Solo (& friends) Training Day Report

Published 11:59 on 19 May 2021

On Saturday the Solo sailors (and guests) held a training day - led by our own Solo sailor Paul Gray - to develop our racing skills. It's odd but in sailing the one thing we almost never do is practice! The day started in glorious sunshine but no wind. We started off working on how to take advantage of common racing situations with a Q&A discussion over an imaginary course around the lake.

Once the wind filled in, the consensus was to improve race start technique: so onto the water to try and put theory into practice. There is lots to think about: which end of the line, how do we know, how to get there on time, how to hold position, and finally how to accelerate off the line at the whistle? Practice makes perfect with short sharp races with simply a start line, windward mark, and lots of repetition. A shifty wind kept everyone on their toes with no two starts the same, while a violent squall changed conditions totally. Paul our training maestro kept a close eye on every sailor's attempts with lots of feedback. By the end we were all pretty much at the right place at the right time and starting together.

Paul was impressed as the fleet improved from over a minute to clear the line to everyone having started within 15 seconds. The rapid succession of races created lots of tactical situations and gave the chance (and confidence) to experiment. Honourable mention is due to Gaby Burns who fought off the opposition in her Laser 4.7, while Caroline Kersey tried a Solo for the first time and comfortably sailed through the nasty squall a few minutes later. I think most of us were amazed by how much difference good starting made to our racing skills. The rest of you may find out over the coming weeks!

We hope to run another session soon, so do contact Nick Robinson or Paul Gray if you are interested.

Last updated 09:41 on 20 December 2023