Racing to Win – Pre-Start

There are an awful lot of things you can do and decisions you can make before the warning gun goes that will help you have a good race.

What the Experts Say

Paul Goodison as quoted in Jon Emmett – Become Your Own Sailing Coach

I sail most of the beat before the start sequence to gain confidence in my boat speed and set-up

Ben Ainslie – The Laser Campaign Manual

It is good to have a routine for the pre-start so that you are not sailing around wondering what to do next

Ben Tan – The Complete Introduction to Laser Racing

If a fleet started before yours, look at the boats to see how each side is doing and where the wind pressure is

Books with information on the Pre-Start

Websites and online articles about the pre-start

This is a top article on all the considerations of the pre-start period

This comprehensive article on starting has a useful checklist for the pre-start stuff

A Laser sailor goes over some important lessons from regatta sailing, including stuff about their pre-start routine

This article goes over a pre-start routine

America’s Cup sailor Terry Hutchinson describes his pre-race routine. It’s more elaborate than most of ours, but there are some good tips included.

This article discusses the importance of pre-race routines to determine race success

In this piece on starting the author describes some of the many considerations for the pre-start

This article discusses using fleets that have started before you to help assess the conditions if you are sailing in a multi-start event.

What We Learned…

Racing to Win: Pre-Start

There are an awful lot of things you can do and decisions you can make before the warning gun goes that will help you have a good race:

  • Know the weather forecast
  • Assess the conditions
  • Understand the race in the context of the series, competition or championship in which you are sailing (i.e. do you need to win the race, or should you sail conservatively; are there specific boats you need to finish ahead of; etc.)
  • Work out line bias
  • Plan your race, especially the first beat
  • Know the course
  • Practise tacks and gybes and other key manoeuvres
  • Set sail controls
  • Know the current/tide on the course, and get a feel for its effect

Getting to the course early

Pretty much all the experts agree one thing – try to be on the course area at least 30 minutes before the start. The point they are making is that you need to get a feel for the conditions:

  • Is the wind oscillating or trending in one direction?
  • Does one side of the course have more breeze than the other?
  • Is the current having a noticeable effect, and is it different in different areas of the course?
  • Are you comfortable on all points of sailing in the conditions?
  • Are you comfortable with all key manoeuvres in the prevailing conditions?
  • Have you decided what boat set-up will best suit you in the prevailing conditions?
  • Do the conditions match the weather forecasts you have seen? If not, why not?
  • Do the conditions suit you? If so, does this affect your strategy?

It is also useful to have a training partner, especially for a big championship. Sail on opposite tacks for 2 to 5 minutes (have an agreed time) before tacking towards each other. See who comes out on top and discuss why – more breeze on one side; wind oscillating favouring one side; wave pattern more favourable on one side; tide more favourable to one side. Once you are confident with the reasons you can decide on your strategy.

Checklist

Here is a basic pre-start checklist to help you focus on what information you need to have and what decisions you need to make before the start sequence begins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Goodison writes an excellent article on starting, covering the key points about the pre-start on the first page

In this article about starts there are a few great tips for assessing the conditions before the start