Helping the Helmsman
What kind of information does the helmsman need, and who should provide it? An expert driver explains. From Sailing World, November 1990
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What kind of information does the helmsman need, and who should provide it? An expert driver explains. From Sailing World, November 1990
The building blocks of a good start are understanding the line setup, how quickly you approach, and making sure you’re at full speed.
The beauty of a hand on the helm is the control and the unmistakable power of feel. When it feels right, it feels fast. Here’s a basic primer from the archives: Sailing World, June 1987.
Often it is the little things that add up or the simple routines that have a major impact on the outcome of the race or a series. David Dellenbaugh, in the August 1987 issue of Sailing World shared a few of his top tricks at the time. Simple, yes, but obvious…not always.
Sailboat racing can be deadly in soft weather. Or it can be the ultimate challenge. One-design champion and sailmaker Greg Fisher unravels the mysteries of light-air boatspeed, showing us the best ways to beat the ghosting blues. From Yacht Racing/Cruising, April 1986
Shift-playing, sail trim, tactics, tuning … Bronze and gold medalist Buddy Melges explains his approach. From Yacht Racing/Cruising, February 1983
David Dellenbaugh examines the mental aspects of racing and offers some practical techniques for maximizing performance and enjoyment.
Hang out on the docks long enough and one topic you’ll hear plenty of is mast and mainsail fit; whether the luff curve is correct for the mast or the mast is set up correctly for the mainsail. There’s much to consider in order to determine if things are as they should be, but it all starts with knowing what to look for.
Professional sailor, Ed Baird, revisits an instructional column from the 1981 issue of Yacht Racing/Cruising (Sailing World) about how to make decisions in the first minutes of the race.
You’ve invested in showing up for your weeknight series, stocked the cooler and invited your friends and family to come and crew at their best, so give the team a properly prepared boat and a better chance of winning the PHRF race, or the series.
Erik Shampain covers the basics of sail controls and their respective cause and effects.
Good spinnaker trim starts with good communication between trimmer and helmsman, but there are subtleties in the trimming that make a big difference.
What kind of information does the helmsman need, and who should provide it? An expert driver explains. From Sailing World, November 1990
The building blocks of a good start are understanding the line setup, how quickly you approach, and making sure you’re at full speed.
The beauty of a hand on the helm is the control and the unmistakable power of feel. When it feels right, it feels fast. Here’s a basic primer from the archives: Sailing World, June 1987.
Often it is the little things that add up or the simple routines that have a major impact on the outcome of the race or a series. David Dellenbaugh, in the August 1987 issue of Sailing World shared a few of his top tricks at the time. Simple, yes, but obvious…not always.
Sailboat racing can be deadly in soft weather. Or it can be the ultimate challenge. One-design champion and sailmaker Greg Fisher unravels the mysteries of light-air boatspeed, showing us the best ways to beat the ghosting blues. From Yacht Racing/Cruising, April 1986
Shift-playing, sail trim, tactics, tuning … Bronze and gold medalist Buddy Melges explains his approach. From Yacht Racing/Cruising, February 1983
David Dellenbaugh examines the mental aspects of racing and offers some practical techniques for maximizing performance and enjoyment.
Hang out on the docks long enough and one topic you’ll hear plenty of is mast and mainsail fit; whether the luff curve is correct for the mast or the mast is set up correctly for the mainsail. There’s much to consider in order to determine if things are as they should be, but it all starts with knowing what to look for.
Professional sailor, Ed Baird, revisits an instructional column from the 1981 issue of Yacht Racing/Cruising (Sailing World) about how to make decisions in the first minutes of the race.
You’ve invested in showing up for your weeknight series, stocked the cooler and invited your friends and family to come and crew at their best, so give the team a properly prepared boat and a better chance of winning the PHRF race, or the series.
Erik Shampain covers the basics of sail controls and their respective cause and effects.
Good spinnaker trim starts with good communication between trimmer and helmsman, but there are subtleties in the trimming that make a big difference.
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