Tom Brewer Sailing Coach

Back from the Capital!

2011-11-02T11:48:00.000+11:00

You may have noticed the lack of posts over the past few days, I've been down in Canberra for the ACT Dinghy Champs, and then handing in my final uni assignment (Yay!). Of the two, Canberra was definitely more fun, and after my second trip down for the regatta I'm even more of a fan. Being regatta coach to all the competitors was a real challenge, but getting to meet and coach a whole bunch of people I haven't worked with before was great. There is a lot of talent moving through the Optimist fleet at the moment and the next few years are looking good.

What was really drilled home to me over the weekend is that Canberra is a fantastic place to learn a lot about sailing. It is shifty, gusty and difficult to read - so when you make a mistake it is immediately obvious. This makes it really easy to learn about reading shifts and boat positioning on the fleet. Hopefully the competitors had a great time and we can see an even bigger fleet next year. Congratulations to Jim Colley on his dominant win!

Game Changer

2011-10-27T10:17:00.001+11:00

The Volvo Ocean Race is due to start in 2 days time and I'm beginning to get excited. Held every 3 years it is alongside the Vendee Globe and Jules Verne Trophy as one of the premiere round the world races. I'll be posting more in the coming days about the race itself and the teams to watch, for the moment I want to introduce everyone to a neat way to stay involved with the event.

The Game

There is an official Volvo Ocean Race Game, where people can skipper a virtual VO70 around the same course as the sailors - each leg starts with the actual race and is run on real time weather data. Competitors plot the course and trim sails to try and get a jump on the other sailors, you can even compare your progress to the actual boats.

It kicks off in 2 days with a practice race so sign up and get in to it!

It's Huge!

Last time around the game attracted more than 50 000 competitors, catching developers by surprise and all but crashing their system. This time they are better prepared and expect numbers to be even bigger, if you want a shot at virtual sailing glory then this is the place to do it. I played last time around and this game is seriously addictive, with so many people playing, you get punished for every wrong move.

Get Connected!

One of the really fun parts of the game is the option to link to friends and form groups. This lets you keep track of how your friends are going or even operate as a team. My boat name is BrewerCoaching, so add me as a friend and then put your boat name as a comment below so others can see. You can also follow the game on twitter, and facebook.

See you at the starting line!

The Endeavor!

2011-10-26T12:47:00.000+11:00

So I realise that over the past week I've posted quite a lot about Vestas Sailrocket and the kiteboarders currently pushing for the outright sailing speed record in Namibia. As a coach who primarily works with slower one design dinghies this may come as a surprise, but no matter what your sailing background is, you have to admire the endeavor these people possess. The teams that are chasing the illusive 60 knot barrier aren't driven by corporate gain, they are normal people who had radical ideas and the courage to back themselves in to making them reality. There is no reason that one of the junior sailors sitting around Australian sailing clubs couldn't be doing the same thing in a few years time, all it takes is a good idea and confidence!

As potential inspiration (and to highlight again how ridiculously cool this boat is), here is an on board perspective of sailing at 100km/h!

Taste of Oz

2011-10-25T15:24:00.001+11:00

The America's Cup defenders Oracle Racing will have a distinctly Australian flavour after the announcement of a crew change for the next AC45 event in San Diego. It was announced today that the Oracle Racing Coutts team would for this event be helmed by Australian Olympian Darren Bundock, with tactics called by fellow Australian Olympian and ISAF world sailor of the year Tom Slingsby. Considering that the other Oracle boat is helmed by Australian James Spithill and you could begin wondering why the team flies the stars and stripes!

Tom Slingsby (right) training on an AC45 from www.oracleracing.com

All this is very exciting for Aussies following the series, but it highlights one of the biggest disappointments in Australian sailing. Despite having the best sailors, being snatched up by teams all around the world, and a knowledge and skill base to rival any nation, there is still no Australian challenge to the America's cup. The media interest and following of the AC is so big that the reflected glow of Australia II's victory still falls on the sport, imagine the interest and opportunities that a new challenge would bring. Maybe we will make an appearance at the 35th AC - in the meantime good luck to the Aussies in all the teams!

The Chase!

