Focused for the Long Haul

Persistent Shift

With an ocean race lasting up to five days, concentration is everything, says Tony Bull.

In all sports it is important to maintain concentration. To lose focus is to lose performance. Sailing is no different; it requires intense concentration and application.

While it is comparatively easy to remain attentive during an afternoon race, how do we go about getting the best out of ourselves in long ocean races?

The tactical side of a race needs an awareness of the ever-changing vagaries of weather, tides and other boats’ positions. Boatspeed requires alertness and a driven attitude from the steerers and trimmers; in an ideal offshore crew we would have a very large contingent of both.

The navigator/strategist is generally a singular role, or at least the data collation is, so rest periods must be self-monitored.
If possible, have another crew member trained to monitor the key indicators and
call you if circumstances change suddenly.

The trimmers and steerers must give each other regular breaks – I usually think a 45 minute rotation is good, with even shorter spells in heavier conditions. It is important to keep as fresh and alert as you can.

Preparation

A good watch system must be maintained to provide adequate rest for everybody. Make sure the crew is getting some down time. I have sailed with a lot of gung-ho sailors who run around the boat full of vibrant energy on the first day of an ocean race, talking about the importance of everybody forgoing sleep to push the boat as hard as they can. They invariably are the ones you have to drag out of their bunk a few days later when they are due on watch.

So take advantage of rest periods whenever  you can, even early in the race. Off watch time can be interrupted by sail changes and moving gear from side to side when tacking, so make the most of every opportunity you get.

Remember ocean racing typically gets harder and more draining the further you go. Our ability to remain attentive is enhanced by a solid fitness level. A person with the benefit of a regular fitness routine will have a huge advantage over those who are sedentary, not only in actual performance but also in recovery time.

The other factor in being able to keep trimming and steering to the best of your ability is diet. Stay hydrated and fed.

Dehydration is a huge factor in losing focus so drink lots of water! Some boats require crew to take a water bottle on deck and to finish it before they can retire below. Be very wary of caffeine and guarana energy drinks. It is well documented that after the initial energy spike a flat spot follows, and repeated usage dampens the spikes and broadens the flat spots. The best way to monitor your hydration level is to check the colour of your pee. It should be relatively clear. If not, drink more water.

To accommodate the inevitable result of this high water intake, it’s a good idea to have a couple of hospital urine bottles on deck, so you don’t have to go below or risk hanging over the rail in high seas.

Mindset

“Would that jib sheet better on an
outboard track? “

“Would a staysail work?”

“Do we have the right kite up?”

“Can we shake out the reef yet?”

Just keep turning things over in your mind. Sailing a few seconds faster turns into minutes over the long haul, and minutes have a habit of turning into winning margins. Keep experimenting and working on the little things, travellers, backstays, sheets, genoa car positions, spin poles. Change things and check the boatspeed, keep pushing it. It can be very hard to do over an extended period of time and it is easy to sit and get lulled into the monotony of it all. That’s why rest, hydration, food and fitness are so important.

Night time

We have all heard the old adage that races are won at night and this is very true. The ability to keep trimming and concentrating through the night is paramount to success.

It is hard to keep the concentration up in the wee small hours, peering at a spinnaker luff with a rick in your neck and eyelids wanting to droop. We lose a lot of our visual stimulus and as a result must rely on our instruments a bit more. We need to keep the chat up with lots of references to the speed and performance, as well as a bit of verbal reassurance to the trim and helm.

The range of luminescent products from Glowfast make night sailing easier by utilising a series of luminous tapes on the working sails as draft stripes and on the luff tapes of spinnakers. Their luminous markings can also be used on rope clutches for easier identification.

If you can work it, use your best trimmers and steerers during the night hours. The most testing circumstances usually occur at night and more experienced sailors will have a better feel for the wind and waves and how the boat will react without relying entirely on sight.

At night it is important to show a bit more patience than normal. Changes need to be monitored closely and procedures and manoeuvres done carefully and with a much greater degree of caution. It is difficult enough to solve issues like a spinnaker wrapped around the forestay during daylight hours but it can be an absolute nightmare at night-time. Crew coming up on deck to assist won’t have their night vision and will be momentarily confused. Be tolerant and approach everything methodically.

So for success when competing over a longer period of time ensure measures are in place to maintain the focus. Fatigue will set in and be a problem over the long haul. This is sometimes lost in the hustle and bustle of the preparation and the adrenalin rush of the first day. Discuss it with your crew – awareness is a huge part of dealing with the issue. Remember, keeping up the boatspeed in those long tedious middle miles is just as important as the start and finish, where everyone is much more intent and involved.

Above all – get fit, stay hydrated, eat regularly, and rest whenever you can.