Asc Race Training

ASC Race Training An introduction to Racing Once you have mastered the basic skills of sailing it is important to keep practicing to develop your skills and to be able to sail in most weather conditions. Probably the best way to do this is to race, preferably regularly, in a series against more or less the same people each time so you can measure your progress by how far up the fleet you can get. These notes are only intended to give a general introduction to racing.

Classes and Handicaps Boats are divided into “classes”1 . Class rules define how big the sails are, what equipment is carried, how many crew etc. The assumption is that if all the boats in a class are the same the best crew will win the race. If boats of different classes race against each other a handicap is applied to give the slower boats an even chance. The size of the handicap is worked out from a table called “The Portsmouth Yardstick”. In practice either: 1. all boats start together and the finishing times are adjusted, or 2. the slowest boats start first and, in theory, everyone crosses the finish line at the same time.

Courses Courses are usually indicated by a series of buoys which have to be rounded in a certain order several times. At Ariel we use standard positions A to E where A is towards Kingston Bridge and E is towards Teddington Lock. The display board by the start box will indicate the course by letters and numbers e.g. CD 3 - three laps round C&D. 1

e.g. Laser 2000s, Toppers, Enterprises etc.

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The letters are coloured red or green to indicate whether they are to be passed to port (i.e. to the left side of the boat)2 or starboard. The race officer often sets more laps than are actually sailed to allow for changes in the wind strength.

The Start Starts will usually be to “windward”3 in front of the clubhouse. The start line is indicated by red “transit marks” on the clubhouse roof and a conveniently located lamp post on the far side of the river. A small white buoy (the distance mark) will usually be laid on the start line a little way from the bank. Boats starting and finishing must pass on the side farthest from the clubhouse. This is to leave a clear channel for other river users. The signal for the start is given by a series of sound and flag signals. The system mostly used at Ariel is to fly the “class” flag4 five minutes before the start. One hoot is also given, but, strictly speaking, the time is taken from the “breaking” of the flag. At four minutes before the start a further hoot is given and the preparatory flag is broken. This is a blue flag with a white square (code flag P - the famous Blue Peter). Boats are now under the racing rules, so if you hit anyone you have to take a penalty, about which more later. At one minute to go the Blue Peter is dropped accompanied by a further hoot. At the start the class flag is dropped, a hoot sounded and you hopefully cross the line in the right direction at full speed. For expert sailors getting a good start is very important, in the early stages keeping out of trouble is probably your best bet. Ideally you might want to be at the windward end of the line on starboard tack but if that is where all the ruthless go fast guys are you might be better at the other end of the start line or back a bit in clean air. Its best to keep fairly close to the line before the start; it often takes a lot longer to get over the line than you think. However, if you are over the line before the start, you will hear two hoots and your boat number may be called out. If this happens, or you think it happened, you need to get back to the other side of the line, when your sail number and the word “clear” should be called. As you are in the wrong you have to keep out of everyones way whilst doing this. 2

No Red Port Left in the Barrel - Red always means Port (Left) except in the USA Windward is the direction from which the wind is blowing at the time in question 4 code letter E for Enterprise, H for Handicap etc. Code Flags 3

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The Rules The basic rules for collision prevention apply e.g. Port gives way to Starboard, a boat running gives way to one close hauled (seems unfair but its the rule), windward boat and overtaking boats keep clear. Even when you are in the right you are still supposed to try to avoid a collision and then shout “protest” at which point the other boat should take a penalty. If you think someone is getting too close you are supposed to shout “Starboard” or “Windward boat - keep clear” or if you cant think of the right term “Oi watch it”. If you are about to run into the bank or other obstruction (other than a mark), you shout “Water for the(insert description here)” at which point your adversary should tack off or take other avoiding action. Many protest hearings centre on what constitutes reasonable time for evasion. If you are overtaking another boat as you come up to the mark you may have right of way if you are the “inside” boat and establish an overlap before you get to within three boat lengths of the mark. There are lots of other hugely interesting rules in the books, if you are really interested in that sort of thing, but that lot will get you started5 .

Penalties There are lots of different types of penalty but the most common is the “720” which means you have to turn the boat round in the water twice without getting in anyone elses way. If you hit a mark you have to round it again and if you go round the wrong way you have to “unwind” yourself then round it correctly. If you break a rule and dont take a penalty you may be protested and disqualified after the race.

Finishing At some point into the race you may hear two hoots and see a white flag with a blue square (code letter S) which means that the course has been shortened and the leader (you ?) will finish the next time they cross the start line. As you cross the line, remembering to go outside the distance mark, you should hear one hoot at which point you wave to the race officer, thank your crew and go for a pint. 5

Racing Rules of Sailing

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Series & Points A series may have several races from which you are allowed to discard some of your worst results. A win scores .75 points, second two, third three etc. Retiring or disqualification can score number of entrants plus one. The overall winner is then the person with the fewest points for the required number of races.

Boat Draw If you want a club boat for a race you put your name in the diary on the appropriate page noting class and race. If you are allocated a boat you need to claim it fifteen minutes before the start of the race.

Any Questions? Dont be surprised if you come in at the back end of the fleet, we’ve all been there, if you can figure out or find someone to tell you where you went wrong thats how you improve. Coming second last the next week or even just closing up the gap shows you are getting better and one day, half way through a race youll realise you are in front. The next trick is to learn how to stay there! Enjoy your racing! Eric Finlayson ASC Senior Instructor

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