Well, it’s December. As a dinghy sailor, unless you’re frostbiting or in Florida, you’re pretty much not sailing for the next few months. That’s a bummer.
But it’s okay! You can use your spare time to do other things and to find some balance, which is actually pretty healthy. Tackle some home improvement projects. Read a book — maybe even one that’s not about sailing. Spend time with friends who don’t know tack from gybe (you do have some of those … right?).
And you can spend a little time reflecting on your sailing season, which will ultimately help you make improvements in the 2015 season. Because sailing draws on a range of skills, to best target your focus, think about your abilities in several areas. Think back over your 2014 regattas, and consider your highlights … and lowlights. What was behind those ups and downs? What do you want to replicate in the future, and what do you want to leave in the past? What can you do to make those changes? It’s not always comfy cozy to do an honest self-evaluation, so I’ll start off by adding my personal mini-evaluation as an example.
Physical fitness: The day after sailing, did any part of your body particularly hurt? If so, that’s a clue as to where you can focus some fitness. Third race of the day always a little tougher than the first? Tack on some cardio. And are you hitting your nutrition right — before, during, and after racing? (I think this was where I made my biggest gains this year. While I had solid cardio in years past from long-distance running, this year I added in working with a trainer at the gym. Being strong is awesome!)
Mental fitness: Do you thrive under pressure, or do you choke in key situations? Are you making good strategic and tactical decisions before and during racing? Don’t forget: A subset of mental fitness is your level of comfort with the Racing Rules of Sailing. If you don’t feel confident on whether you’re right or wrong, chances are you’ll let boats by you at mark roundings. (As good as I feel about my physical fitness right now, I think my mental fitness is where I could make the most gains. I guess that’s a nice way of putting it. I’d like to read some sports psychology books over the winter.)
Boathandling: Are you eager to get into a tacking duel up the last weather leg, or do you consider that a losing proposition? If you’re less than confident at how you’ll come out of a heavy-air gybe, add in some practice time focused on getting your movements quick and effective. (For me, this depends on the boat. I’m feeling very Snipe-confident, but not so much in the Radial. Need to spend more time there in 2015; ideally need to make my tacks — port to starboard and then starboard to port — symmetrical as far as my movements in the boat/tiller handoff, etc.)
Boatspeed: Boatspeed and boathandling are very different challenges. Do you tend to get okay starts, but slip back over the course of the first weather leg? Time to round up some sailing friends and do some long upwind lineups, thinking and changing rig tune and other settings to make sure you and your boat are going as fast as possible. (Feeling good here for the most part, but my boatspeed issues are often linked to my mental fitness. When I get pressed/nervous, I tend to steer too much. Deep breath; sometimes less is more.)
Boat preparation: Breakdowns during racing should be few and far between. Are you spending enough time checking over your fittings and lines? Polishing your hull may not be the most glamorous way to spend a morning, but it can pay big dividends. Definitely mental dividends! (I think my commitment here was above average, but I’d like to step it up a notch. Or three. Time to go shopping for some new line.)
Logistics: Do you arrive on time (or early) at the regatta venue the morning of the first race feeling well rested, well fed, and confident in the abilities of both you and your boat to succeed? If any of those areas are lacking, chances are you could have done a little better planning for your housing, travel, boat charter, etc. (I’m definitely a planner; I’m already researching flights for a regatta in September 2015. So I think I’m doing okay here.)
You’re not putting your answers out in a magazine, so go ahead and be completely honest with yourself. Figuring out where you are is the first step in determining where you want to go. Let’s all be faster in 2015!
~Kim Couranz
