Left: the V6 design has now been finalised and the CAD files passed to the CNC-mill to create a precise hull plug that will be used to make the new female hull mould – the same process that is now standard for virtually every custom raceboat up to 100ft, as well as for a growing number of bigger maxi cruiser-racers. Sub-millimetre machined accuracy in place of craftsman cut frames, battens and plywood skins. Whatever happened to the romance…
with our work list and then prioritised them daily. We still had rig tune issues and pressed on, finessing the desired mainsail shape we wanted for the expected conditions, plus we had some new genoa shapes to evaluate and complex tidal and current flow models to verify. We had a lot to test in a very few days. So we made the most of our time together
setting the boat up pre-start and then shifting gears as needed as the wind and sea state increase or decrease throughout the race. Such an array of controls can also of course
lead the unwary down all sorts of blind alleys, but the best crews have learnt what does and does not work for them, often on the back of painful experience!
Sail shapes for you When selecting the right mainsail design for a Dragon it is important to consider the unloaded shape of the sail, then matching the desired mast bend across the wind range plus the stiffness of the cloth in the different axis to deliver the chosen flying shapes. It’s generally pretty straightforward to set
up the mast to fit the mainsail for those nice, medium-breeze days. The level of challenge increases when the wind softens or the sea state increases and now you’re chasing more power. Generally speaking, softer cloths and a cut shape that is not too deep make it easier to compensate as you try to flatten the main while preventing the leech from closing down, to keep a nice smooth flow across the sail and give you a big enough groove to steer these blunt-bowed heavy-displacement designs through a seaway. Given our familiarity with the expected
typically breezy, wavy Cascais venue for the 2017 worlds, our goal was to come up with a mainsail shape that would excel up-range as we expected the breeze to increase throughout each race. This thinking led us to a mainsail shape that was slightly fuller than the standard designs – providing the ability to handle an increased amount of mast bend. Our final mainsail design was also constructed using a stiffer cloth which allowed for better, more precise leech control in the upper wind ranges. Simon Fry is our point man in this area
given his extensive experience both sailmak- ing as well as around the racecourse, and he did a superb job managing this part of our upwind programme. Not only did he focus
on our sail shape needs months ahead, mak- ing sure we had precisely what we wanted to test in the days leading up to the worlds, but his trimming, onboard observations and daily feedback were critical to our success. When evaluating sail shapes in ever-
changing wind and sea conditions it is impor- tant to be organised, communicate clearly and take careful notes with regard to each change in sail shape and trim in order to be certain of what you are learning (good and bad). We also did our best to work closely with our tuning partners and share openly and honestly to be sure we were only eval- uating the best tuning runs of the day, sailing in the most similar wind, and being careful to account for any differences in velocity and wind shifts. Once back on shore later in the evening
we would close the loop on the day’s sail evaluation by reviewing photos taken from the coach boat and share the correlating observations and feel from onboard the Dragon to come to conclusions that were as correct as possible This process is not new, nor difficult. But,
to maximise learning and reach clear conclu- sions in as short a time as possible, it is impor- tant to have a well co-ordinated plan backed up by clean execution and clear communi- cation. Having successfully completed a few solid days of the sail evaluation and selection portion of our programme on site just before the worlds really helped to dial in our boat speed and sharpen our gear shifting. I believe this greatly helped us to prepare properly for the first day of the regatta.
The final push They say that even the most creative must deliver on time. With only eight days to go to Race 1 of the worlds we convened in Cascais for what would be our final push. We still had a lot of questions that needed firm answers and many final rigging and tun- ing refinements remained outstanding. We paired our individual respective strengths
and put in some long, thoughtful, carefully prioritised days together. Most of the day- time we were out on the water tuning, testing and evaluating, and most evenings were spent debriefing and fine-tuning all our onboard systems to be sure we were minimising friction and weight wherever possible. Andy’s engineering background and his rigging expertise were invaluable here as many late nights were spent splicing and otherwise tailoring our rigging systems for each sailor’s personal preference. How often have you and your team had
that feeling when you finish the last race in a big event that now you are really on fire and wish you could begin the regatta all over again? Well, that’s what it feels like when you show up not quite fully prepared. Our team’s agreed goal just one week before the worlds was to be in winning form at the start of Race 1, then try to improve with each race and ultimately finish strong. The morning of the first race we were
ready. Every important detail had received the attention it deserved. Right down to the slippery McLube Antifoul Speed Polish freshly applied to our hull. Was this final big push to prepare worth
it? Especially with all the months of learning, the planning, the preparation and extra effort already expended? On the starting line for Race 1 there were
70 Dragons, loaded with Olympic and world champion talent. Provezza Dragon started off our series with a very solid 1-1 in the first two races. We were able to gain valuable points early on as some of our most respected competitors struggled to find their groove. Homework and thorough preparation
always seem to pay the largest dividends at the beginning of a championship. Each day the racing continues it is easy to see the smart teams improving and climbing the leader- board. If you do this after starting ahead a good result is on the cards. We also contin- ued to learn and improve and we would not relinquish the lead for the entire regatta. Few things in life are as rewarding as
putting forth one’s very best effort while at the same time confirming that the sum of the team’s effort can be so much greater than the sum of its parts. I think this is a big reason why we all love this complicated sport so very much.
q SEAHORSE 59
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