I am getting a lot of stick for stalling on my “how to improve at speedsailing” article so here it goes….

With only a modicum of success in speedsailing events over the years, it took a full speed crash onto the beach in Namibia for me to get the breakthrough I needed. On the long walk back with my broken kit I made some changes which were instrumental in me jumping from 20th to being placed 8th overall with results as high as 5th place in individual heats. I am well aware that the square Namibian course suited me and that the wheels could come off at the next event but I thought I would nevertheless share my observations with others in order to make their speedsailing experience slightly less frustrating than mine was. So here are my main observations/tips:

#1. Fin. You must trust the fin and be able to drive it to your absolute limits. Spinout at 40+ knots is not recommended. Get a quality fin that is proven to work like an F1 Falcon from Tectonics or a Choco Mach1 and stick with it. A reliable fin is a real confidence booster.

#2. Board. However fast your slalom board is, leave it in the board-bag. Use the speed gun as soon as possible. If you must use the slalom board, do a couple of runs then change to the gun. The slalom board is a false safety net - you will not normally be in contention on this board in any speed event. Most production guns, like the Naish Speed Pro 60, can take a 7.0m sail even though they are only 60 liters. I stuck to my slalom board too long this year, hence my early poor results in the first 2 events.

#3. Adjustable outhaul. In my view, it is essential to be able to adjust the outhaul at the start of the run. For a broad course, let more off than on a tight course. Keep experimenting.

#4. Weight jacket. Weight increases leverage. For competition, wear a weight jacket. Even if you are not overpowered, the extra weight will keep the board flat. I choose a Liberty weight jacket as it keeps the weight up high for maximum leverage.

#5. Sail the beach. The best thing I did was hit the beach in the second round. Whilst potentially hazardous from a health perspective, it taught me just how shallow I could go. By sailing close to the beach you go way faster. I saw Bjorn on a tiny fin literally dredging the beach. He won 5 of the 7 rounds in Namibia. Try a smaller fin and come closer, you may be surprised how much your speed increases. I recommend combining this approach with good health insurance nevertheless.

#6. Play the game: give yourself some space. It is a sad fact but to break into the top ten you need to be economical with the rules. To get into the top few you need to be very economical. Sailing through clean water is way faster than sailing through confused, choppy water. The top guys know this which is why they all stall once through the starting gate. A "good" stall is worth a knot at least. The top few, with the exception of Whitey (he made me say that), give themselves plenty of space. I gave myself perhaps slightly more than normal to prove the point. The rules need to be applied more rigidly in my opinion and I have maintained this all year. I really hope that ISA levels the playing field next year – a few red flags for a few big names would do wonders for the competition.

#7. Try different sail and fin sizes. In one heat I used sails from 6.5m to 5.0m and fins from 26cm to 23cm. My speeds kept increasing, even though the wind was relatively stable. If you are topping out at a certain speed, make some changes.

#8. Use a GPS. Train with it and wear it for competition. Use it as an indicator and know what speeds your current set-up is good for. You will then know when to make the necessary changes. Remember also that your 2 second maximum GPS time is nothing like the speed you will need to make the same time on an official 500m course. I found breaking 40 knots on the 500m course a lot harder than expected. Indeed my max GPS speed was just under 43 knots when I went 40.75 knots on the 500m course in Namibia.

#9. Know that the race is won or lost in the first 50 meters. There is no point in exiting the course at 43 knots if you enter at 35 knots. Try and keep the variance between your maximum GPS speed and the speed on the 500m course to as small as possible. Essentially, hit the start flat out or gybe out.

#10. Keep sailing. Even if you are in first place, keep sailing to the very end. Positions often change fast as the wind increases or shifts angle. Even I managed to force an extension in dying seconds of one heat when I pulled myself up to 5th place. You never see Bjorn or Finnian sitting on the beach during a race. Don`t give up until the red flag is flying. Look for that freak gust and capitalize on it.

Right, that`s your lot for now. I hope the above is helpful. Knowing these points certainly helped me improve and start to narrow down the gap between me as a normal sailor and the biggest names in the game. Closing the final 1-2 knots gap is going to be the hardest by far - I will report back with any developments as I find them.

Save for Weymouth Speed Week, the competitive speed season is largely over and we are moving into private record attempt territory. I have a feeling that this winter will be very exiting with kites, boats and windsurfers all getting closer to that holy grail of 50 knots. Keep tuned and see you on the water.

Aloha,
John Smalley K-42