2011-10-24T11:54:00.000+11:00

An often underestimated element of coaching his having the right equipment and skills to keep up with the athletes, and still being able to concentrate on what they are doing. While this is rarely a problem with boats like sabots or opti's, keeping up with a 29er or 420 in 25 knots and a big seaway can be a serious challenge. Even with the right equipment it requires a lot of concentration to drive a powerboat at speed in rough conditions - in many cases the sailboats are better equipped to do it!

Take this up a level to 49ers or F18 catamarans and the problem becomes worse, but what happens when you are chasing a boat designed to set speed records? Vestas Sailrocket has given us some insight in to the problem with a new video from their runs in Namibia - anyone got a rib capable of 55 knots they can lend them?!?

Keep Truckin'

2011-10-23T13:15:00.002+11:00

So a few days ago I posted up a photo that I found on the internet of Maitre Jacques, a 50 foot trimaran training for the Transat Jacques Vabre double handed race. I was so stoked that it's now the background photo on my laptop. Turns out there is an accompanying video, and the boat is even cooler than I first thought. It makes you wonder, why does Australia 'oooh' and 'aahhhh' so much over yachts like Wild Oats 11 when this 50 footer with two blokes on board would smoke it in just about any conditions?
Make sure you sit out (or skip) the french bits at the beginning to see the sailing that starts at about 1:35!

Maître Jacques- Transat Jacques Vabre 2011 from Easy Ride on Vimeo.

Good Luck!

2011-10-21T11:37:00.001+11:00

A whole bunch of Aussie Optimist sailors are heading across the ditch for the NZ North Island Championships this weekend. Held in Napier at the venue for this years worlds in December, there will be a number of top class sailors competing. Hopefully our young sailors can right the wrongs of last weekends Rugby game and come out on top of the Kiwis!

Best of luck to Annabelle Davies, Richard Maher, Connor Nicholas, Jim Colley, Tyrone Gowans, James McLennan, James Grogan, Jack Graves, Michael Parks, Daniel Quinlan, and Thomas Cunich. It's not clear yet where results will be posted, but I'll keep everyone up to date with how they're going.

Building up

2011-10-20T11:32:00.000+11:00

Regular updates on Twitter from the team at Vestas Sailrocket suggest they may have a shot at the record on their current trip to Namibia. Reports suggest that they hit a peak speed of 53.97 knots with a 500m average of over 50 in less than ideal conditions. According to the team they are still collecting data before really winding the boat up to full capacity. You can follow their live updates on Twitter, or in the feed on the right of their website. While we wait for their next runs here is some footage of them pushing the limit back in the UK, for the lowdown on speed sailing check out my post from the other day!

Bow Down

2011-10-19T13:22:00.000+11:00

Many of you may have seen this already on Sailing Anarchy but it really caught my attention so here it is.

For the love of Speed!

2011-10-18T17:53:00.000+11:00

The search for record breaking speeds under sail power has fascinated people for centuries and in our modern world of high technology the record has grown by over 20% in the past 10 years. One of the main players in the race, Vestas Sail Rocket is in Namibia at the moment for a record attempt with their new boat, so I thought it might be a good time to run through the current search for speed.

Hydroptere

Hydroptere in full flight

Probably one of the coolest boats ever built this 70 foot trimaran runs above the water on foils and broke the speed record with a run of 51.36 knots over 500 meters and 50.17 knots over one nautical mile.

The kites have beaten the speed record, but Hydroptere remains the fastest sailboat of all time. The team is currently working on taking the concept to an ocean going maxi for an attempt on the Jules Verne Trophy.

There are loads of clips on youtube so take some time to check them out!

The Kiteboards

Sebastien Catalan during his 55.49 knot run

If Hydroptere represents one of the most high tech boats in history, the kiteboards remind us that you can't beat simplicity. Every year for the past 3 or so, kiteboarders converge on a custom made channel in Namibia for the Luderitz Speed Challenge. Rob Douglas currently holds the world speed record with his run last year of 55.65 knots, before having a massive wipeout on his next run. French kiter Sebastien Catalan also got close with a run of 55.49 knots. It will be interesting to see if the kiters will be able to keep the large increases in speed coming or whether they are going to plateau out. With other kiteboarders hitting speeds of over 19 knots in as little as 6 knots of wind, perhaps the future lies in lower wind and higher efficiency designs.

