The Scorpio Program

We attribute Scorpio's successful race record to the design and sailing characteristics of the boat, an extravagant maintenance program, great sails, great crew and a growing list of techniques that have worked for us.  Following are some of the specific practices (in no particular order) that we believe have significantly contributed to our successful race program.  While most of these techniques are not unique to Scorpio, we believe they are often overlooked on other race boats.  Although we DON'T take ourselves seriously, we DO take the program seriously.

Competitive Sportsmanship.  On Scorpio, winning isn't the most important thing; sailing well is.  If we sail well and finish fifth, we spend a lot of time in our post-race crew meeting figuring out what happened.  Then we go out of our way to congratulate those who beat us.  I truly believe that sailing poorly and winning is less satisfying.  We're all fiercely competitive on the boat, but that zeal stays on the boat.  On the boat we do our best to beat all competitors, but we don't (any longer) yell at competitors.  If we're fouled, it's up to the tactician and/or skipper to communicate with the other boat(s).  If there's doubt, the skipper and tactician discuss it and sometimes ask the other boat(s).  If we determine that we fouled someone, we take our penalty, PERIOD.  We only file Protests if we're sure we can win, recognizing that it's a 50/50 proposition.  Yacht racing is a great sport and being fair and honest is one way to keep it that way.

Foul-Free Racing Strategy.  Related to the above, we've observed over the years, that successful sailing teams rarely, if ever, go to the Protest Room.  These cagey guys have figured out that getting involved in questionable situations doesn't pay.  Accordingly, they plan ahead and simply avoid the cluster*@#!s.  As a result, they spend more time in clean air, less time doing penalty turns, and instead use their free time polishing their pickle dishes.  Team Scorpio attempts to emulate this practice.

Sail Small Boats.  It's amazing how sailing small boats improves big boat performance.  It provides an edge that's hard to explain.  Do it whenever possible ... the smaller the better.

Document-Document-Document.  Keeping careful records of boat activity can be a valuable resource when trying to figure out how to improve or sustain performance.  Just as recording sail and boat usage, taking and keeping race notes has served us well.  Reviewing the good and bad of past race activity can be very revealing.  I'm forever amazed at the new insights I get from looking a past race records and crew lists.  We've only started keeping post-race notes the past couple of years.  Sharing these insights with the crew is helpful to all as they sometime point out entirely different perspectives (which are usually right).  In this site, we've included race results for each significant race along with crew lists and results of all competitors.

The Crew Fireman.  The fireman on Scorpio is a utility person who has no specific responsibilities other than to pitch in in various capacities when needed.  Typical duties include relief grinding, serving as a human pole going into leeward marks, jumping the mainsheet when rounding leeward marks, assisting with foredeck cleanup, etc.  On Scorpio, the fireman rarely if ever needs to be told what to do:  there's always something.  Many of the tasks are defined at pre and post-race crew meetings.

The Sewer Position.  Having a dedicated sewerman, in our case sewerbabe, who has exclusive responsibility for handling spinnakers and respective sheets/guys and halyards, makes launching from the forward hatch bulletproof.  This person also prevents wraps and other problems on hoists by banding spinnakers (with yarn), and running a tape as the kite is hoisted.  This person also helps with douses by ensuring that once any portion of the spinnaker goes down the hatch, it remains there.   The combination of perfecting this and hatch launching, may be our most important edge.  This is a full-time position. The biggest problem is finding someone who is willing and able to handle the job.  Working in the drenched, dark, freezing bow of a bucking race boat is not many peoples' idea of fun.  It takes a cast iron stomach, brains, strength, and dexterity.  Thanks Joy!

Hatch Spinnaker Launching.  It's clear that a bowman lugging a spinnaker turtle to the rail and hooking it up, attracts everyone's attention and destroys the focus of the back of the boat.  On Scorpio spinnakers are prepared and set up by the sewerman in the forepeak of the boat.  Spinnakers are launched and doused using the forward hatch.  Sheets, guys, and spinnaker halyards always stay connected to the spinnaker and are doused into the hatch along with the kite itself.  The bow team never unshackles sheets, guys, and halyards.  With this approach, the sewer person can have three or four spinnakers banded (with carefully selected yarn) and ready to go.  As late as 15 seconds from the top mark, the call can be made for a specific spinnaker.  The sewerman has all the clews and heads readily available (using plastic hooks on support lines) and connects the halyard and sheet/guy combinations in a matter of seconds.  If a late gybe-set is called for, the sewerman clips the sheet, guy, and halyard shackles together and tosses them out of the hatch to be run to the other side by the on deck crew, after which the bowman drops the three connected lines down the hatch on the other side. 

