–butnotasslowasmakingthreeholesin
another boat and damaging your own!”Planning and prep
Preparation starts a few days
beforehand, including planning
logistics for how to get to the event...DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Harry George says:“Theeventsinthe
Sailjuice Winter Series often require
you to be at the host club early on a
Saturday morning. Dad always wants a
cup of tea and bacon sandwich which
he says is necessary for a successful
day’s sailing! To fit this in we have
a check-up on a Thursday night.
“We discuss: weather, rig settings, a
look at the venue online, and write-ups
of the previous year’s event. We highlight
where to launch, where registration
is and where the cup of tea will be!
Download the SIs and NOR so en route
you can discuss rules and download
the briefing to watch if it is available.”WORK BACKWARDS
Russ Clark says: “Work back from the
start time to establish what time you will
need to leave home. Different boats take
different amounts of time to prepare; the
RS400 takes 30 mins from road ready to
sailing state, the Fireball takes longer.”RIGGING UP
Another time-sapping operation to
factor into your pre-race logistics to
ensure you’re ready to sail your best...SIMPLIFY RIGGING AND PACK UP
Andrew Snell says: “Minimise the
amount of time spent packing andunpacking your boat. Think through
and optimise your boat packing system.
Try to get it as slick as possible.
Icanbefullyriggedandreadyto
gosailingafterjust15minutes.
Simple steps can really help to
speed things up, as follows:
Cutdownthestrapsonthetop
andbottomcover,suchthatthere
is no excess length that needs tying
up, after tensioning them up.
Also with ratchet straps, cuttotheperfectlength,sothat
there is no excess length.
Rather than using rope ties that
require knots and loops, consider using
elastic with quick lock Tyga Ties.
Always good for tying masts
and booms down.
Consider a lighting-board bracket
that fixes in the rudder pintles on
the transom, potentially much
quicker than tying a lighting board
with numerous bits of rope.PRESERVING HEAT
Nigel Austin: “I am a firm
believer in being warm but
flexible. Double hot socks,
double rash vests, double
balaclavas and, best of all, latex
gloves beneath wetsuit gloves.
No point being cold waiting
for races to start – your resolve
and concentration will drain
away like your body heat.”LAYERING UP
Val Millward: “Take lots of
layers with you; many thin
layers are better than one
thick one. A good drysuit is a
must. Hats, gloves, balaclavas,
thermal socks, all theseare designed to keep your
extremities warm. A cushion
in the Challenger will also
keep your posterior warm!”LESSONS LEARNED
Harry George: “We once had
to retire from the Fernhurst
Books Draycote Dash as
we were so cold! We now
have thermals, hot hands,
waterproof socks, we wear
5mm full body wetsuits,
Speed Six woolly hats, etc.
It is definitely best to be too
warm than cold. Wear a pair
of latex gloves over your hot
hands when it is really cold;
this keeps them dry helpingthe hot hands keep your
hands warm. Full fingered
sailing gloves then go on top.STAYING DRY
Andrew Snell: The key to
fending off the cold is to not
get wet. Getting wet may start
with launching, so an obvious
solution here is a drysuit. Or
for the wet feet problem, wear
knee length waterproof socks
inside your dinghy boots and
wetsuit. A necktube is great for
keeping the cold wind off your
neck and chin. If you can, take a
flask of hot tea or coffee on the
water with you; a useful shot of
extra warmth between races.WHAT TO WEAR?
Winning in winter can be helped by making the most of the latest technical clothing available...On a Thursday night we discuss weather,
rig settings and look at the venue online
Above
Be realistic about
how long it takes
to rig up in the
cold and get to the
start: an RS Aero
will take less time
than a ScorpionWINTER WINNERS DINGHIES
44 Yachts & Yachting March 2018 yachtsandyachting.co.uk