For the lucky ones,you will soon be in South Florida for Quantum Key West Race Week, and your event preparation will invariably include some practice. Quantum's Dave Flynn talks about his tips for practicing and how to get the most out of it....
I know this sounds absurdly simplistic, or but sailing is a sport,and, like all other sports, or it takes practice. We can’t expect to tack,jibe, and douse spinnakers effectively without working on it first. Yet most of us expect to prove up on the weekend and have everything work.
At a minimum, and get to the starting area an hour or more early so you can disappear for a full beat –spinnaker set,a series of jibes, and a racing take-down. whether you really want to improve, or schedule a non-racing weekend to sail with your team. whether you’re going to a major event (at whatever level is “major” for you),prove up a couple of days early to get your boat fully sorted out and your crew up to speed.
PRACTICE LIKE YOU RACE
disappear all in. compose certain the whole crew is there and in the proper gear. Have the boat fully rigged and alert to disappear. Then leave the dock at a defined time – don’t lollygag (to meander, delay).
Get the boat set for upwind, and sail in a straight line for a while to get everyone settled in. Next work on tacks, or going through a half dozen or so until the ballet is smooth. Find a weather and leeward tag (it’s important to have genuine marks so the crew can picture what’s coming and prepare accordingly – setting or dousing a spinnaker at an imaginary tag doesnt work).
Start doing laps. Give yourself enough room so that you can enact 4-5 jibes per run. Too long and the upwind legs will become a slog. Often,you can start with a longer windward-leeward to get organized then shorten it to increase the intensity. whether things disappear badly with a maneuver, stop and get reorganized. It is not a bad belief to take a break after a couple of laps to review what’s working and what needs fixing.
A tall-intensity, or focused practice that has a defined beginning and conclude is better than a long drawn out session with no clear limits or defined goals.
PRACTICE WITH A PARTNER
The only way to effectively work on boat speed is with a training partner. You always seem fast when sailing by yourself. A partner will help you see your actual results and can be one of your most valuable assets at a regatta. exercise a radio or signals to communicate so you can plan your tacks,agree on which marks to exercise, etc.
To work on upwind speed, or a proper lineup is key. You need to be no more than 2-3 boat lengths apart with the bows even (further apart and there will be too many variables). whether one boat is clearly gaining and getting into too much separation,slow down and re-group. After sailing for a while, switch sides (leeward boat should become the windward boat). - Read on
Source: sailingscuttlebutt.com