A abandoned. things needto changeorbe group control signals incase safety and alongside thenormal prevail instandard FTLexercises, and ‘no beingovertaken’ should Basic rulesof ‘no overtaking’, sailors to around oneboatlength. decreased for more advanced boats,between whichcanbe about three to four boatlengths » » » elements to focus on include: If using FTL for skills coaching, some setting upthesession Improving skillsand improve sailingskillsandtomaximisegroup control. Simon Winkley water. But ensuring that students gain value, knowledge and skills is trickier than you Amight popular think. exercise used during sessions afoat is to get our dinghies to sail in formation around the 14 Justifying theexercise The session brief shouldjustify The sessionbrief session is, level intheprevailing conditions? on thestudentsattheirparticular exercise placetoo muchpressure close formation orcouldsuchan readyactually to sailinsuch whether you feel thegroup is to gainfrom it.Alsoaskyourself shouldexpect suggest whatthey the exercise to thestudentsand

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a Follow theLeader (FTL) yourself whenplanning useful questionto ask ‘What are myobjectives?’ ‘What ol andstopping Tel: E-mail: Chief Instructor, Dinghy & fng Windsur Amanda Van Santen , RYA Coach Assessor, looks at when and how to use Follow The Leader exercises to 023 80604179 [email protected] around acourse! when sailingasanindividual exercise thatisnotalways felt toautomatically the addsathrill proximity ofotherboats outcome or efect. into action and to understand the enable them to put each point much to focus on and this will providing your students with too overtaking any boats in front. Avoid in stronger winds and avoid for turbulence) to slow the boat setting (oversheeting downwind trim (sinking the stern) and sail in areas such as exaggerating advanced students worked hard essentials. Intermediate and should be to focus on the f ve positioning, similarto racestarts. test their speed control and boat back into a neat formation will really the line. Getting all the boats quickly leader to the person at the back of the whistle which will change the could be tacked simultaneously on control. boat in front tacks will aid group boat to tack where, not when, the consideration. Initially getting each the group to turn is a crucial Remember thattheclose Remember A key objective for all levels As the group advances, all boats When and where to get lead to lossofcontrol anda to adistantsailingarea could agroupSetting offrom a beach Group Control safety needs careful consideration. lead from thepowerboat but Alternatively can theinstructor in adinghy hasbestef ect. orassistanttoinstructor lead Nominating awell-briefed considerations Who willlead,andsafety used asafunchallenge. the endofline. This canalsobe hover before acceleratingto rejoin asthey tests theirlying-to skills is to sendthemto theback. This from thepowerboat, oneoption maintain therequired distance success. upwind help themwithearly upwind follow asthey you can to shore. Zig-zagging beginners continue orthegroup canreturn ‘in tow’, thesessioncaneither Then, whenallthegroup are boats to thebackofline. addingmoreand forth more the powerboat asyou driveback onedinghy toselecting follow to maintaingroupearly control, are they ofdoingso).Act atrisk begun to spread out(or looklike sweep upagroup whohave nominated sailingarea. group intransitto andfrom the ef meansofcontrollingective the situation.FTLisan starburst If thefrstboatisunableto If FTL isalsoagreat methodto Follow the Leader being lost. as there ofgroup isarisk control needs to becarefully managed clear andthesession setupsafely. remember, objectives need to be the sailing becomes more fun. But as the challenges increase and little extra zest to coaching sessions group control as well as adding a provide dynamic opportunities for aspossible.clearly tothe instructor communicate as spotter, where available, allows considerations, andadriveror These are fundamentalsafety » » » considerations: such asFTL.Here are some whilerunningsessions observed thatshouldbe good practice Training andCoaching’ of aPowerboat for On Water

Use ofastudentastheleader Used efectively, FTL exercises a clearmessageacross. multiple boatsmightfailto get over theengine noiseto minimal asshoutinginstructions to be powerboat islikely C or to gybeunexpectedly. the group to eitherlosepower downwind whichcouldcause go zone too deep ordriving avoid creeping into theno- but careto shouldbetaken An wind. regard to theboat’s angleto the carethe drivermusttake with When leadingfr The RYA resource ommunication from a y pointofsailcanbeutilised www .rya.org.uk om apowerboat ‘Ef Useective details

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