Tips from the Experts – Fionn Jenkinson
TOP 10 RACING TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS
Fionn Jenkinson
- GOAL SETTINGSet your goals and make a complete plan of all the sailing you are going to do for the year.
- FITNESS TRAININGMake out a physical training plan for the season (unless you are doing athletics, don’t have other sports as part of this plan).
- DIETEat and drink well before and during events.
Avoid Mars bars, Yorkies, Snickers, crisps or any fizzy drinks!
- WEATHER & TIDEGet a detailed weather forecast – TV, Radio, Newspaper – write down
or print from the Internet e.g. http://www.onlineweather.com/v4/ireland/city/Dublin.html
Bring forecast with you each day of the event along with a local tide timetable
- BOAT HANDLING & BOAT SPEEDMake sure your boat handling is perfect and your boat speed is very good before practicing things like tactics and race starts
- POSITION ON START-LINEBe conservative at starts. Never start exactly at the biased end of the line.
Start five or six boat-lengths away from it and give yourself some space so you have a better chance of getting of the line in clear air.
- PRE-START PREPARARTION – THE WINDBefore the start do a split tack with another sailor so you know which side of the line is paying. Keep an eye on the tide. Ask yourself:
Which way the wind is flicking in the gusts?
How long is there between each gust?
Are there more gusts on one side of the beat than the other etc?
- AFTER THE STARTComing off a start-line boat speed is very important.
You should never have to make more than 3 tacks within 3 minutes after a start. If you get a good start keep your speed up and you’ll find most boats fall behind very quickly.
- STAY WITH THE FLEETNever go to the left or right hand side of a beat.
Go to the left or right hand side of the fleet
- LAY-LINE
Never come on to a lay-line more than 8 boat-lengths out from the weather mark.
I hope these racing tips come in handy – Fionn Jenkinson (6 January 2004)
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