This should be fun. The beautiful thing about sailboat racing is how multi-faceted a challenge it is. It tests the body as well as the mind, and in bringing everything together there's as much art as science, trying to combine proven things like polar diagrams with more tenuous elements like an instant personal local weather forecast and what that untested crew member is likely to do.
How do you win ? I'm going to stick my (wet) finger into the wind and start things off with this list, perhaps in order of importance:
Know weather - the sea breeze, wind around clouds, wind around land features (and on and on...) and the sea (tides & currents)
Know how to sail your boat fast on all points and in all wind strengths
Choose & train / nurture a good team. There'll always be turnover
Be skilled in fast running repairs
Organise the team
Keep the bottom polished
Sail on your local waters
Understand the RRS instinctively, and understand how the rules create tactics
Perform manoeuvres (gybes, tacks) efficiently
Small print: I'm nothing special - I guess I'm middle of the pack somewhere. You may not want to give away your secrets, but if you don't, I predict you'll be back in this thread after I start beating you on the course
How do you win ? I'm going to stick my (wet) finger into the wind and start things off with this list, perhaps in order of importance:
Know weather - the sea breeze, wind around clouds, wind around land features (and on and on...) and the sea (tides & currents)
Know how to sail your boat fast on all points and in all wind strengths
Choose & train / nurture a good team. There'll always be turnover
Be skilled in fast running repairs
Organise the team
Keep the bottom polished
Sail on your local waters
Understand the RRS instinctively, and understand how the rules create tactics
Perform manoeuvres (gybes, tacks) efficiently
Small print: I'm nothing special - I guess I'm middle of the pack somewhere. You may not want to give away your secrets, but if you don't, I predict you'll be back in this thread after I start beating you on the course