Upwind technique

Sailing Optimistically

The first of a regular column by Australian Optimist dinghy coach Diego Figueroa.

Light Winds

The key to light air sailing is to keep the boat moving without losing any speed. You need to get the foils working which will then give you a lift, so use your bodyweight, mainsheet and tiller to gain speed. Once you have the boat up to speed you can then look for height, while being very careful not to stall the boat. Stalling can be deadly as the boat will take some time to accelerate again.

A good light wind sailor is able to keep the boat moving very quickly through the water, constantly altering course very subtly, gaining height to windward when he or she can, and then diving for speed when they feel the boat is beginning to stall.

Lighter sailors are commonly able to sail at a closer angle to the wind than their heavier opponents. Heavier sailors need to keep the boat moving even if it means losing a few degrees in height to the lighter sailors, as once you have stalled the boat you lose a lot of ground trying to get it back up speed. You will need more room to leeward at the start line to be able to sail the one hundred metres comfortably without being lee bowed. One common mistake in light winds is heeling the boat to windward, which will lose you not only speed but height

Medium Winds

In medium airs the difference between fast and slow is very little, especially on flat water.

In waves there can be more of a speed difference as technique plays a part. Body positioning, kinetics, precise trimming of mainsheet, and timing to approach each coming wave plays an important role. In medium winds the top sailors are often the ones who can keep good speed while looking around the fleet and the course to decide on their tactics and strategy.

When the whole fleet is going roughly the same speed, it is where you position your boat that will determine the finishing result.
In short, sail fast and keep your head out of the boat.

Strong Winds

Again speed is vital to do well upwind in strong breezes. Hiking endurance is critical as having the boat as flat as possible will be priority one. Good bailing technique is required as well. Keeping the boat dry at all times will not just make the boat faster but also safer. Water in the boats weighs a lot and is constantly moving, most of the time forward, resulting in nosediving.

There is a common belief that in heavy breezes you should pull the sail in all the way and then pinch into the wind until the boat comes flat. This is probably the worst way to sail into a strong breeze. If you try to pinch the boat you will just end up going slower and slipping sideways; hit one wave and you will virtually stop.

To be able to sail fast in strong breezes conditions there are
two key things to consider. It is actually the ‘ABC’ of sailing: keep the
boat flat and prevent your bow sinking in the water. In other words, keep your bow up.

Many sailors know these principles and the theory involved but when the moment comes to apply them, they don’t know how to do it or just don’t have the technique.

The priority always will be to keep the boat flat and to achieve this there are five main aspects to consider if you want to perform well in strong breezes.

Proper rigging and tuning: If you are already hiking flat out with all your energy and strength and you can’t keep the boat flat, then you are overpowered. It means you have too much ‘engine’ for those conditions and you need to start depowering your sail.

With the sprit in a normal position (not too loose or the band will come too low) tighten your kicker as much as possible. You can do it by raising your daggerboard, over trimming your sail until it touches the transom, and then tightening the kicker.

The sprit tension will be determined by how windy it is. Again you will lose it a bit if you need to open your leach for depowering. It will vary from sailor to sailor as all of you have different weights, heights and ability.

To have a crease in the sail, telling you the sprit is loose, is not bad as long as you can keep the boat flat. But remember again, if you ease it more than necessary it will depower your sail too much and you will end up not even needing to hike out. If you are depowering and have a crease it should not be because you need a rest – it should be because you are hiking flat out and still cannot keep the boat flat. So you ease the sprit because you still want to win the race and will still be hiking flat out!

A very good way to depower is also by raising your daggerboard a little bit and raking it backwards. This way you will reduce the pressure of your rudder and you will reduce the boat's tendency to try to push you head-to-wind. Again, lighter sailors will use this resource earlier than heavier ones.

Hiking technique: Hike out 90° to the gunwale. Lots of sailors tend to hike with their legs to the front and their body coming diagonally out of the boat. This doesn’t give you maximum leverage to flatten the boat, which is your main priority.

It’s important to keep your hiking strap adjusted to the right length or your body movements won’t translate into speed. Too loose and you won’t put enough force through the boat. Too tight and you won’t be able to put enough weight outside.

Position on the gunwale: Keep your bow up. Don’t be afraid to sit as far back as necessary to do it. Sailors who are used to sailing in light winds tend to sit next to the bulkhead. Remember this is only good in light breezes. In heavy breezes move back to keep the bow higher.

Body movements: When you are hiking, your legs are coming out of the boat at 90°. You still need to work your upper body movements in three directions:

• Forward: When the bow rises too much due to a lull or when sailing in a flatter area of water.

• Backwards: When you need to lift your bow even more to pass a steep or bigger wave or when a set of waves is approaching from the front.

• Towards the outside (complete body 90°): when the waves approach you more sideways or when the gusts hits.

Remember that rule 42: Propulsion always applies in Optimist races, so don’t over do it or do it the wrong way. Knowing when and how to make body movements is everything.