Dee Caffari, veteran of six circumnavigations and the first woman to sail solo both ways around the world shares offshore race tips with Andy Rice
\nThis year\u2019s Rolex Fastnet Race was breezier than many predicted, with challenging sea states. Photo: Kurt Arrigo \/ RolexDee Caffari believes that getting ready for a big offshore race is a constant process. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the preparation and I split my five top tips into three areas; the route, the boat, and the people,\u201d she says.
\nWhen you\u2019re building up towards a pinnacle event like the Rolex Fastnet Race, every Channel race and RORC offshore before then is a training opportunity, to identify the gaps in your armoury and to create a plan to fill those gaps. \u201cA lot of this comes out in the debrief at the end of the race, although this is a crucial process that is often overlooked or skimmed over because you\u2019ve just spent two days working really hard and are possibly feeling very tired,\u201d explains Caffari.
\n\u201cBut the debrief is invaluable if you\u2019re going to learn from things you did right. And of course, the things that you did wrong. It\u2019s also really important to acknowledge the things that went really well for you so that you grow the confidence and you build on those activities.\u201d
\nDee develops cheatsheets for every scenario, as a quick-reference manual for things to remember in the heat of the moment. \u201cIt\u2019s really good to have these cheatsheets to refer to when you\u2019re tired and the pressure is on.\u201d
\nPhoto: Carlo Borlenghi \/ Rolex Fastnet Race
\nWalk the course
\nThis year\u2019s Rolex Fastnet Race has a new route, but for any race you compete in, don\u2019t just rely on past experience but actually go through the details of the course and plan your navigation well in advance.
\nYou want to know where the Exclusion Zones are, where the hazards are, whether there are any firing ranges, or naval activity. And you want to know what the lights are if you pass them at night.
\nArticle continues below\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFastnet Race navigation: tactics for the new finish<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe new Rolex Fastnet Race course, finishing in Cherbourg instead of Plymouth for the first time this August, offers more\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNew Fastnet course: How the changes will affect this offshore classic<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDiscovering that the Rolex Fastnet Race will finish in Cherbourg for 2021 and 2023, I was initially very open minded\u2026<\/p>\n
Then you want to look at the weather: look at what kind of leg each section of the race is and what\u2019s involved. Judge your level of confidence in the forecast as you get closer to the time, and whether you\u2019re going to make those critical tidal gates, because we know that in the case of the Fastnet Race it is all about whether you do or don\u2019t get through those tidal gates.\u00a0
\nSail inventory\u00a0
\nHave you got the right sails for the course? Are we mainly reaching or are we mainly upwind and downwind? For the new Fastnet route we\u2019ve got that extra 90 miles on the end of the course, taking us to Cherbourg. So have we got the right sails for reaching as well as for the upwind and downwind? <\/p>\n
Before we set off, we want to run all the tapes, check all the packing, check the batten tensions, so that if we need to make a sail change it all happens easily, whether it\u2019s daytime or night, avoiding the possibility of any kind of \u2018cluster\u2019 which might catch us out.
\nRun safety checks\u00a0
\nGo through the safety gear in detail. Double-check the requirements of the equipment needed. And it\u2019s all very well having the equipment on board, but people also need to know how to use it. So make sure the crew are familiar and go through your drills. Do they know how to use the VHF? Have you done a man overboard drill? Have you practised it? Do people know what to do in an emergency? It\u2019s too late to find out when it actually happens.
\nTake your time, make the effort, practise it, and even write up those procedures so that you\u2019ve got them in a prominent place. If you want people to read them, the best two places on the boat are either by the galley or in the heads. This makes it more likely for people to spend time actually reading through this vital information.
\nPrioritise nutrition
\nIt\u2019s very common for crews to underestimate the impact of food (and hydration). If you want your crew to perform at 100%, keep them well hydrated and well fed. Make sure there is enough food for people and that they actually want to eat it! Don\u2019t dismiss the impact that a hot, nutritious meal has on performance.
\nRolex Fastnet Race: on board Turn the Tide on Plastic, skippered by Dee Caffari, . Photo by Jen Edney\/Volvo Ocean Race
\nThe minute you\u2019re a little bit dehydrated, or you\u2019re feeling a little bit under the weather because you haven\u2019t been eating regularly, you\u2019re going to find it really hard to make those critical decisions when it really counts.\u00a0
\nGet organised
\nCheck your personal admin: have you got the right gear to go offshore? Have you got your head torch? Is it charged or does it need batteries? Do you know how to use it without blinding your fellow crew when you turn it on? Have you got a trim torch? (Practise using these torches, because there is a knack to it.)
\nAlso make sure you have the right clothing for the forecast. Any idiot can get wet and cold. It\u2019s the bright ones that stay warm and dry, which allows them to perform at their best.
\nBe diligent with your watch system so you get ample opportunity to rest. You want to be sailing at 100% at the end of the race, just as you were at the start. Eat, drink and sleep when you need to, so that you can keep up that performance all the way to the finish.<\/p>\n
If you enjoyed this\u2026.<\/p>\n
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The post How to get offshore race ready: Dee Caffari offers her advice appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dee Caffari, veteran of six circumnavigations and the first woman to sail solo both ways around the world shares offshore race tips with Andy Rice This year\u2019s Rolex Fastnet Race was breezier than many predicted, with challenging sea states. Photo: … <\/p>\n