Andy Rice asks Justin Slattery for five tips that\u2019ll make you faster and safer when running the pitThe pit role is vital for keeping communication going between bow team and afterguard. Photo: Nico MartinezWhile running the pit is all about establishing repeatable systems and processes that run like clockwork, Justin Slattery prides himself on being open to all possibilities. \u201cThe more organised I am in the pit, the better everything will run. But I don\u2019t like to restrict what the back of the boat wants to do. The biggest thing for me is to remain open about everything, and always to encourage conversations about how you can make it better all the time,\u201d he explains.
\nFor Slattery, \u2018That\u2019s the way we\u2019ve always done it\u2019 is the phrase that stands in the way of progress. With new technology coming on stream all the time, he believes it\u2019s vital to keep your mind open to new ideas and new ways of trying things. \u201cI remember the first time putting a tracer line on a 140-footer to hoist the Code Zero and people saying \u2018that will never work.\u2019 Now more than half of the Grand Prix fleet are using tracers.\u201d
\n1. Clear communication
\nIn the pit it\u2019s your job to establish clear communication between the afterguard and the bow team. Having a background on the bow I have a strong idea about what the bowman needs and when. Create a playbook for each type of yacht, because this becomes your base plan for all manoeuvres. This should include timings for which crewmember does what and when during tacks, gybes, hoists, drops, peels \u2013 and of course a plan for a screw-up!
\nMake sure you\u2019re armed with solid knowledge of the course for round the cans racing. The pitman often briefs the bow team and creates the plan for:
\nPort or starboard hoists
\nWeather or leeward drops
\nCode sail or A-sail prep and hoists
\nOutboard sheet and staysails
\nThis plan should always be adaptable if tactics dictate, or something goes wrong, so it\u2019s important to anticipate the tactician\u2019s options at marks or developing situations. Talk openly about the plan \u2013 secrets can be bad. As a general rule of thumb, I\u2019d rather be slightly early and have a clean drop than late and be sailing past the mark.
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2. Tidy means safe
\nWe tend to rely a lot on clutches, especially on 30 to 50-footers, and then halyard locks on 40 to 100-footers. I\u2019m as guilty as anyone of over-reliance on the hardware but I\u2019m also really strict about clearing halyards and tacklines away from the working cockpit.
\nEven on a 30ft yacht a halyard slipping in a clutch can cause a serious injury. The larger and more loaded the yacht, the more dangerous this can be. Use any available winch to secure loaded sails even if they are on clutches or locks. Throw the halyard below, well away from the crew\u2019s working area, until you\u2019ve had time to flake it away and tidy it. I always have a single-blade knife on me in case I need to cut anything in an emergency.
\n3. Check and mark
\nI like to have reference marks on everything:
\nMax hoist marks on halyards
\nMax \u2018down\u2019 marks on tacklines
\nPre-set marks on tacklines (or hydraulic ram extension positions on larger yachts) for Code sail hoists
\nVery often on larger yachts, especially ones with hydraulic winches, the pit has lock sensors with light and\/or sound indicators for max hoist of halyards. If using locks, it\u2019s important to know how they work and the tolerances you\u2019re working with. Same with hydraulic rams \u2013 it\u2019s easy to overload the gear.
\n4. Wear gloves
\nLine diameters are often just 4-6mm on 30 to 52-footers these days. So no matter how tough your hands are, you will need gloves. I just use the cheap but very grippy disposable gloves that you can buy from a builders\u2019 merchant.
\nOn a 40ft yacht with a string drop system you can drop a gennaker in 4-5 seconds. A 52-footer has a similar time, and if you\u2019re not wearing gloves there won\u2019t be much of your hand left after four or five drops! Drop systems on a typical 100-footer can achieve times of 10-15 seconds which involve up to 46m of line smoking through your glove in that time. There will literally be smoke coming from your glove, winch and halyard organiser!
\n5. Crew choreography
\nThese days race boats are treated like dinghies in terms of crew movement, and it all looks pretty slick when done properly. Being positioned in the middle of the yacht the pit role lends itself to running the crew weight, making sure everyone moves in unison for manoeuvres. Be organised and prepared so that you\u2019re minimising time off the rail.
\nThe afterguard will want to see sails going up and down without the distraction of anyone ever moving off the rail \u2013 impossible to achieve, but try to keep them happy at the back!
\nAbout the expert
\nJustin Slattery is one of the best pitmen in the business. The Irish pro has competed in five Volvo Ocean Races (winning two). He broke the round the world record in 2004 on Cheyenne and holds course records for the Rolex Fastnet, Round Britain and Ireland, Transpac and Chicago to Mackinac races.
\nFirst published in the April 2020 edition of Yachting World.
\nThe post 5 expert racing tips: How to run the pit like a Volvo Ocean Race sailor appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Andy Rice asks Justin Slattery for five tips that\u2019ll make you faster and safer when running the pitThe pit role is vital for keeping communication going between bow team and afterguard. Photo: Nico MartinezWhile running the pit is all about … <\/p>\n