Windward Douses.  Dinghies and small boats nearly always douse the spinnaker on the windward side of the boat.  This complicates the leeward mark rounding, but it greatly facilitates hoists at the windward mark.  To elaborate, in windward-leeward courses, if the kite comes down on the windward side, all the gear is on the proper side for a bear away set when it goes back up.  There are two exceptions to this practice,  First if we end up reaching to the bottom mark, taking it down to leeward may be the only practical choice.  Second, taking it down to leeward facilitates a gybe-set on the next hoist.  However, because situations change so often, we find it's usually a mistake to call for a gybe-set until very near the top mark.  As a result, on courses with port roundings, we almost always take the spinnaker down on the left side.  If a gybe-set subsequently seems to make sense, running the gear around isn't too big a deal. 

Use of Checkstays.  On Scorpio the runners are actually checkstays.  While the mast is fairly strong and doesn't, in most conditions, depend on runners to keep it standing, the checkstays allow us to maintain adequate headstay tension and proper mainsail shape.  The mainsail trimmer makes the call on runner tension.

Foredeck Cleanup Strategy.  On Scorpio, we sail with 11 crew.  The bow team consists of a bowman and mastman with frequent assistance from the fireman .  Once the spinnaker is up and flying, the jib halyard is shackled to the fraculator and the pit person pulls the mast forward.  Then the bowman and mastman  get to work carefully flaking and bagging the headsail.  On most runs, the bagged headsail goes below deck and the run is sailed with an empty foredeck.  This simplifies gybes and eliminates the temptation of staying with the wrong jib just because it's convenient.  As we approach the leeward mark or gate, the bow team brings on deck the jib selected by the afterguard and prepare it for use.  Being carefully flaked and bagged allows for a late, smooth jib hoist and hence a later spinnaker douse.  This may seem like unnecessary extra work, but this obsession pays great dividends.

A Quiet Boat:  We find that chatter on the boat is detrimental and very distracting to everyone.  Unless there's something important to say (e.g. calling puffs, waves, etc.), rail chatter is verboten.  Crew feedback is, however, encouraged at post-race meetings.

A Dry Boat.  We discovered, quite by chance, that racing and drinking alcoholic beverages don't mix very well.  We now make a point of leaving beer at the dock.  We've decided that even a single beer adversely affects our sharpness.  A one second hesitation at a mark rounding can make the difference between winning and losing.  On long ocean races, we carry a standard-sized bottle of wine to be shared by our ocean crew of six at each dinner meal.  Beyond that, we no longer race with alcohol on the boat.  It may be a coincidence, but we've done noticeably better since implementing this policy.  I should add that, at the bar after the race, we do make up for our deprivation.  Scott:  you deserve the credit for convincing us that this concept is important!

A Stripped Boat.  We've found that obsessing about weight and superfluous gear on the boat, pays dividends.  For this reason, we remove all unnecessary stuff before leaving the dock.  This includes that extra winch handle, extra screw driver, unnecessary sails, docklines, fenders, gearbags, etc. 

Proper Sails.  Every successful sailboat racing program has a solid sail inventory.  Given the cost of new sails, we follow a few principles that have significantly elevated our sail program.  First, follow a rigid purchase plan.  Ours is to add one new main or jib each year and add a spinnaker every other year.  This relatively affordable approach insures that we always have good sails.  Second, we use our racing sails judiciously.  For example, we now have multiple sets of sails, the top group consists of a main, three jibs and three spinnakers.  They are only used for high-level regattas.  They are never used for daysails or deliveries.  Third, we treat our sails with "kid gloves".  We keep them dry, carefully flake them, and store them in a loft equipped with a constantly running dehumidifier.  Finally, we carefully log sail usage in 15 minute increments.  After each race, practice, daysail or delivery, we update the usage log for each sail used.

Attention to Bottom Smoothness.  This is obvious.  Good bottom paint over a well-prepared bottom is essential.  It's also important to establish a relationship with one or more reputable divers.  In four-day regattas, we'll have the bottom scrubbed them morning of the first and third days.

