Sitting still

A

abenn

New Member
Anyone got any tips on how to keep the boat stationary on the start line ? At our club we usually have a very dynamic start, with boats moving all over the place and trying to hit the line at high speed and there's usually plenty of room to do this. But I'll be going to a regatta soon with a lot more boats and I might encounter the situation I read about where the whole line is filled up early with boats just sitting still.
I've tried practicing sitting still but the boat just wants to creep forward all the time. One tip I had was to let the vang off completely which I do and that certainly helps but are there any other hints ? e.g boat flat or tilted. Sit aft or forward. Sit in centre of cockpit or on side. Have the boat close to luffing or across the wind. Outhaul/cunningham trimmed tight or loose ?
 
my tips is set ur outhaul and cunningham for up wind and the vany off! the rest of my tips really needs to been shown to you to get it right
 
I know some of the theory of sailing backwards, esp how to get out of irons and bearing away, but I've not had much luck at being able to do it in a controled manner. ie go pretty well straight back down wind.
 
I agree with Tom. Basically practice pushing your boom forward with one hand and make adjustments with the tiller with your other hand. A good drill is to put two marks about one and a half boat widths apart and sail between them, seeing how long you can stay head to wind or on starbord wihtout hitting the marks. The more you practice back sailing/winding the better you will be at at.
 
What i do is i drift up to the line, luff completely, sometimes backwinding my sail if i need to to help me slow down. I like to keep minimal forward movement on the boat, just enough to keep from staying perfectly still. I usually drift above the line about half a boatlength to a boatlength at which point i backwind my sail and drift back to half a boatlength to a boatlength behind the line. I keep doing this up until the minute horn, at which point i jockey for position on the line. Another thing to do is to keep your boom on the PORT side of your boat; this way, if anyone tries to foul me up, i can quickly sheet in and call starboard on them.

HTH
 
Be careful developing a standard routine the involves backing the boat up. When you are backing the sail and the boat is moving in reverse, you loose your rights and must keep clear of other boats. Best to use backing the sail to slow down, and only go in reverse when you have to or it's opportune.

The standard drill is to luff up almost head-to-wind and back the sail if you need to to slow down. Once you've stopped, pull the boom to weather to push the bow over to leeward without moving forward (the boat will heel, be prepared), then sit still, sails luffing, pointing in more-or-less a close-hauled direction, ready to sheet in and start. You want the board down to slow your leeward movement. Stab the tiller to point up or down, but don't scull as it's illegal after the prep signal.

You really have to practice it though to get it.
 
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