In need of some top racing tips? Has a certain sailing conundrum been on your mind? Ever wondered what an Olympic Medallist might advise you to do?
Athens Olympic silver medallist and 470 helm, Nick Rogers was on hand to answer any questions that you had from boat rigging to downwind tactics, from race preparation to training drills.
Below we have posted a selection of the questions that Nick answered.
Happy reading!
See your answers published here!
Q&As
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Q: I am about to make the jump from the 420 to the 470 and was wondering if there are any secrets to the 470 that you could fill me in on to make my life a little easier? -Charlotte, Kent
Nick's Answer: The first thing you need to do is really get to know the boat and how it works. Buy the standard kit and take your time learning everything you can about how it works. Check the rig every time you launch and come ashore until you really understand how to adjust it properly. Finally, if you can, get some good coaching early on, even if it's just a just a couple of days to get you started.
Q: How did you get from learning to sail, to being an Olympic medallist? -Amy, Essex
Nick's Answer:
I started sailing when I was six and then started racing when I turned 10, then it was just a matter of wanting it more than the next person! I went through the RYA squad systems and classes and because of my size (Not being exactly a "weapon") it lead me into a 470. |
Q: How do i know when to adjust my mast rake when sailing? do you adjust it according to weather or do you leave the mast in a permanent fixed shape? Also how on earth do you manage to sail those boats so well? -James
Nick's Answer: It does depend on what boat you are in, but the best way to start learning how to tune your boat is to start simply. Try starting with only two rake changes. Next work out when you are fast and slow. To do this you just need to race but you must be consistent with you kicker, slot and sail controls and see what winds you are good and bad in then add a rake to the conditions you are bad in. Keep it more upright in the lighter, back in the windy. I would keep the pre bend in the rig and the rig tension the same by adjusting the spreaders until you are sure of what you want when.
I hope that kind of helps But it's a big subject! |
Q: I would one day love to Sail in the Olympics, how long did it take you to get where you are now and how did you go about it? -Emily
Nick's Answer: Joe and I have been sailing together for 10 years now and to be honest we just stuck at it and learned the hard way by making lots of mistakes. In hind sight some good coaching at the beginning of our sailing careers would have helped a lot and cut out some of the ridiculous things we did. I was very lucky to sail with an older already very skilled crew for a year (Steve Irish) who really brought me to the front of the fleet and showed me how to campaign.
My Coach, Hamish, always says that to win a medal a team needs to do 2000 hours sailing together and to win a medal you have to go to at least two games (obviously aim to win at the first games you go to but it's hard to do!)
Most importantly you have to believe that you can do it.
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Q: Do you have any top tips on finding the perfect crew? I am looking for a new crew and was wondering if there is anything in particular I should look for. -Charlie, Rutland
Nick's Answer: I am very lucky in I have always had the best crews all my life and now with Joe Glandfield. The most important thing is that you and your crew both have the same objectives and goals. When Joe and I first started sailing together, sailing was all we had and all we wanted to do. We were so driven that we couldn't afford to fail early on in our campaign as we had to make the funding brackets. |
Q: How fit does an Olympic level dinghy sailor need to be? How do you guys compare with athletes from other sports? -Mark Townsend, Brighton
Nick's Answer: It depends on what class they sail, so a windsurfer would need to very fit, in fact as fit as a top premiership footballer! All Olympic level sailors face strict weight requirements and many spend hours not only on the water but also in the gym. The key is to be healthy with a good diet and spend as much time on the water fine tuning our sailing skills. |
Q: Although I've not been racing for long, I seem to always lose out at the starts. Without giving away all Skandia Team GBR's secrets, what are your top 3 tips for getting to the front when the gun fires? -Anna Fountain, Poole
Nick's Answer: Starts are always tricky. Here are my top three tips.
1. Have a plan of where you want to start and how you want to go up the first beat.
2. Don't sail around too fast; Keep a slow controlled approach so you can maintain a good mental picture of exactly where you are on the line.
3. Pull your sails in before everyone else! |
Q: What would you say are the optimum weights for a 470 crew and helm? -Andy Jones, Essex
Nick's Answer: I'd say the optimum weight for a 470 helm would be 60kg and 70kg for the crew. |