Vestas Sailrocket

Paul Larson and his team at Vestas Sailrocket are potentially on the edge of a massive breakthrough in speed sailing with their new boat VSR2. The Sail Rocket represents a different philosophy to the other contenders - they use a wing sail that pulls the boat forward and upward while a leveraged foil holds the windward hull down into the water. The theory behind this is that the forces can be perfectly balanced against each other to create maximum efficiency.

VSR2 during a test run in Britain

The biggest problem that both Sailrocket and Hydroptere face is that their foils cavitate at around 60knots boat speed. The water pressure on one side of the foil becomes so low that it literally boils at sea temperature and becomes air, as Paul Larson explains.

The Vestas Sailrocket team are currently in Namibia waiting for the right conditions to do a record run with VSR2 which uses an aerated foil in an attempt to overcome the cavitation problem. You can follow them on twitter for live updates.

Counting down

2011-10-17T11:59:00.000+11:00

Here is a great article from Sail-World today about Nathan Outteridge and Ian Jenson preparing for Perth 2011 and next years Olympics. Check out my previous article about the Perth 2011 regatta for more information on the event. Let's hope they can continue to put in the results where they count!

Back to School

2011-10-14T19:30:00.000+11:00

School sailing is back this week and I've been busy with the first sessions at St Ignatius Riverview, Newport PS and Loquat Valley PS. Taking a bunch of new and experienced kids out on the water always makes me a little bit envious that my school never had a similar program. It would be fantastic if it were possible to roll out on a larger scale - in NZ every school kid gets an introductory sailing course, without doubt this contributes the regular 300+ boats at major junior events. Surely if our friends across the ditch can achieve it then we can do it at least in the major cities. Regardless - I'll never tire of watching people beam as they discover the fun of sailing for the first time.

At the very least, the new Tackers program should be able to access schools and spread the sport. Let's hope it becomes more common in the future!

Does your school do sailing? Do you think that it could? Post a comment below and start a discussion!

What's All The Fuss - Extreme Sailing Series

2011-10-13T16:02:00.000+11:00

After my little expedition away from directly sailing related talk yesterday, I thought it would be good to come back on topic with one of the coolest sailing events going around - the Extreme Sailing Series. Fought in 40ft lightweight and fast catamarans, just metres from the shore, and in front of cheering crouds - the Extreme Sailing Series has virtually revolutionised modern professional sailing. The second last leg of the 2011 circuit started today in Almeria Spain, so read on to get the low down on how it works.

The Boats!

The Extreme 40 Class was designed by Australian Olympian Mitch Booth in 2005 as a thoroughbred inshore race craft capable of high speeds in light and medium conditions. The result is a yacht that can fly a hull in as little as 8 knots and regularly posts speeds in the 20's, even in only 12-15 knots of wind!

All the boats are one design so that the racing is super close and comes down to the skill of the teams They aren't easy to sail, requiring lots of physical work and precise timing to even just keep upright!

The Series!

Conducted over 8 events (they call them acts) right across the globe, the ESS truly has a global reach - couple this with some great video productions and a youtube channel, and a lot of people are paying attention. This year there are 12 teams battling it out for the overall title, and the scorecard is very close going into the second last act in Almeria.

The Action!

Put simply, the Extreme 40's are best known for falling over! The stadium style racing that the event is famous for places the course within metres of spectators - given the speed and closeness of racing this can also lead to some pretty spectacular crashes!

It's no wonder really that the event attracts such huge crowds in most of its acts, particularly it manages to attract people who are not necessarily sailors - something which has been a major struggle for sailing events. Undoubtedly it has been a major influence on the format of the current AC45 circuit, and hopefully other more mainstream sailing events can learn something!

It's a great series so get involved!

Make It Last!

2011-10-12T00:52:00.001+11:00

Good friends of mine are accustomed to seeing me leave the supermarket juggling fruit, drinks, and all too often chocolate in my arms without a bag in sight. Having reached the car with battered and bruised items that have inevitably bounced along the floor at some point, everything is heaved into my boot to roll around and clatter all the way home. Once I finally arrive it's normally a multitude of trips back and forth from the car before my cargo is in the kitchen.

Why do I put myself through all this 'unnecessary' inconvenience? I get asked regularly - and the answer is one of the biggest problems in the world, and it is up to our generation to fix it.

Take a Look
Take a few moments to scan the room you are sitting in and notice how many items are made totally or partially of plastic - I can count over 30 - including the laptop I am typing on. Plastic is one of the most significant inventions of the 20th century, it is such a 'convenient' material that today it's used in almost everything that is constructed. Problem is, plastic does not biodegrade. It doesn't disappear. It doesn't return to it's natural components.

