Skipper Johnson said:I thought it might be good to get everyone's top 2 tips to sailing fast.
I'll kick off
(1) Put the bung in the back of the transom. I found that leaving this out means the boat fills with water and your performance is effected.
(2) When rigging the outhaul, don't try and do a bowline, fail, give up and then tie your own special, made up knot. Special, made up knots will likely come undone meaning your sail is flapping wildly and not attached to the boom. This also effects performance
Any other ideas?
Chris123 said:1. Put your rudder down. Sailing an entire race with it in the "up" position is not fast.
2. Round the marks in the direction that the sailing instructions say. For example, if they say "Starboard rounding", that means the mark should pass by the starboard side of the boat, which is easily identified because it is usually on the right hand side when you face towards the pointy part, which experts often call the "bow" or "front".
laser2_9804 said:Round a mark as close to it as you can get without touching it. If the boat in front of you doesn't go close to it - cut inside them and sheet everything on like mad. You might not get past them but you will at least be above them.
I hate to say it... but I did exactly this on Saturday! D'oh! I was so embarrased! Oh well... live and learn1. Don't forget that to thread the mainsheet through the loop half way along the boom - yes you know you rigged in a hurry, but decapitation is not pretty.
1. Don't forget that to thread the mainsheet through the loop half way along the boom - yes you know you rigged in a hurry, but decapitation is not pretty.