Here are Jeff's comments:
Firstly I think there has been quite a bit of progress since I last sailed with you. The boat has been greatly upgraded and is now working well and can be raced hard. There are still many improvements that can be done and I am confident we put together a very good list this weekend. Boat speed was good on a Sat., so I think the changes that you have done have been very positive in the performance. There are still many areas that can be worked on to further increase the team’s results.
- Crew Work and Kinetics. I think this area is much better then the last time I sailed with you, but still has much potential for improvement. These boats really reward cohesive crew movement and polished maneuvers. Having switching crew makes this more difficult, but is a challenge that you will have to work around. As discussed, proper steering and angle to the wind can make or break these critical maneuvers, so continued practice here will really payoff in the long run. Crew mechanics is still an area that should be concentrated on.
- Starts, Timing & Tactics. This is also an area that we can make large gains in performance. I seemed like when I was helping in these areas we were doing well and when I let you handle these aspects we were having some difficulties. I think as you become more comfortable with the mechanics of sailing the boat you will be able to free your mind to look outside the boat more. I also think you can divide some of these responsibilities among the crew. Time and distance to lay lines, traffic avoidance, wind calls, observations of course advantages and disadvantages, relative speed calls all can be shared a bit to help you. You still will have to make the final decisions, but with more people looking around and helping the team will miss less. Make sure that before a race you have a discussion on the race strategy or plan. Where on the line do we want to be so as to get to the side of the course we think is advantaged? What is the line bias? Etc. This pre race plan can be modified by circumstance or changing conditions, but it is critical to have a plan and get everyone thinking about this well before the last few minutes before the start. Same deal as you are ending one leg and about to start the next. Discuss a plan for the leg well before you get to the mark.
- Steering and Control of the Boat. Here is another area that has great potential for improvement. This will get better with time in the boat for sure. Having the ability to control the boat in close boat on boat situations and around the starting line is paramount. This is done with good steering, proper sail trim and proper weight movement by the entire crew. I would say that sail trim was hurting our ability to control the boat more then the other two, but all three need to be working to get control of our boat placement. I think just sailing around marks can really be of help here. No spinnaker, just two marks (one a short distance upwind of the other) and just go around them with two sails over and over. You can also set a line with two marks and practice luffing with the jib in and try to be able to just sit there for a long time without moving and then timing the bow down, jib out and accelerate to the line on time. This can be quite effective even with no other boats around.
1 comment:
Wow, so great of Jeff to comment. I feel that the time we spent with him at the practice start day was invaluable. I learned some crucial points that can be applied to our racing. First being the rig tension. We have a tendency to crank on turns prematurely. I recall Tom saying that until the backstay was really working hard, we shouldn't go up (words that were repeated by Jeff... so props to Tom). However, having Jeff help us set the boat up, then getting a visual of the rig and sails was so great. We now know that NV performs better a little outside the parameters of the North tuning guide. For example, in 8-12 knots, we had more sag in the mast than what is indicated in the guide.
I feel that having the boat dialed and set up in advance gave Tom some freedom to consider other things. We as a team should really make a more concerted effort to be early in order to allow this to happen every time. When we sailed on Saturday, Tom's main focus was the tiller. He didn't have to be concerned about rake, jib cunningham, shrouds, etc.
For the starts - I was able to revisit some points I had forgotten about. Mainly, the layline aspect. We had never discussed start laylines before on the boat. This is a crucial aspect that will be used in the future. I feel Tom's ability to maneuver the boat is increasing. He was able to stop the boat more effectively by the end of the day. Tom - you need to tell us as a crew, what it is you like for us to tell you. Is chatter a good thing for you? Do you want everybody talking about what's going on? What works best for you, and what makes you feel most comfortable on the line? Line sights are going to be VERY important at the worlds given the larger fleet. I think we have that covered (even though we didn't get to practice it). As I recall (correct me if I'm wrong), but tide was not nearly as big in Santa Cruz as it is in the Bay where we were starting. This means we really have to be on it with our timing and control. Boat speed is everything off the line. I'd rather start clean and with speed than third of fourth row.
The beats... Tom; I could really feel the difference when you were driving in the groove, and when you started to slip out of it. I know that's easy for us to say from the rail. But I will say that you have it it you to be a fast driver. The Puffers could not believe your mad skills. The flip side of this, is that to maintain this type of performance requires an immense amount of concentration on Tom's part, as well as the entire crew. We are his eyes, and need to communicate what we see (wind, boats, etc).
The most important thing I learned, is how much more I need to communicate the little things. I also learned that my actions need to be precise and purposeful. Communication will allow us to be prepared for what is to happen, as opposed to just reacting. This will be evident at the leeward mark roundings.
Sorry for the lengthy response, but I tried to keep it short. Thanks so much Tom for putting that weekend together. It truly helped a whole lot.
- Caroline (the worst speller in the world)
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