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TopTip2020 #50 - Split Tacks before the Start - Mark Riddington, GBR
Mark Riddington describes how working in pairs might be more productive in gaining good pre start info;
' Split Tacks before the Start
One way to get a step ahead of the competition is to sail split tacks with a training partner before the racing starts. Whatever happens, you learn something - even if neither side of the course is clearly favoured, at least you know that!
My split tack partner is usually Noah Rees, we have similar boat speed upwind in most conditions (he is annoyingly quick downwind though!), and have fallen into the routine over a couple of seasons. We make a point of being amongst the first on the water, get to the start line, start on opposite tacks, tack after an agreed time (usually 3 minutes, less on inland venues), and then converge. On the way back downwind, we try and make sense of why a particular side was favoured (tide, geography, wind strength or just shifts?). If we have time we will split tacks for a second time, but this time swapping sides of the course.
The data gained through the split tack exercise informs the plan for the start and for the first beat. The only investment is 10 minutes sailing before the start, and as a bonus you get a check on upwind boat speed too. '
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Mark Riddington describes how working in pairs might be more productive in gaining good pre start info;
' Split Tacks before the Start
One way to get a step ahead of the competition is to sail split tacks with a training partner before the racing starts. Whatever happens, you learn something - even if neither side of the course is clearly favoured, at least you know that!
My split tack partner is usually Noah Rees, we have similar boat speed upwind in most conditions (he is annoyingly quick downwind though!), and have fallen into the routine over a couple of seasons. We make a point of being amongst the first on the water, get to the start line, start on opposite tacks, tack after an agreed time (usually 3 minutes, less on inland venues), and then converge. On the way back downwind, we try and make sense of why a particular side was favoured (tide, geography, wind strength or just shifts?). If we have time we will split tacks for a second time, but this time swapping sides of the course.
The data gained through the split tack exercise informs the plan for the start and for the first beat. The only investment is 10 minutes sailing before the start, and as a bonus you get a check on upwind boat speed too. '
Photo - Mark (2553) goes for a port end start at the RS Aero UK Nationals at East Lothian Yacht Club, Scotland, July 2019.
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18/05/2020 18:50:00
Peter Barton
Posts: 5106