Importance of Crew Consistency and Practice.  This is not so obvious.  We've found that sailing with the same crew, race after race produces better results.  It's critical to publish a schedule early in the season and get commitments from all crew members.  Since emergencies and unscheduled business trips are inevitable, it's important to also line up at least one alternate.  It's also beneficial to bring in new blood whenever possible.  Individual crew skills are less important to the team than synergy, consistency and reliability.  Schedules should be reasonably modest to make it more likely to get commitments from the entire team.  Since ocean racing requires far fewer crew members, we attempt to select the ocean crew from the buoy race team.

Boat Maintenance.  The need for constant maintenance and upgrades is obvious.  The hire of a part-time boat captain is not so obvious, but ensures the quality of the boat and gear.  Breakdowns are very slow.

Early Sets and Late Douses.  The downwind legs of courses are often parades as there often aren't many passing lanes.  Flying the spinnaker at the earliest possible opportunity and for the longest time, is one way of passing other boats downwind.  This involves preparation.  On the entire layline leg, the crew should be focused on preparing for a clean and efficient hoist.  Similarly, being able to carry the kite longer than other boats can make leeward mark roundings hectic, but allows for big gains.  This requires teamwork and practice.  We've found that "losing" the pole early, sailing with a human guy, then dousing quickly as we round, followed by aggressive hiking during the rounding is a winning combination.

Effective Hiking.  To us, hiking is not simply sitting on the rail.  Effective hiking promotes pointing which results in gains.  Hiking hard at the start and during/after leeward mark roundings are critical.  For example, coming out of the leeward or gate, we try to get everyone on the rail hiking hard until we have the boat up to speed and in clean air.  Cleanup tasks should wait until we're in less critical situations.  We used to focus first on cleanup, then hiking.  This allows other boats to get by after the rounding.

Fore and Aft Weight Balancing.  Keeping the boat balanced is also critical, particularly in downwind situations.  We continually monitor our stern wake to insure that we're not dragging the transom.

Instrument Utilization.  Scorpio has a current inventory of B&G electronics.  Over the years, we've migrated many of the FFDs from bulkhead locations where they're often hidden by cockpit crew, to the 20/20 mast displays.  We now have five mast displays that we have set to:  boatspeed, true windspeed, true magnetic wind direction, analog wind direction gauge, and magnetic heading.  This may seem like overkill, but this seems to satisfy our collective needs, and we think gives us an edge.  Having the displays on the mast makes this important data available to all crew members.  In locations where current exists (e.g. SF Bay), we also pay close attention to bulkhead-situated GPS repeaters (one on each bulkhead) where we monitor SOG and COG numbers relative to the corresponding mast displays. Comparing speed through the water against SOG is a great way to judge current variations. 



Inhaulers.  Scorpio initially had three set of jib tracks.  Again, borrowing from the Farr 40s, we removed our inside tracks which always seemed slow, and added an inhauler system which allows the jib trimmers to essentially pull the jib tack inward without necessarily changing the lead itself.  This is especially helpful in pointing situations where it's important to climb over a boat or lay a mark.  It's usually slow, but the height is great!

Rail-Accessible Backstay Adjusting.  On beats and reaches, the Farr 40 One Design fleets play the backstay from the windward rail using wands connected to the center-located hydraulic system.  We "borrowed" this technique from the Farrs and move our hydraulic panel from the starboard side of the cockpit to the forward side of the steering quadrant.  We then fashioned carbon wands connected to the hydraulic handle.  Finally, we installed quick release valves and have them connected to pull strings led to the mainsail trimmer.  While it was not inexpensive, this upgrade may be the biggest "bang for the buck" we've enjoyed on Scorpio.  How many times have you neglected playing the backstay because the benefits would be overshadowed by the loss in crew hiking.  We found this to be a continuous compromise that we no longer have to endure.

Lead the Leech Cord and Cunningham to the Mainsail Trimmer.  Similar to being able to play the backstay from the rail, we also re-led our cunningham and leech cord control lines below deck and exiting at the main traveler.  This allows the main trimmer to make luff and leech sail adjustments without asking for crew help, and having them leave their critical hiking positions.  This is another huge advantage.

Floating Jib Tack with Controls Led to the Mainsail Trimmer.  Our latest change to Scorpio (June 2009) is the use of a a floating jib tack with a jib luff downhaul led to the mainsail trimmer.  Not the same as a jib cunningham, this control allows us to achieve continuous control over jib luff tension without resorting to grinding up the halyard on tacks.