May Training Weekend – Tactics, Teamwork and Thinking Ahead

May saw the welcome return of Steve Irish, with the focus of the weekend shifting from boat handling to race tactics and understanding where you are sailing on the racecourse and knowing the conditions.

The weather forecast wasn't looking particularly promising. Temperatures were high and the wind was expected to be light, making it one of those weekends where patience and good decision making would be just as important as sailing skills.

With the breeze not due to build until around 10:00 on Saturday morning, we made the most of the time ashore. Steve led an excellent session on understanding weather forecasts and, more importantly, how to interpret them for racing. While weather forecasts cover a large area, a racecourse is relatively small, and recognising the local effects can make all the difference.

Building on the previous month's training, we also revisited the importance of maintaining focus, understanding the sailing instructions and making good decisions throughout a race.

Once the boats were rigged, there was just enough breeze to head out onto the water. As always, crews rotated through the different roles on board, giving everyone the opportunity to understand the responsibilities of each position.

Light winds demand an enormous amount of concentration from the whole crew, but especially from the visually impaired helm. Every movement counts. Correct crew weight placement becomes essential, helping the boat roll smoothly through tacks and ensuring the sails keep drawing efficiently in the lighter breeze.

We were fortunate that the wind held throughout the day, allowing us to stay on the water until around 5 pm as the sun began to set. Conditions constantly challenged the crews, with narrow bands of fresh breeze appearing across the lake alongside frustrating headers. It was easy to fall out of phase with the wind, lose distance to other boats or execute a slow tack simply because the crew's weight wasn't in the right place at the right time.

After another rewarding day on the water, everyone gathered on the Rutland Sailing Club balcony to relax, chat and enjoy a spectacular sunset after a warm and thoroughly enjoyable day.

Sunday Ashore – Learning Beyond the Boat

Sunday proved true to the forecast, with not enough wind to launch the boats. However, what could have been a disappointing day turned into a valuable opportunity to continue learning ashore.

Working in groups, sailors explored the different crew roles in more detail, discussing the information each role needs to give and receive throughout a race. Good communication is one of the foundations of successful sailing, and these principles can be applied to any team, whatever the event.

The group also reviewed the event guides for the three venues we will be visiting during the 2026 season. It was a great opportunity to look at accessibility, identify areas where additional support might be needed and begin planning well in advance. Even ChatGPT proved useful in helping research information and answer questions as part of the discussions!

As always, the weekend was about far more than simply sailing. It was about learning together, sharing experiences and continually improving both on and off the water.

A huge thank you to Steve Irish, all of our volunteers and everyone who took part in another fantastic training weekend.

As we look ahead to more training in June, keep getting out on the water whenever you can. Every hour spent sailing builds confidence and experience, making these training weekends even more valuable. Most importantly, keep making notes, reflecting on what you've learned and bringing those lessons back to the next session.

We look forward to seeing everyone again in June.