Five Steps to a Great Start
by Ron Sherry October 1986
Getting a good start is important
whether you are sailing in a local or in an international
race. Having clear air and the ability to tack over to
the favored side of the course is crucial to winning in
an event. In this brief outline, I will describe my
techniques on lining the boat up on the starting line,
main sheet trim, and entering the boat. This style of
starting may not work for everyone; but there are some
helpful hints that should make it easier for anyone to
get consistently good starts.
- Set the boat up on the line at
such an angle that when the main is trimmed, the
boat is just on the verge of hiking.
- Trim the main just snug, or a
little past the point where the boom would hang
straight down if there was no wind in the sail.
This is a good average for most starts (a little
tighter in light air, a little looser in heavy
air).
- While standing on the line,
constantly adjust the angle of the boat to the
wind so that the boat is just on the verge of
hiking. Think about a smooth entry, but also
about anything that will peak our adrenalin so
that when the flag goes down, you can explode off
the line.
- As you run straight off the line,
the tendency of the boat to hike is reduced,
because of the apparent wind moving forward. When
you get close to full speed running lay the boat
off slowly until the boat wants to hike. Keep the
boat from hiking by holding down on the side
stay. I also wrap the main sheet around the
tiller, so that all I have to do is lift my thumb
to ease the sheet in case of a radical hike.
- When the boat reaches the point
where you cannot hold it down from hiking
anymore, step on the plank with your outboard
foot. Then slide into the hull with your inboard
foot. Lay the boat off far enough and pump the
sheet so that you can ride a short controlled
hike until the boat reaches top speed. A common
error is to trim the main in block to block and
begin pointing right away. This will rob the boat
of vital speed, so wait until you are sure the
boat is moving as fast as it can, then trim the
sail all the way in and begin pointing.
There are many other ways of
facilitating a good start such as clothes, track shoes,
your tiller, and above all, practice. Finding lightweight
and warm clothes are important but even more important is
finding clothes that are easy to run in. Lightweight
track shoes make a big difference. It is also easy to
make some alterations to the shoes to make them warmer
and drier. I also take a pair of moon boots out to the
starting line for warming up my feet between races. Your
tiller can make a difference too. I use an extra long
tiller so that I can run standing straight up without
stepping on the plank. Some of the fastest runners in the
class can look very clumsy when they are trying to climb
into that tiny fuselage, which is already sailing faster
than they can run. This is when a slow runner with a
smooth well-practiced start can took like a hero.
I have found that the best time to
practice starts is when there is no wind and everyone is
sitting around drinking beer and telling stories.
Sometimes, I go out with no sail up and just practice
running with the boat. It is also a good way to find out
if your runners are tracking well.
The best way to get to the finish line
fast is by beginning with a good start. Like anything
else, good starts take practice. An entire book could be
written on this issue if I went into each minute detail.
I hope everyone will be able to use this outline when
they set up their training for this season.
If you have any questions or comments,
please contact me at 313-790-5557.
Good Luck! See you on the ice.
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