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SABRE SAILING ASSOCIATION of VICTORIA
 
Heavy Weather Sabre Sailing


 
 Scott Olsen getting up speed.

Strong wind is not just for the heavyweights.  Many lightweight Sabre sailors are very good in strong winds such as, Susannah Gillam, Murray O’Brien and Chris Dance.  After many questions at our BRYC coaching days and at the States I’ve put together some basic points for beginners progressing into heavy weather sailing.  These have been gleaned from various top Sabre sailors over several years.
 
  • The Boat 
  • Make sure your Sabre is up to the task and properly rigged. You don’t want to be trying to fix defective gear out on the water in 20 knots and big waves. Everything must work well and work easily. No jammed outhauls, vangs or main sheets.  No cleats which slip.  No extraneous bits of rope to catch in blocks.
 
  • Build Confidence
  • Don’t go out in 25 knots and a big sea if you’ve never sailed in more than 15 knots.  Build up your skill in stages taking on stronger and stronger winds each time. You need to build confidence in your ability to sail in strong wind and that comes with practice.
 
 
  • Set Your Sail Correctly
  • Make life easier for yourself by setting your sail properly.  Strong wind demands a flat sail to reduce the power and give speed.  For most people, and beginners in particular, this means pulling all the controls on hard. Pull the clew out so that the foot is reasonably tight.  Pull the downhaul down to the black band.  This might need to be done in stages as there is resistance in the track. Finally pull on the vang really hard. You will probably need to use all your body weight to pull it hard enough. If the boom is not bending its not on hard enough. Pulling on the vang bends the mast and flattens the sail.  I like Tim Van der Veen’s approach to the vang. Pull it on hard enough to create a diagonal crease from about half way up the mast to the clew then back it off until the crease almost disappears.  Heavier sailors might need a bit of depth in the foot but only put that in when you are confident.  You are now ready to launch!
 
  • Centerboard
  • Rake the centerboard back as far as the tolerance in the case will allow. The heavy wind sail set up moves the center of effort of the sail back and raking the centerboard balances that. 
 
  • Steering
  • Helming in heavy weather requires precision.  Keep the boat precisely on the wind at all times.  A little back winding at the luff is OK if you are over powered but not too much or you will stop and maybe go backwards.   Keep the boat flat.  Any heeling will have you heaving on the tiller to keep the boat on the wind and that’s slow.  If there’s too much power for you to keep flat ease the mainsheet until you are flat. In the gusts ease the sail, head up a little and hike hard to keep the boat flat.  The movement on the mainsheet and tiller may be as little as 50mm if done at the right time.  Sheet on again once the gust has passed.  Watch for the gusts on the water so that you are ready to react. 
 
  • Hiking.  
  • Be prepared to get your weight out over the side of the boat by hiking hard. This needs practice and fitness. Find a comfortable position which you can hold for most of the windward leg.  You won’t be able to sustain maximum effort for long so keep that for the gusts.  Get some hiking pads for comfort.  They make a big difference.
 
 
  • Tacking.  
  • Strong wind requires very positive tacking.  You really have to make sure the boat turns through the wind or you will end up stalled and going backwards if not upside down.  Make sure you have speed before you tack and bring the boat out on the wind easing the sheet a little to accelerate out of the tack. In rough wave conditions try to tack in the flatter spots, there are always some there.
 
  • Reaching
  • Off wind is where the real fun is in heavy weather Sabre sailing.  It is energetic and exhilarating.  Don’t mess about with any settings as you round the mark. Leave the centerboard where it is. Just set the main sheet and try to catch the first wave.  Wave catching, or surfing, is a skill and requires a special article by someone better than me.  Briefly the technique is to turn the boat down into the hollow in the wave as it passes under the hull just like a surfer.  At the same time make a sharp pull on the mainsheet to power up the boat.  You will need to go 2 to 1 on the main sheet to get maximum benefit.  The Sabre is very good at this and will sit on the wave edge and fly with enough speed to make you breathless.  You will need to be sitting well back in the boat most of the time just moving forward occasionally to keep the boat on the wave.
 
