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Lets face it, whether you are Ben Ainslie sailing an F50 catamaran or a beginner sailing an Optimist, we all love to go fast on the water.
We have all been in situations where you wish you had that extra bit of speed, maybe it's to get past that person who beats you most Sundays, or to hit the next speed on your GPS - speed is not only fun, but is also key for winning races.
In this article we cover 7 items that we believe will make your boat go faster on the water in 2023.
An essential for any time spent on the water, whether you are learning or a seasoned pro - knowing where the wind is coming from is essential to your boat set up, direction and speed.
We offer various options here at Sailing Chandlery, explore them below and see how one of these simple items can improve your sailing.
Just like the wind indicator on your boat, if you can't see how the wind is flowing across your sail how do you know where best to position the sail to make your boat go faster?
Add a set of tell tales to your sail and if the side nearest to you flaps sheet in, if the other side of the sail flaps let your sail out.
See how much speed you can gain by knowing how your sail is behaving.
In most classes keeping your boat flat is key to speed. Although tilting the boat might seem as though you are getting more speed and moving forward you'll find keeping the boat flat is much faster.
Invest in a good pair of hiking pads or pants and they'll take the pain out of hiking helping you to hike harder for longer, keeping that boat flat and projecting you forward at an improved speed.
If the bottom of your boat isn't smooth and clear from debris your boat isn't going to move as quickly through the water.
We are big fans of McLube Hullkote and use it on our own boats.
Give your boat a good wash with hot soapy water, let it dry and then apply McLube Hullkote to give an excellent finish. Simply rub it on with one cloth, then buff off with another - it doesn't take long and the citrus finish repels the water as your boat glides through the water.
If you're behind at the start of the race you might as well have not turned up. If you are going to fight back to a respectable position you're going to have to do something very different, or make a brave decision to split from the main fleet to try and gain some places back.
Forget all of that, get yourself a good sailing watch, practice your starts and make sure you are giving yourself the best chance of a good position by starting well.
Turned your boat over recently? Had a good look at the bottom of your hull? Is it smooth, clean and free from issues?
If the answer is no then you're losing essential speed every time your boat moves forward. Scratches, dents, repairs that are not smooth - all of these are reasonably easy to fix and will help your boat to glide through the water.
Imagine you are sailing along with a 12mm braid on braid polyester mainsheet, the excess is sitting in the bottom of your boat and that's got a bit of water in it. Your rope is soaking up that water making it heavier, not only on the boat but also through your hands and blocks.
Transform your boat to an 8mm mainsheet with dyneema and modern materials and you'll get the same strength from your rope but with much less weight, you'll also find that other materials do not soak up water the way a braid on braid does.
How much weight could you save on your boat using this technique?
If you have any questions about any of these 7 recommendations, or have another burning question you want answering then speak to our friendly team at Sailing Chandlery.
You can phone us on 01268 222912 or email info@sailingchandlery.com
