Using the Core/Vector Feel for Boat Speed

What the hell does that mean Paul? Well we hear it in sport all the time, he or she has the feel, or they are in the zone, or look at that comeback. When we race sailboats this is one of the many skills we need to develop to be successful. There are ways to train for getting in the feel, which will help you, get close, and then there is the natural talent that covers the last 8-10 percent.
I thought of this post while sailing in the California Offshore Week on a Santa Cruz 50. It had been 20 years since I sailed on a boat with a crew of nine who were new to me. Not that I have not been asked, I just prefer shorthanded sailing, on small teams with my buddies, or with my coaching clients. But the offer to race a SC 50 to Hawaii with my buddy Liz, has been on my list, so I dove in.

We were racing the final hours of the Coastal Cup from Monterey to Santa Barbra. We had been sailing just all right, giving away distance with a crew that had not gelled yet.
When we were about nine miles to the finish at night; with the wind fading, not like a few hours prior in 16-18 kts of wind with A2 pulling in fun small waves. But if you know this race fading wind is the case coming into Santa Barbra. So it was time to keep her going straight and cut the drag vectors on foils.
This involved my watch working to help the driver steer the boat with the sails in the fading breeze, and a sea state still bigger then the breeze.
Melinda Erkelens was driving who has excellent feel, and communicated the problem of fighting the boat. Julia Paxton was trimming the A2, being right on top of it getting the maximum out of the sail. Which was tough since it was not the right sail for the fading conditions, but a sail change would cost too much at this point, we had to keep moving knowing it would be Jib Top conditions very soon. Rebecca Hinden was grinding for Julia, and I was on the main.
We started trimming more aggressively, but smoothly, to steer the boat so Melinda could get down to turning just one spoke on the wheel or less. At this point if you hunt and chase her steering to stay on course, you go slower, the vector could double or triple, which is huge drag and a longer distance sailed. Melinda could immediately feel the difference with the trimming. When we started this process the boat speed was 6-7 kts in similar breeze, dropping quickly. When we did a shift of positions 90 min later the boat speed was 3-4 kts if we were lucky in the dying breeze. But the whole time it clicked on our watch, and distance to finish (DTF) was creeping closer. During this time the talk was minimal (also fast), with everything being said counting toward boat speed, we were in sync.
This is the core/vector feel I talk about. Great teams do this from start to finish, even if it is thousands of miles, THIS is what being on watch is all about.

Later we switched, and I drove to the finish with Julia still trimming, but we dropped the A2 since breeze had gone forward and lighter, and we just kept running into it. Up went Jib Top. By the time we finished at 01:30 Julia, who stayed fully focused, was holding the clew of the Jib Top on a Santa Cruz 50, and we felt fast at 0.8 kts. Might sound frustrating but to me it was the opposite, we won our class, and this finish helped us win our class for the week. Never give up, and trust the core/vector feel. This could have gone on all night, and you still need to stay on it.
This has always been my philosophy when sailing a boat fast in light wind or big breeze. Coaching clients ask me how I sail a boat fast, and I respond, vectors and your core. I get funny looks every time, but they get it after a few days of working on it with me.

I do not put marks on my boat except the halyards, and symmetrical sheets for jibes. The rest I think, why would I do that, it is never the same, and you need to learn to trust your feel/core. As for vectors, my mind is thinking all the vectors all the time, rig, hull, foils, wind true/apparent, boat trim; it is just something I have developed. I step on a boat, sails go up, and this app in my brain just turns on, I can’t stop it and don’t want too. I feel lucky to have it. And it was a gift to do it with my new teammates, thank you for that great night watch sailing to the finish.
During that same time there was other very special moment. While we were sailing in heavy mist at night toward that finish there was a huge bait ball with thousands of baitfish being hunted by dolphins. Dolphins were herding the bait, and then other dolphin would come in and eat the bait perpendicular. With the phosphorescence lighting it up, showing streaks of dolphin, and waves of bait, this went on for hours. Just specular, ser real, and it just added to the special moment. Gifts were everywhere that night.
On Kincora I have set my boat up to tweak everything within reach while I steer (see video below). Or I can hit the pilot, which is right next to me, dial it in, stand up, and every line I need to adjust is right there. This is critical to getting max performance out of a boat all the time, you need to setup the deck layout perfect for you. Need help let me know?
Lots going on and I will work on keeping you up to date. Thanks for reading, get out on the water, summer goes by quickly. See you soon, Paul