 
  • Gybing
  • Gybing is the great fear of most people in heavy weather but it’s easy if you do it right.  Make sure you know where the wind is so that you know when and where you can jibe. Whatever you do don’t slow up to jibe, that is the first step to a capsize. Jibe when the Sabre is going fast. That way there is less pressure in the sail and if you are going fast enough you will be surprised how little pressure there is.  Don’t hesitate as you prepare to jibe as that slows you down.  Keep your weight low and be ready to move quickly to counter any instability.  Jibing is a confidence game.  Just believe in yourself and do it fast.
 
  • Sailing straight downwind 
  • Dead downwind has most beginners kneeling in the bottom of the boat bighting their fingernails and preying that they don’t capsize before they get to the bottom mark. Again don’t change any settings after you round the windward mark. Just catch the first wave.  If you are having trouble sailing dead downwind begin by sailing a little off square and jibing to get to the bottom mark.  As your confidence builds you can go progressively more square.  Try to sit up with just the edge of your backside on the side tank.  The foot nearest the side tank is forward and the other leg kneeling on the floor.  That gives good balance and you can move you weight sideways and fore and aft quickly as the Sabre demands.  Generally keep your weight back as that balances the forward pressure of the sail and sits the Sabre on that nice flat aft section of the hull which is good for stability and speed.  Concentrate on catching the waves and that will be so absorbing you will forget your worries about staying the right way up.  Leave the centerboard down.  It helps stop the Sabre rolling from side to side and if you do capsize it’s all there ready for you to pull the boat back up.  Again confidence is everything.  Just drive the boat hard downwind and don’t hold back. 
 
  • Easy?
  • All sounds easy but I know its not.  It will become easy with plenty of practice and some good coaching will help enormously. Enjoy your heavy weather sailing
 
  • My comments are very basic.  I would like to be able to publish some more expert comment on the various aspects of heavy weather sailing so if any of our experts want to get on to the keyboard their contribution would be very much welcomed.  Suggested topics are:-  Sailing up wind in big waves;  Catching waves off wind;  Steering downwind. 
 

Scott Olsen in about 18knots and flat water.  Note bend in boom, sail foot pulled out and hiking hard to stay beautifully flat.

Enjoy whatever the weather

Harold


 
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UPCOMING EVENTS



NSW State Sabre Championships 9th 10th March. Lake Wallagoot

BLack Rock Icicle 4th,11th,18th,25th May.  2 pm
Morning Caching TBA

Sorrento Mid Winter Regatta.  Sorrento Couta Boat Club.  June long weekend 2019 
 
Keep up to date with the latest Sabre Association news
Copyright © 2019 Sabre Sailing Association of Australia, All rights reserved.


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Calendar Icon
UPCOMING EVENTS

Teams Racing at Mordialloc SC  23rd Feb 2019

NSW State Sabre Championships 9th 10th March. Lake Wallagoot

BLack Rock Icicle 4th,11th,18th,25th May.  2 pm
Morning Caching TBA

Sorrento Mid Winter Regatta.  Sorrento Couta Boat Club.  June long weekend 2019 
 
Keep up to date with the latest Sabre Association news
Copyright © 2019 Sabre Sailing Association of Australia, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Developed by Peak Websites
Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp

 

 
Calendar Icon
Keep up to date with the latest Sabre Association news
Copyright © 2019 Sabre Sailing Association of Australia, All rights reserved.


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STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

We need more entries to keep up the great Sabre tradition of big State Championships. Don't delay, do it now.   Here are the links you ned get your entry in.  If they don't work for you go to the Vic Sabre web page.


NOTICE of RACE

Online ENTRY

Look forward to seeing you at Elwood.

Harold
 
Calendar Icon
UPCOMING EVENTS

Sabre Victorian State Championships  9th 10th Feb, 2019 Elwood Sailing Club

Teams Racing at Mordialloc SC  23rd Feb 2019

Sorrento Mid Winter Regatta.  Sorrento Couta Boat Club.  June long weekend 2019 
 
Keep up to date with the latest Sabre Association news
Copyright © 2019 Sabre Sailing Association of Australia, All rights reserved.


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You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Developed by Peak Websites
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