Crossover Techniques and Physical Conditioning Tim Law
Tim Law really requires no introduction, he has a distinguished sailing career spanning six decades, from racing the Cadet successfully with his brother Chris to winning the Fastnet Race in 1993. His successes in the ILCA class include World Masters Games Gold in the ILCA class in 2017, ILCA 7 Inland Championship wins and the Great Grand Masters ILCA World title in 2023. The Salcombe based sailor is also a long time Solo sailor with Championship race wins and overall results all inside the top ten.
2012 Nationals 7th 2013 Nationals 8th (116 entries, 2014 Nation’s Cup 7th 2016 Nationals 5th 2017 Nationals 5th 2018 Nationals (103 entries) 2018 Nation’s Cup 3rd 2019 Nation’s Cup 3rd
2021 Nationals 9th 2023 Nationals 9th
As a new season ends I have been asked to write down a few thoughts Firstly concerning any tips or techniques that I have learned from racing ILCA/lasers over the last 50 plus years that I have tried to transfer when I now race a Solo and also secondly my attempt to improve and maintain my physical fitness during my late middle age in order to try and maintain my racing performance approaching my 70th birthday. When considering whether to race either in an ILCA or a Solo initially you might do so expecting there to be little or no di ff erence as they are both are generically single-handed one design racing dinghies whereas in fact the ILCA is a very strict one design whilst the Solo although a one design allows a number of di ff erent hull shapes as well as di ff erent mast and sail options therefore multiplying the variables compared to racing an ILCA. And of course the Solo’s fundamental design also di ff ers from the ILCA in many ways including its chine hull shape, it’s rig being supported by shrouds, having a more e ff ective rudder and also allowing many di ff erent sailmakers and therefore sail shapes SELF ASSESSMENT So the first technique I try to utilise when racing a Solo is more of a psychological one. When I feel that my boat speed is slow My first thought is not that I have the wrong mast rake or the wrong sail or settings etc but instead that the problem is actually probably the way I am sailing the boat at the time ( or weed )! Because in the same situation racing an ILCA you have to think that way because it can’t be anything else as the boats are all the same! And probably, nine times out of ten that is the stark reality and believe me it works. After the race you can check on set up and settings but not whilst you are racing. Negative thoughts are slow thoughts. Pleasingly during the 15 years that I have been racing the general development of the Solo by the builders has improved the quality so much that the boats now seem to me more evenly
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