Organised efficient mark rounding?

N

Nicko

New Member
So it is windy, I am planing towards the down wind mark with the cunningham, outhaul and vang all eased,the centreboard half up, sitting out and generally loving the speed, picking up a few places as I go.
Then, all too quickly I am at the mark, I have to pull on three sail control lines and haul in a load of mainsheet, while pushing the centre board all the way down,as well as setting off on an efficient up wind course,while trying to balance the boat!

I would be interested to learn how you more experienced guys go about this process.
Do you do some adjustments before you get to the mark?
Do you do some after you have set off on your new course?
How about the windward mark?

I could really do with some help because I am getting oh so close to winning races in breeze and it is things like mark rounding that I feel will give me the edge.
I am 62kg sailing a radial with full XD kit.

Cheers
Nicko
 
You need to get all your control lines (except maybe the vang) set a few boatlengths before you get to the downwind mark. If you are rounding in traffic, you need to keep your mind on positioning your boat relative to others and gybing. Likewise after rounding, you may be in a lot of traffic and may not have an opportunity to set the lines for some time.

Another thing I have heard is "slow down to win". When approaching the mark, you need to figure out where you and the other boats are going, both during the mark round and then back upwind. If you see a log jam developing or it looks like you're going to do a major pinwheel, pull in the sail and push down the centerboard early. Let all the traffic ahead of you clear. You can then zip in right behind them, do a tight mark rounding, then tack away in clear air.

Preparation is the key.
 
Torrid hits it right on the head. Especially in breeze. Getting the c'ham and outhaul on early will not slow you down that much. I also sneak the board down to an in-between position, so that it takes less effort to get it the rest of the way down. The other thing I do is throw the tail of my vang to where I can get it easily from full hike on the tack I think I'll be hanging out on first.

Also good advice on the "slow down to win" move. If you have to, use large amounts of rudder back and forth to slow down. this one works well in lots of boats besides the laser.
 
I tie stopper knots in the controls at the loosest setting so that at the windward mark all I have to do is uncleat and not worry about settings. Usually throw off the cunningham first, then Vang and then outhaul if I have to reach down at all.

Approaching the leeward mark I pull on outhaul first and have marks on the boom so I can set it up to where it was on the last beat. Then some cunningham and a little vang before the jibe. That just leaves you with the mainsheet trim as you round.

Best to be hiking hard and pushing the boat as fast as you can coming out of the mark and do the fine tunes after the dust settles. You can gain on others who are trying to pull lines instead of getting the boat going.
 
Thanks guys!
I was out today in a bit of breeze and put ino practice your advice.
It made what was previously a hectic flustered pig of a move, into an organised efficient rounding!
Getting everything done before I got to the mark meant I could concentrate on getting the boat moving up wind and pointing well.
4 seconds off winning the last race!!!!!
Cheers,
Nicko
 
Nicko,
I highly recommend to your questions: Steve Cockerill's "theboatwhisperer"-DVD, Disk "Upwind", (and someone, later on the water, that looks for you, if you did follow the advises of Steve well).
Ciao
LooserLu
 
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