Nat Taylor — Blog, AI, Product Management & Tinkering

Annotated Race with Clips

Published on Aug 27, 2019.

I always thought it would be neat to put together a walkthrough of an entire race, so here it is, thanks to video by Kevin Dooley.

Start

For MRA the line is usually pretty long with 10-12 boats and light-medium breeze, so this my technique:

1. From 1:00 to 0:30, establish a position and a hole on a close hauled course 2 boat-lengths below the line, and slow the boat down. Trim jib and luff main to pivot down and close your hole; luff jib and trim main to pivot up and grow your hole.
2. Crew starts counting down from 20 seconds
3. At no later than 0:15 trim sails and bear away to a reach to accelerate.
4. At no later than 0:05 come to a close hauled course

Upwind

This was a light, choppy day when we had about 475lb crew weight.

1. Twisty enough to never stall main leech upper telltale (jib and main leech profiles should match)
2. Lots of headstay sag
3. Loose lowers to sag off the middle of the mast
4. Traveler 1-2″ below centerline to sail fast
5. 10°-12° of heel
6. Constant adjustments (you can see my hand reach down to drop traveler so we can bear off slightly for chop)

Roll Tacking

1. Ease 1″ of main trim
2. Lean in slightly to start the turn and grab the new traveler, then turn fast
3. Wait to roll until the jib backs, then roll in unison with your feet in the hiking straps and shoulders way out
4. Keep weight max forward through the turn
5. Flatten once you’re on your new angle
6. Once you’re full speed again, go back to full trim

Hoist

We get the kite full within a boat length on our best hoists.

1. Pre-sheet the sheet to a mark
2. Set the pole
3. Get the kite up onto the seat, out from under the cutty
4. Pre-feed the tack to 3-feet beyond the shrouds
5. Only ease the jib about 6-inches
6. Bear away to between a close- and broad- reach, then skipper calls the hoist
7. As the crew hoists, the skipper races the guy back
8. As soon as the tack and lower luff are around the forestay, blow the jib halyard and haul down with the fraculator

Downwind

1. Trimmer is frequently talking about pressure
2. Ensure the transom is high or ideally out of the water, until you hear lots of bow wake then start to move back slowly
3. For dead down wind running, heel to weather
4. Fraculate with the backstay released, then slightly tension the backstay
5. Crew looks back for breeze

Jibing

1. Skipper says ready to jibe and crew goes to foredeck, and releases the old twing on the way
2. Once both sheets are in-hand, skipper calls jibe and begins a slow turn
3. Rotate the kite as needed; jibe the main but hold it centerline for a 1-count
4. Crew needs to be quick and smooth. If the new guy is out of reach, crew should brace against the shroud to grab it (rather than lean) and wait for it to float in
5. As soon as the pole is made, skipper pulls on the new twing
6. Get situated on new jibe as soon as possible

Take Down

TODO