Finally made good on a promise

Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
All season I've been trying to get out for a race with a boat owned by a couple that sail in our PHRF 2 (non-spin) class. They are decent enough sailors but have become frustrated by their continued finishing at or near the bottom in every race. I told them I wanted to come out with them, watch them sail, and then do a race with them were I could give them tips on their sailing and tactics.

Finally it worked out last Sunday. Jodi had plans with her middle daughter, and the day was perfect with breeze in the mid-teens. So I grabbed one of my portable digital sailing compasses, my gloves and gear, and off we went, practicing for an hour before the race. We agreed that D would drive as normal, I would do main, tactics and be speed boss, and his wife L would trim headsail.

We outlined a overall race strategy, and a plan for the start. We nailed it, and I constantly coached (nagged?) on driver attention for tell-tails, where we wanted the boat on the course, and the importance of very active main trim to keep the boat flat. We sailed the lifts pretty well, and rounded in the lead group! This is on one of the slowest boats in the fleet (Hunter 23) and they were amazed by the boats we were near.

Long story shorter, we sailed well on all 5 legs on the 80 minute race, and finished with the lead group. The corrected results were the talk of the club at the party!

nice finish.jpg
 

Apex

.
Jun 19, 2013
1,197
C&C 30 Elk Rapids
Well done JD. Congrats to 2nd chances!

For those reading, what are the lessons learned then from this?
I see:
1) practice ahead and
2) a clear definition before the race on who was doing what (responsibilities), including who was being speed boss. Along with a
3) Pre-race Overall race strategy, which then begets a suitable Start strategy.
4) Constant call to attention to maintain speed throughout the race.

Communication, then GOOD communication is evolutionary and suspect JD's communication is bar-none. That along with willingness to coach with some shred of consideration to the boat owners feelings (read stepping IN without stepping ON toes too much) shows in the results. I hope D and L are able to continue from the lessons you shared.
 
Aug 2, 2010
502
J-Boat J/88 Cobourg
Me too, Saturday in two weeks. I’ll buy the beer.
OK, we will throw in beer and pizza followed by butter tarts! Not sure how many of you know what butter tarts are, I had a technician here from Atlanta who looked like he wanted to throw up at the name till he had one!
 
  • Like
Likes: Jackdaw
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Well done JD. Congrats to 2nd chances!

For those reading, what are the lessons learned then from this?
I see:
1) practice ahead and
2) a clear definition before the race on who was doing what (responsibilities), including who was being speed boss. Along with a
3) Pre-race Overall race strategy, which then begets a suitable Start strategy.
4) Constant call to attention to maintain speed throughout the race.

Communication, then GOOD communication is evolutionary and suspect JD's communication is bar-none. That along with willingness to coach with some shred of consideration to the boat owners feelings (read stepping IN without stepping ON toes too much) shows in the results. I hope D and L are able to continue from the lessons you shared.
That's really the deal. Communication is key on a boat. Talking about options, what we see, what we are going to do.

Bigger picture, there are two things I try to deliver when coaching:
1) A framework for what a winning program does
2) Beyond learnings, a self-improvment model for going forward when I'n not there.

One of the best books ever written for improving at sailboat racing is 'Sail, Race, and Win' by Eric Twiname. In it he notes that 95% of us have to learn without regular coaching, AKA from OURSELVES. He points out that if you are not improving, or not improving fast enough, its not because you're not a good sailor. Its because you're not a good COACH.

I don't know how they will do next race by themselves. I'd like to think just like this but the odds favor not as well. But I know they now have tools that will make them better in the long run. And thats how we all get better.
 
  • Like
Likes: Will Gilmore
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I constantly coached (nagged?) on driver attention for tell-tails, where we wanted the boat on the course, and the importance of very active main trim to keep the boat flat.
For a lot of sailors this is not the norm. This is the norm for you Clay. You can see it in the video's. You have instilled it in your crew. It also is in the video's. Perhaps you take a card and write these three key thoughts on it and share it with the couple before their next race. Kind of a reinforcement to the sailing experience they enjoyed with you.
Sharing skills is a great idea for the sport.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
For a lot of sailors this is not the norm. This is the norm for you Clay. You can see it in the video's. You have instilled it in your crew. It also is in the video's.
Sharing skills is a great idea for the sport.
So true. Sailboat racing (in particular W/L) is a battle for riches, and the coin of the realm is upwind distance, or gauge. You fight for it, you horde it, you never give it away. We preach that, we believe that, we practice that. Jodi is new to sailing, but if you look at any picture I've posted with her it it, I'm 99% sure that in 99% of them, she'll be looking at her tailtails.

upwind.jpg
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Oh here's a picture of the ol' Hunter 23 working her way upwind in breeze. Shoal keel or not, she did just fine! We beat a Merit 25 and a fin keel Carpi 22 over the line, never mind corrected!

SC upwind.jpg
 
Last edited: