Third in the series about crewing

The season awaits

We have another summer upon us and sailors are stirring from their slumber, some hardy souls may have been sailing over the winter months. But there is no doubt the summer sailing is the focus. What awaits us in the coming season? We are all keen to improve on the previous year. In order to achieve this we need to set goals and intentions in place. For all sailors the reason we go out on the water is because we enjoy it. When setting our aspirations for the coming year we need to understand from which facet of this wonderful sport we derive the greatest pleasure.

The appeal of sailing is so broad and it’s so diverse in its relevance to each individual. Some crews will look forward to participating in several regattas or championships with expectations of success. Others would be content to simply be able to fly a spinnaker without a hiccup.

It is an interesting conundrum to think about what constitute a good days sailing to you. When you awake on the following day do you rejoice with “we absolutely nailed it yesterday and thrashed the opposition”? Is it more along the line “what a great day out on the water with the lads and a few belly laughs”? Or does it all fall somewhere in between?

Pick the right crew and boat for you-The definition of success is extensive. Good results, satisfaction and enjoyment are all measures of achievement. Whether trophies or camaraderie you need to ascertain and then embrace what you enjoy! This will have a direct input on what style of craft and crew you sail with. No point wandering down the pier with a six-pack of beer and a whimsical outlook to crew on the latest carbon fibre IRC weapon. I can recall many years ago doing a passage race on a racing boat with crew of “heavies” all urging each other on when a newcomer onboard popped downstairs and returned with a book. He then stretched himself out in the cockpit and began to leaf through it to incredulous looks from all the “ground benders”. It was his last sail on that particular boat, but I did see him pop up on a Division 2 boat which had much more relaxed atmosphere. Alternatively we have all heard stories of the swaggering semi-professional who graces the crew of the club racer with his presence and spends the day screaming out at crew and behaving in a manner that ruins the day for all. So look around and settle in with a crew of similar ilk, it will be better for all. Skippers and boat owners should also look to recruit crew that fit in with their aspirations and the level they aspire to.

In my role as a sailmaker, I recall sailing with a client to help set up the new sails and run a little mini-clinic to aid them with their boat handling. They were having some trouble rounding up and being overpowered when the wind got up. It was a perfect day, a bit blustery but not extreme so we went through the process of depowering and twisting the sails to make the boat easier to handle. The information was well received and noted. Once we had the boat set up they asked if there was anything else which could help them. I pointed out that they could possibility hop out from the cockpit and sit on the rail to help keep the boat upright? They all turned and looked at me as the skipper quietly chuckled “I think you have gone a bit far”. Here were a group of blokes keen to do as well as they could within the parameters of enjoying their day out together. The light hearted racing regime suits them perfectly.

High end racing-If you intend to have a serious crack at lofty goals like the Sydney Hobart or a prestigious Regatta. It goes without saying that you need a full on approach with single minded high end training. The end result is to sail your boat faster than the competitors. A regimented highly professional campaign with numerous training days and a carefully constructed calendar of races orientated towards your final objective is required. Team members, whilst compatibility is still important, should be judged on performance, willingness to improve and attitude. No stone should be left unturned in your quest. You have to be patient, results won’t come overnight. In the lead up months don’t overly concentrate on the results but on sailing better. If you have specific weaknesses like a reticence to tackle heavy air sailing or suffer from exasperation in drifters. Don’t work around them but work at them, the gains may be incremental initially but will come. You may even turn your weakness into strength.

More relaxed approach-If you are a recreational racer and your targets are a little bit lower, you wish to win the occasional race at your club or improve to the point where you can simply sail the course without major mishap. You won’t have the inclination to put in the time or effort to train extensively. Sailing is a hobby, but part of the enjoyment of any leisure pursuit is seeing yourself improve. So try and spend a little time within your guidelines to advance yourself. Just get to the boat a little earlier when you can and go for a sail before the race. Talk about any problems that arise and work through them. Simply hoisting, gybing and dropping a spinnaker will alleviate many issues that may happen in the race, a misled line or faulty clip can ruin your day?

Be realistic with your goals; make sure you choose something that is achievable. Even if you don’t achieve all, having something to work toward will improve your skills. Setting a ludicrous target and falling a long way short will only lead to frustration. Be wise with your monetary budget, would you benefit more from a new jib or a weekend professional coaching. I see a lot of crews walking down the pier with multiple slabs of beer when their rope bags are falling apart or the spinnaker pole end keeps jamming week after week. Give yourself every chance of doing better; don’t worry about fitting cup holders when the boat needs slipping.

So matter what your level set some sailing goals for the year ahead. Keep working toward them and you will get there even if it takes longer than anticipated. Then set yourself some new ones and start working on those, it is immensely rewarding and fun.