the other.

Comments after practice session:

Eg. difficult at first to get boat moving into the second tack because slow out of the first one. Probably too much roll into the tack, making it hard for us to get the boat flat.

Lessened the roll and it was easier to get the boat flat and the jib on as well.

Did lots of good tacks in the session after we sorted it out! 



Activity Sheet

Planning a Training Session

No m in al d u r at io n : 15 m in s E ffe cti ve T ra ini ng

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(43)



Unit Purpose

The purpose of this unit is to introduce participants to basic time management techniques and its benefits



Display equipment which may include OHT, Whiteboard or other Planning master sheets



At the completion of this unit, participants will be able to: 1. Identify their major goals

2. Identify major commitment areas in their own lives 3. State the benefits of planning

4. Derive a weekly time management schedule

No m in al

Du r at io n

Co n t en t cu es

Gr o u p

o r g an isat io n

Su g g est ed

Teach in g

Aid s

Lear n in g St r at eg y



Time management – a simple technique for all athletes to master

10 min Balancing your life



Goals



Commitments



Prioritising

teaching aids OHT, whiteboard Guided activity session

4 min Fitting it all in



Benefits of planning

10 min Activity Seated with access to

teaching aids OHT, whiteboard Guided activity

5 min Activity Review Seated with access to

teaching aids OHT, whiteboard Student feedback

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