Ocean Racing Magazine - #6 - December 2007 & January 2008 - (Page 62)

TACTICS A GOOD START ©D.R. Thierry Douillard, an expert in match racing, having been a member of the crew of AREVA Challenge as foresail trimmer in the last Louis Vuitton Cup, explains some typical start situations for a duel. to the rival, position windward with a gap, start to the port side of the committee boat…). Indeed, at a precise moment in this pre-start phase, the first choice may no longer be possible: so the second solution has to be applied, the goal of which is to limit your losses in order not to risk the whole race. In some cases, there is a goal to be reached at all cost, when one side of the sail area is particularly favourable (for example: strong current, local effects…), but as a general rule, it is better to have a plan B that works well rather than a plan A that is difficult to achieve. For example, if the tactician wants to keep to the right hand side of the sail area and sets off starboard upwind of his rival with very little room, he will find it hard to keep his THE START IN MATCH-RACING is a very different exercise from what happens in fleet racing. The result is even more crucial and can be the decisive moment in the whole duel. One of the basic musts is not to leave anything to chance, so there is little room for improvisation: you need to define the various configurations for the minutes before the gun is fired. These configurations can enable you to react to any situation and to manage your own start without having to lose out. Establishing a strategy The tactician must draw up beforehand his strategy for the first upwind tack, as only after that can a start goal be planned: plan « A », with a substitute solution always in place, plan « B » (position below close position and will be forced to turn and thus lose speed. The tactician and the helmsman must rely on some basic principles concerning positioning in relation to the start line and the opponent. You must therefore identify exactly where you are on the sail area and anticipate the trajectory taken by the other racer, in particular in relation to the starboard and port lay-lines forming the cone (or « V ») at the pre-start (diagram 1). The role of the crew in this phase is vital to allow you to adapt and control the boat’s speed in relation to that of your rival. As a general rule, you should try to get to the right of your opponent and stay close to the starboard lay-line of the committee boat. The first goal is to avoid being hemmed in, while keeping open the possibility of changing direction or gybing without the risk of a penalty. start line (so on the port tack) to have a blue flag, while the one coming from the right (on the starboard tack) flies a yellow flag. In the international match racing circuit, the race committee hoists the F flag (alert signal) ten minutes before the first match in the series or flight. This F flag is lowered one minute before the warning signal (digital pennant). This is raised five minutes before the start of a match. The P flag (get ready signal four minutes before the start of a match indicates the start of the period, when the blue and yellow boats can enter the pre-start area: the duelling boats have two minutes (H-4’ to H-2’) to cross the line on their side windward. The start signal is indicated by the lowering of the digital pennant and the P flag: another start procedure can begin for another flight. Once the get ready signal has been given, the pre-start phase can be divided into three parts corresponding to: 1-entering the line and the first encounter with potential blocking situations; 2-circling; 3-final run towards the start before the gun is fired. The boat (blue) on the port tack can be handicapped and particularly if the wind is light, because of the need to give way (ISAF rule n°10). He therefore needs to be all the more attentive to the timing as he enters by the buoy… For the blue boat, there are several possibilities: 1a-either the angle of the start line or the delay of the opponent means he can cross in front of his bow downwind of him, or 1b-upwind at the start as soon as he enters the pre-start side; 2- The three phases of the start The convention is for the boat entering by the port side of the H-4' Vent H-4' Schéma 1 Cône de pré-départ La ba yte line au b vi âb se o ur rd L baayte lin au e cobâb m or ité d d or r ib u tr se e vi lin u y- tea La ba d or é ib it tr m e co lin u y- ea Labat

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ocean Racing Magazine - #6 - December 2007 & January 2008

Cover
Edito
Contents
What they said
News
Portfolio - The news in the picture
Transat Jacques Vabre - Monohulls in power
In the words of the skipper - Michel Desjoyaux, A little bit more
Barcelona World Race - A couple sailing around the world
Imoca - Growth crisis in the Imoca class
Transat 6.5 - A whole series of records
Mini Class - Anatomy of a winner
Multihulls - What sort of trimarans tomorrow ?
Volvo Ocean Race - Second generation
Trials - Mach 45 : an unusual IRC
Match Racing - King Richard
Tactics - A good start
Portrait - Jacques Caraës
Lab - Tubular or wing mast ?
Forty years ago - Chichester, the lonely sea and the sky
Equipment - Shop window
New products - From the drawing board to the boatyard
Opinion - The mirage of worshipping technology

Ocean Racing Magazine - #6 - December 2007 & January 2008