So What?
Let's put this in perspective - if a Roman soldier had dropped a plastic bottle in the water, you might still be able to find it today - if one of the original Europeans to sight Australia in 1606 left a plastic bag in the water it might get wrapped around you rudder tomorrow - for that matter if the first Aboriginal Australians had left plastic litter on a beach up to 65 000 years ago it would still be around today. Obviously these people had no plastic to leave behind, but we do, and we are leaving it in the oceans at an unbelievable rate. Most of it ends up in one of the great ocean gyres. More than 2 000 nautical miles from land the amount of plastic can outnumber plankton by 6 to 1, killing many forms of wildlife.

Take as another example Kamilo beach on the southern tip of Hawaii, it is hundreds of kilometers from the nearest town and has no sealed roads leading to it - yet it is one of the most polluted beaches on the planet. It's position snares the currents of the Pacific and the plastics they contain. There is so much pollution here that small bits of plastic outnumber the grains of sand!

Well that sucks!
All this is shocking, but one important element really makes it all the more worrying - we've only had plastic for about 60 years.
Consider what Kamilo beach will look like in another 60, as our generation reaches old age and plastic pollution has more than doubled.
Imagine if the Dutch Explorers in 1606 used as much plastic as we do now! Beaches all over Australia and the rest of the world could, and will, look like Kamilo.

So What Now?

As sailors we notice the pollution more than others, and it is up to us to drive a change. There really is only one answer. We need to stop using plastic. Great initiatives are popping up in the sailing community to get behind.

So next time you see someone juggling shopping without bags, think about doing the same. Next time you sail past a plastic bag pick it up! Otherwise, some kid in 600 years time may find the drink bottle that floated out of your boat in a capsize last weekend.

It's a Wrap

2011-10-10T23:30:00.003+11:00

The YNSW Youth Champs wrapped up last week after a great weekend of sailing. The regatta has always operated as somewhat of a proving ground for new talent moving up through the ranks - it's not uncommon for the next generation of performers to first pop up at this event. So while myself and the other Emerging Talent Squad Coaches were working hard with our current teams, we were also casting our eyes further down the board and having a look at the people who will likely be in the squad in coming years.

We need to identify the people who have potential to perform in the future and may not have any 'runs on the board' yet. People often ask me what I look for so here are some of the characteristics to make you stand out to a coach!

Maturity
Aside from taking training and racing seriously, you need to show that you are mature enough to be pushed. Many of the drills and exercises that develop the necessary skills to win regatta's can be tedious and potentially boring. A mature athlete will be able to enjoy these exercises by focusing on the skill development and reaching goals, instead of just the basic enjoyment of the exercise itself.

Sailors also need the maturity to recognise and confront their own weaknesses - without being able to reflect on what you do poorly, you will never be able to fix it. A mature racer will not make excuses or blame elements outside their control, they will accept a mistake and work to stop it happening again.

Hard Work
A willingness to work hard and focus for an entire training session is an essential requirement. High performance coaches will almost universally prefer to coach a hard working athlete than a talented one. It is important to work hard and focus in all your training sessions and not just expect to be able to do it at a major regatta.

Basic Technique
Correct basic techniques are essential if you are going to excel in a high performance squad. This means correct foot and hand movements in maneuvers and good body positioning when straight lining. For a coach to teach you advanced roll tacking or speed techniques the focus needs to be on timing and control, having to relearn a bad technique will set you behind immediately. The sailors who spend time getting these basic skills right early in learning a class will excel in the advanced techniques far quicker.

Get Amongst It!
A good high performance coach will always be open and approachable to athletes. Never be afraid to go and tell them you want to be in their squad and ask how you need to improve. Every Olympic Medalist at one point was the least skilled sailor in an event, and you don't have to start really young to be successful in sailing. So get out there with the right attitude, develop some basic skills, and watch your sailing improve!

Race Prepared!

2011-09-30T12:59:00.000+10:00

A lot of sailors regularly start regattas with their worst race, and then go on to post a string of good results. Often this initial bad race can cost them the regatta, and usually it's because they're not in the right frame of mind from the outset. Identifying this as a problem is easy, but understanding how to improve it can be tricky.

