The off-season is for many sailors a time to chill out, relax and avoid the cold weather, but the autumn and winter months are a perfect time to work on many things both on and off the water.
Boat prep.
So many people immediately forget about their boats when they stop sailing. The repairs that we meant to do; the boat improvements; they all get forgotten about until the Spring when there is a mad dash towards the first race of the year. Don’t start early- just don’t stop. Slowly sorting out the problems or improvements in the off-season will mean that you are prepared and have an advantage come the Spring.
Don’t stop.
Whilst the cold weather is enough to put lots of people off, there is so much good sailing gear around to keep you warm but also able to function at your best. A good steamer and base layers will ensure you keep your temperature up and in turn keep you more alert. P.S. Don’t forget your hat!
Read.
If you do decide to stay off the water until it warms up again, there is plenty of reading and studying that you can do to improve the mental part of your sailing game. More than ever there are so many books, articles and blogs available to expand your sailing on every level. I am a particular fan of Paul Elvström’s vintage classic Expert Dinghy and Keelboat Racing.
Read more.
In case you missed the point, read. Be disciplined and identify your flaws, then work out what you need to do to improve them. Also, don’t underestimate the usefulness of platforms like YouTube for training and learning purposes.
Gear up.
After a hard year of sailing we often forget to look after our gear. Identify your tired gear, and even if you only replace one block at a time, make sure you go to DinghyShack to discover the great range of Viadana ball bearing blocks and Kingfisher ropes. Christmas is coming, and a ratchet block is much more useful than a pair of Christmas socks! Not sure what you need? Don’t worry, we specialise in small boat systems and equipment, so drop us an email or give us a call and we will be able to put you in the right direction.