Welcome to the 2008 Season

Well, guys, it's time to get going again. We've already had a few days on the water in Newport, plus a week of practice in Florida. So far, what have you learned?

A few things from Florida and the first few practices that you should all keep in mind.

1. Boatspeed Kills - you have to be focused, 100% of the time, on going fast. This is for both the skippers and crews. With regard to boatspeed, you have to think about sail trim, weight, rudder, shifts, pressure, timing.... It's more than thinking that you are just going in a straight line.


2. Boat-handling - it has to be perfect 100% of the time. Every second that you are on the water, you should be working on your boathandling. Try new things. Remember that the flatten is twice as important than the roll. Timing is everything. Go back to Dragon and review Roy's videos. You all have a lot of work to do.


3. Intensity - If you think that everything will magically come together in a clutch moment, then you are fooling yourself. In order to achieve the level that we are all striving for, then you have to be focused, at the highest level, any time you are on the water or in a practice situation. In Florida, there was at least an hour of practice time that was not utilized because people were not working independently. If you want to be the best, you have to work for it.

Dean had some more concrete observations from his first day on the water:

Remember sailing is a very unique sport, the athlete has to be mentally
and physically prepared for the elements because as sailors you have to
adapt to the changing conditions (wind, water, and weather). Part of
this is to be properly geared up as well so that your mind focuses on
sailing and not how cold your hands are etc. So below I have listed
some things that might or might not help you in getting prepared to sail
from what I saw today.

Things to think about as the week rolls on:

Crews:

-foot work is very important. I strongly encourage all of
you crews to practice going from one side of the boat to the other in
your room. YES I said in your room. Visualize the centerboard trunk and
your feet on either side and stand on the balls of your feet. Practice
shifting your weight from one side to the other. One way to make it
more realistic is to take two chairs and space them apart from one
another so that you can sit on one, goto the balls of your feet
(straddling the centerboard trunk) then sit down on the other. Yes it
sounds corny but trust me it works!

-Jib trimming from one side to the other.. Don't forget to
uncleat the jib and in return once it is uncleated pull the other one in
as the boat tacks. This too can be practiced in your room, once all
your roommates think you are crazy jumping from one chair to another
imagine holding a jib sheet (now they will really think you have lost
it!). While sitting on the one chair pretend to pop the jib out of the
cleat move to the balls of your feet then as you sit down (on the other
chair) in one motion pull the other jib sheet in.

-Down wind you crews are the life support of the boat.
Standing up is important with your knees slightly bent. You control the
boat and its stability. One foot at the base of the mast and the other
angled back. (this position will get you ready for college when you can
add the ooch downwind)


Skippers:

-In todays conditions, remember to have your mains up all
the way, outhaul on, and the big thing I noticed was the skipper and
crew hop!

THE SKIPPER and CREW HOP was being preformed exceptionally well however
it will not win you any points come competition time. What I am talking
about is as puffs and lulls roll through both skipper and crew jump in
and out to keep the boat balanced. I would like to see this happen a
little more gracefully. One reason for the hop is because the vang is
too loose so when the puff comes and the main is eased too much sail
power is lost forcing the crew and skipper to jump in, as the skipper
trims the main back in both skipper and crew jump out (very unbalanced).
Pulling on a little more vang and easing the main in and out a little
less both skipper and crew can remain locked in a hiking position and
keeping the boat flat allowing the foils to really work and the boat
just jumps to weather.


-Let your new crews have the rush of hanging off the side of
the boat feeling nothing but their ankles holding them in. The reason I
say this in today most experienced skippers worked really hard at hiking
and keeping the boats flat while the crews did a half hike (because they
did not have to hike) I would like to see the crews hiking harder and
the skippers half hiking until their services are needed. This frees up
the skipper to concentrate a little more on boat speed and the
environment of which they are sailing.

So, what did you learn?