We've covered preparation well in advance and the night before a big regatta, but it doesn't end there. Ultimately how you prepare on shore before hitting the water will determine your frame of mind and readiness to race. You'll then need a good preparation on the course area, and a confident, focused approach at the start - easier said than done? Keep reading and I'll tell you how.

It's a skill!

ISAF World Sailor of the year Tom Slingsby - Source: Australian Sailing Team

The mental elements of sailing are just like your boat handling and tactics - they need to be practiced before you are good at them. Just like how you might drill a roll tack technique you need to rehearse an ability to perform when needed. It's important to prepare well for each regatta and not expect to just produce the results when you arrive at nationals.

Building routines is very important here, the brain works using triggers, so as you go through a regular routine your mind will start to prepare for racing without you even having to think about it. Each person normally has a unique approach that works for them so take time to experiment and find what works for you.

In the boat park
Think about the details when you are preparing on shore. Do you prefer to arrive really early or just in time? do you like rigging and then getting dressed, or vise versa? Do you perform better if you socialise and relax or seperate yourself and focus? Either of the alternatives here will work if it suits your personality.

Be aware that your crew/helm may have a different approach to you. It's important to be comfortable with each others style and not force them to do it as you. If your helm likes arriving just in time and you like being there early, just let it happen - you don;t both have to do the same thing!

A big distinction to make here is whether you perform well pumped up or chilled out. Personally I like to calm right done to fully focus, others perform best when they are pumped up and angry.

Australian Womens Match Racing Team Members in Helsinki - Source: Australian Sailing Team

On the course area
An effective routine on the course area before racing doesn't only allow you to gather information - it tells your mind that it's time to race. Do the same things in the same order each time, split tacks, speed testing, and line bias tests are all good elements.

Before the start
Once you've done all the hard work to get yourself prepared don't switch off before the actual race starts, continue to look at the breeze and plan your strategy.

Remember - good results at any regatta depend on performing at your best for the whole event - bad races lose regattas, good races don't win them!

The Weather Gods

2011-09-28T18:21:00.002+10:00

Arriving at MHYC this morning all the talk was about gale force wind warnings and a building NE breeze. What actually eventuated was a glassed out harbour with at least 3 knots of tide running in front of the club. I guess even in this modern age of computer modeling and abundant weather data the wind remains as unpredictable as ever.

Source: Seabreeze

As the forecast for this weekend is gradually scaled back to show less and less wind, we can't really know what will eventuate until the gun goes on that first race - and even then we might be wrong.

Training Without a Coach

2011-09-27T18:26:00.000+10:00

The Problem
We’ve all experienced it - you turn up to the club on a Saturday with the intention of going out for a training session by yourself. A few hours later you have spent most of your time sailing back and forth with a feeling that you haven’t really learnt anything or improved much. While this can be some of the most fun sailing that you do, if you are preparing for a regatta or trying to improve it is not a very effective way to train.

Being able to train by yourself is an important skill if you want to perform at the top end of the fleet. It is simply not practical to have a coach with you every time you go sailing, and being able to teach yourself skills is extremely useful.

What to Do?
It is possible to train very effectively by yourself but you need to think like a coach! Here are a few hints –

· Pick no more than 1 or 2 areas to work on for a session - don’t overload yourself!
· Take time on the water to consider your performance in each area, think about what you can change and improve.
· Whatever skill you are trying to develop, practice it as many times as possible. If you are working on tacking, tack again as soon as the boat is back up to speed – don’t sail for another 30 seconds!

So next time you go training by yourself - think like a coach and teach yourself some new skills!

The Office

2011-09-26T18:03:00.002+10:00

One of my good mates proudly announced lastweek that his new office in Sydney had water views, I politely informed himthat my office did too – and was probably a lot closer. So far the NSW schoolholidays is only 3 days old and that office has seen fickle easterlies, 25kntsoutherlies, and driving rain squalls with 30+ knots. Waking up to cold dampwet weather gear and gloomy skies this morning I expected more of the same –what materialised was a beautiful sunny day with a steady 10 knot breeze. Itseems that whenever I get down on spending my days afloat, the weather gods conspireto remind me that Sydney Harbour is one of the most beautiful places in theworld.

Source: MHYC

Hopefully the sailors in the MHYC Opti Racing Squad had as much fun out there today as I did. Can’t wait to go backtomorrow!

