On-Water Drills & Exercises

Tacking is one of the first manoeuvres every sailor must master. A clean tack keeps speed, maintains course advantage, and builds crew confidence. These drills progress from basic co-ordination to race-pace execution.

Tack on the Whistle - The coach blows a whistle at random intervals. Sailors must initiate a tack within 3 seconds, regardless of where they are on the course. This forces quick decision-making and removes the habit of waiting for a "perfect" moment.

Follow-My-Leader - Boats sail in a line. The lead boat tacks; each boat behind must tack at the same spot. This develops spatial awareness and timing, and the leader rotates after each upwind leg.

Tack Count Challenge - Set a windward mark roughly 200 m upwind. Sailors race to reach it with the fewest tacks possible, teaching them to hold a close-hauled course rather than pinching or over-tacking.

Gybing is often feared more than tacking because the boom swings quickly and the boat can become unstable in stronger winds. Controlled practice in moderate conditions builds muscle memory so that gybes become second nature.

Controlled Gybe - Sail on a broad reach, call "ready to gybe," sheet the mainsheet in to centre, steer through dead downwind, let the boom cross, then ease the sheet out on the new side. The key is sheeting in before bearing away - this reduces the speed and violence of the boom swing.

Downwind Slalom - Lay 4–6 marks in a zigzag pattern downwind. Sailors gybe around each mark, alternating sides. This forces repeated gybes with a purpose and helps sailors link gybes to course changes rather than treating them as isolated manoeuvres.

Gybe-Mark Circuit - Set a triangular or sausage course. Every leeward mark rounding requires a gybe. Sailors complete laps, and the coach scores for clean, non-capsizing gybes rather than speed.

Good starts win races; good mark roundings keep the position. These drills introduce race-relevant skills progressively so students develop confidence before entering competitive fleets.

Gate Starts - One boat (the "gate boat") sails close-hauled on port tack. The rest of the fleet starts by ducking behind the gate boat and tacking onto starboard. This eliminates pile-ups at a fixed line and teaches sailors to judge laylines in real time.

Rabbit Starts - Similar to a gate start, but used in training. The pathfinder boat sails at a fixed speed; other boats time their approach to slot in behind. The drill develops speed awareness and close-quarters boat handling.

Pin-End Bias - The coach deliberately sets a biased start line (pin end favoured by 5–10 degrees). Sailors must identify the bias and fight for position at the pin. This teaches line sight, transit reading, and tactical awareness.

Every dinghy sailor will capsize. Practising recovery in controlled conditions removes panic and builds genuine confidence on the water. The RYA recommends capsize drill as a standard part of every beginner and improver course.

Controlled Capsize - In warm, light conditions, deliberately capsize to leeward. Crew stays in contact with the boat at all times. The objective is to experience the capsize slowly and calmly, removing the shock factor.

Scoop Method - The standard single-hander recovery. The sailor swims to the centreboard, climbs onto it, and leans back. As the boat rolls upright, the sailor is "scooped" into the cockpit. The mast must be at 90 degrees (flat on the water) before applying weight to the board.

Inversion Recovery - If the boat goes fully inverted (turtled), the sailor must stand on the hull near the transom, reach the centreboard tip, and break the mast free of the mud/suction. Once the boat is on its side, proceed with the scoop method.

MOB recovery is a critical safety skill for any sailing environment - from dinghies to keelboats. The RYA teaches a structured approach: Shout, Point, Recover. Every crew member must know the sequence by heart.

Shout-Point-Recover - The moment someone goes overboard: (1) Shout "Man overboard!" to alert the crew, (2) one crew member points at the MOB continuously and never looks away, (3) the helm executes a recovery manoeuvre. Continuous pointing is vital because a head in the water is nearly invisible at 50 m.

Reach-Tack-Reach - The standard dinghy MOB approach. Bear away onto a beam reach, tack, then reach back to the MOB on the opposite tack. This positions the boat to arrive slowly, under control, with the MOB on the windward side.

Crash Stop (Quick Stop) - Used when immediate recovery is essential. Tack instantly without releasing the jib (backs the jib), let the boat round up and stall near the MOB. Fast but requires confident boat handling.

1. Shout "Man overboard!" immediately
2. Designate a pointer - they do not look away
3. Throw a buoyancy aid or danbuoy if available
4. Execute reach-tack-reach or crash stop
5. Approach on a close reach - slow and controlled
6. Make contact on the windward side of the boat
7. Kill all speed, recover the casualty