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Match Race Crew Positions

Crew Positions/Roles#

Crew Positions

Work Zones#

  • Maintain optimal positioning in the zone
  • Remain in your zone during manoeuvres
  • While training do not help others in their tasks
  • Focus on your own responsibility

Helmsman#

Helmsman

Helmsman Responsibilities#

  • Steer
  • Speed
  • Timing
  • Positioning of the boat
  • Communication if boat should sail with reduced speed
  • Backstay tension

Helmsman Tips#

  • Maintain the best overview of the pre-start
  • Control the speed precisely
  • Think one step ahead

Mainsheet#

Mainsheet

Mainsheet Responsibilities#

  • Mainsail sheet
  • Trim of the boat
  • Cleaning up in downwind
  • Windward spinnaker sheet in set
  • Headsail halyard up in downwind
  • Control roll turnings
  • Communicate laylines
  • Communicate opponent's speed, height and manoeuvres.
  • Overhaul port side headsail sheet after first gybe

Mainsheet Tips#

  • Trim the boat fast in the pre-start
  • Be aware and communicate about wind power and wind jumps before the pre-start
  • Communicate about the advantages of start marks
  • Best mainsheet exchange
  • Help the helmsman with tactics
  • Trim main outhaul and cunningham in downwind if there is time

Trimmer#

Trimmer

Trimmer Responsibilities#

  • Headsail trim
  • Headsail trim in pre-start
  • Help behind the tailer
  • Sheet points
  • Spinnaker trim
  • Barber hauler trim
  • Drop headsailsail halyard in the spinnaker set
  • Remove headsail starboard sheet after spinnaker set

Trimmer Tips#

  • Trim headsail in cooperation with mainsail trimmer
  • Communicate about headsail (i.e., all in for close-hauled, or use %)
  • Inform about wind changes, countdown
  • Communicate power in the spinnaker
  • Loft relievers so they are ready to be relaxed

Tailer#

Tailer

Tailer Responsibilities#

  • Tail headsail
  • Spinnaker windward sheet
  • Barber hauler
  • Mainsail and headsail halyard
  • Cunningham and kick
  • Spinnaker pole up and down
  • Spinnaker halyard
  • Cleaning up in the cockpit
  • Flying spinnaker pole
  • Spinnaker drop
  • Hold the boom out in downwind

Tailer Tips#

  • Save your energy
  • Explode in tailing
  • Down on knees
  • Drop the halyard in spinnaker drop, if panic drop help the bowman and return on tail, get ready for fast turnings and control the kick
  • Clean up in the boat

Bowman#

Bowman

Bowman Responsibilities#

  • Foredeck
  • Time keeping
  • Y-flag in the protest
  • Kick
  • Spinnaker pole up and down
  • Halyards on mast
  • Spinnaker set
  • Call headsail up in downwind
  • Call spinnaker pole down

Bowman Tips#

  • Sense of order on foredeck
  • Orientation of the leeward mark on downwind
  • Count down to pre-start and start for the helmsman