Comment below to let us know what sailingyou are doing with the school holidays!

Remain Prepared!

2011-09-25T19:57:00.000+10:00

So last Wednesday I posted about regattapreparation and you may have noticed that it was focused on the week leadinginto the event. Most Junior and Youth sailors just turn up and try to get tothe start on time – but preparation is important if you are in the back, middle,or front of the fleet – here’s what to do the night before the regatta!

Communication

Communication is key!

Decide what time youwant to arrive, and if someone is driving you make sure you tell them.Reconfirm with your crew/helm so you are both on the same page.

Check all the info thatyou compiled earlier in the week – maybe the Sailing Instructions are availableon the event website.

Nutrition

I mentioned earlier that rehydrating before aregatta is essential. Water is food for your brain and can have a massiveeffect on your ability to think.How much water you need to drink depends on many factors, but get in to thehabit of drinking quite a lot the night before an event starts.

In addition you need tofuel your body properly with food. Athletes call this process carbohydrate loading. Carbohydrates in foodprovide the basic chemicals needed to make your muscles work – if it is goingto be windy you need to stock up the night before. Pasta and rice are both verygood here so get some into you!

Weather

Checking the weatherdoes two things, it gives you information, and helps you prepare mentally. Goodwebsites include Seabreeze,BOM, and Wind Guru – be sure to check tides aswell.

Checklists

Last but certainly notleast! Create checklists for your clothing, equipment, food, and anything elseyou will need. Don’t let your parents pack your equipment, they will probablyforget something, and at the end of the day you will be the one missing out. Ihave heard FAR too many times sailors I’m coaching say ‘Dad didn’t pack mylifejacket’, or ‘Mum left the rudder at home’. If this sounds like somethingyou’ve said in the past – fire your parents and do it properly yourself!

Like with boatbreakages, leaving something at home can destroy an entire regatta, and theonly person to blame is yourself!

Got any preparationtips or routines? Throw in a comment below and let us all know!

What's all the fuss - Perth 2011

2011-09-23T11:21:00.000+10:00

What is it?

You may have heard people talking aboutPerth 2011. I think it’s one of the most excitingsailing events ever to come to Australia – why is that?? – read on and I’ll tell you.


RSX Start at the 2010 Practice Event - Source: Perth 2011

The ISAF Sailing World Championships is anevent held every 4 years, combining the world championships for all 10 Olympicclasses. That means all the best Olympic sailors in one location at the sametime, fighting for their biggest event of the year. Add to this the timing - mostcompetitors will be battling for the chance to represent their country at the2012 London Olympics, with75% of Olympic berths decided during the regatta.

This year the show is coming to Perth andthey’re calling it Perth 2011.From December 3^rd – 18^th the city will go sailing crazywith events in a number of locations and a large festival centre in the city.There will be 1400 competitors, representing 80 countries – forperspective the current Rugby World Cuphas only 20.

Who’s competing?

Watching top level Olympic class racing isan amazing experience. The sailors skill level is so high that they seem tocomplete entire races without making a single mistake. This means that the racingis close and extremely high pressure.

USA 470 sailors Stuart McNay and Graeme Biehl - Source Perth 2011

The event website has a fantastic page with all the major players ineach class. Watch out for the Australian Sailing Team, after 2 gold medals and a silver at the Olympic Test eventearlier this year, the Aussies will be out in force to take the crown of topnation.

How do I Watch?

If you live in Perth – wag school, pull asickie, quit your job – anything you can do to get down and watch the racing.For the rest of us, we can only hope the organisers will embrace the recentrevolution in broadcasting sailing on the internet! There is a youtube channel, although there seems to be morevids on this freezone channel.You can also follow them on facebookand twitter.

Aussie 49er Sailors Nathan Outteridge and Ian Jenson - Source Perth 2011

Let’s hope for live tracking, RSS feeds,and if we’re lucky even live streaming – although at this stage its unclearexactly what will be on offer.

Stay tuned for more updates in the future,including information about Australian Sailing Team members, and the Olympicclasses! Bring on the summer!!

Be Prepared!

2011-09-22T16:48:00.000+10:00

We’ve all had those regattas with adisappointing result. All too often I hear people saying things like ‘it justwasn’t our regatta’ or ‘things just didn’t come together’. Trying to blame abad performance on some uncontrollable cosmic force is as ridiculous as itsounds – while bad luck can play a part in sailing, 99% of the time it is poorpreparation that causes bad results.

