In the final chapter of Simon Hiscock s Trapezing Techniques the 49er sailor helps us look good on the wire (and no, we re not talking about hair gel and fashionable wetsuits). He also sets out some training tips to help us achieve that winning style, so read on...
Techniques for the trapezing crew
Part Three - Looking the part
Every skiff sailors wants and lets face it, needs to look good. While standing on the tips of your toes, legs together and hand over head will look great for photographs, it will only look good for as long as you stay in that position.
It s far better too adopt a comfortable position where you will stay put and will tire less easily. Crewmembers flying off the back of the boat or around the forestay not only looks decidedly un-cool but results in a very slow boat and definitely provides fodder for post-race bar chat.
Find a position that gives you the appropriate leverage for the boat, but also that feels comfortable and that you can hold throughout racing.
How to improve your game
We have looked at several different skills required from a trapezing crew balancing the boat, balancing your body, kinetics and coordination. Some of these skills can be practised on the shore and some need to be practised on the water.
A very good exercise for practising the movement of your weight on and off the trapeze and how it effects boat balance, is to sail without a rudder. This is a lot easier in the more traditional classes than it is in some of the high performance skiffs. The benefits of rudderless sailing are best felt and in my opinion, best to be practiced in a traditional class, as it will teach the finer elements of boat balance.
At first try sailing in a straight line in medium wind conditions, in medium power mode. Once you are comfortable sailing in a straight line on the wire without a rudder, move on to tacking, then progress to gybes and finally use the kite.
In time, and this should be the final goal for this exercise, try to sail around a triangular or windward leeward course with out a rudder! It can be done and it is a great goal to set for your autumn or winter practise.
There are other exercises for practising boat balance, try to sail the boat at odd angles of heel for extended periods of time or even around a few laps of a practise course. Windward heel with the wings or crews bum just kissing the water will require increased finesse at balancing the boat, which will help you to learn to feel when you need to move the weight in or out. The key to this is anticipation so try to think ahead.
Self balance and coordination are all trainable on the land. One way to improve is to set the boat up on the shore, tied down, and run through some of the manouvers. Do each tack or gybe in slow motion so you can work out how you place each hand or foot during each phase of the manouver. It may even help to write these steps down so you can review them later. After a few goes it should be possible to imagine how you move your body through the manouver. Now all you need to do is to keep imagining it and it will become perfect!
Take this a stage further by replicating some of these movements in your garden, front room or where ever you can find space. Then practise till you can do it all on your toes with your eyes shut.
Balance can be improved with the use of modern gym equipment, enrol on some of the stranger gym classes that involve swiss balls or focus on strengthening the core. Balance comes from the core muscles not from the legs or waving the arms about!
Hand eye coordination can be improved by simple stuff like throwing and catching a ball. Imagine catching a ball is pretty similar to picking up the hook or handle on the trapeze wire, you got to move your hand to where it is and catch it!
Lastly have some fun and practice. Get out sailing have a think about what it is that makes the boat go that little bit faster.