So with the Yachting NSW Youth Championships fastapproaching, here is the first installment of my guide to regatta preparation –Check back tomorrow for more!

Get Familiar

As obvious as it is, you can’t be preparedfor a regatta if you don’t know where it is and how it will be run. Some youthsailors get in the car on regatta day without even knowing the venue – don’t rely on mum and dad!

Source: Yachting NSW

Check out the NOR and check out Google Maps so you have an idea of thevenue. You should do all this at least a week in advance.

Consider the start time and how long youneed to rig – then communicate with your crew/helm so that you both get theretogether. No-one wants to be stressed before the first race.

Preparing the boat

A broken boat is the best way to destroyyour own chances at a regatta. Most damage is from simple wear and tear, so havea good look over your boat. Particularly check the places that often fail,perhaps the mainsheet is almost frayed, or the vang strop is chaffed and aboutto fail.

Doing this on the morning of the regatta asyou rig won’t be of much help, have a good look at least a week out from theregatta so damaged parts can be fixed or replaced.

Oh and as always – Don’t rely on Mum and Dad!

Training

Source: Yachting NSW

You need to be comfortable and familiar inthe boat for the regatta, especially if you are looking to perform towards thefront of the fleet. Make sure you are in the boat as much as possible leadingin to a big event – the key here is intense training sessions and not justgoing out for a sail. Be sure to drill your boat handling and do some speedwork, if you have a training partner/group train with them to make sure you arein form.

Nutrition

Sailors generally underrate the importanceof nutrition and fitness, so this is one of the easiest ways to get anadvantage on the competition. Most importantly, make sure you are hydrated! Youneed to start hydrating yourself at least 3 days ahead of a regatta, startdrinking a few litres of water a day so that you are topped up when racingstarts.

Gotany preparation techniques that work well for you? Whack in a comment!

The Season to Come

2011-09-15T15:36:00.000+10:00

As we are all washing the dust off ourboats, airing out the wetsuit, and smiling as we see the first sea breezeforecast, there is a question that comes to mind. What events will I go to thisyear? Here is a quick guide to the exciting events this summer. Today I’ll juststick to regattas that attract a number of classes.

Yachting NSW Youth Champioships – 1-3 October

As part of the Youth Sailing Grand Prix,this is one of the premiere youth events in NSW. This will be a fantasticopportunity to compete with some of the best youth sailors in all the majorclasses.

Sail Melbourne – 6-11 November

Sail Melbourne is the premiere annualdinghy sailing event in Australia. As the opening event for the ISAF Sailing World Cup it attracts the best Olympic sailors in the world, and withPerth 2011 shortly afterwards this year will be something special. As well asthe Olympic classes a number of youth and junior classes are also involved. Besure to check which dates your class will be competing.

Sail Brisbane – 16-19 November

Held at the venue for many coming classnationals (RQYS), Sail Brisbane should be filled with youth sailors this year.It will be a great opportunity to familiarize yourself with Moreton Bay insummer.

Sail Sydney – 16-18 December

Sail Sydney has split this year. Olympicclasses will have their own regatta in November and an ambitious new event opento all classes will be held in December. Naturally the youth classes will be animportant part of what should be an exciting new event.

Australian Youth Championship – 6-10January

As the main event of the national youthcalendar, many crews will see this as the most important event to perform wellin. The event is used to select the national youth team along with classchampionships, so expect fierce competition!

So there are the basics, if you think I’vemissed anything whack in a comment so everyone can see. More in the comingweeks on Perth 2011 and the Sail Downunder series.

Tom

Welcome!

2011-09-15T13:56:00.000+10:00

So I’ve made that stereotypical gen-y moveand started a blog. Most of my friends looked at me like I had two heads when Itold them the plan, but this won’t be your average boring blog. Here is thespot where I’ll talk about sailing skills, discuss events, interview the bestsailors in the country (and therefore the world), and try to tackle some of themore controversial issues in youth sailing.

The beauty of this blog over magazines andnews sites is that you can get involved - post a comment, or even submit mephoto’s or video to post. You can also follow me on twitter and facebook.So bookmark this page and drop back in regularly to see what’s going on!

Happy Sailing!

Tom Brewer