Coaching with Coach Jon – San Diego Argonauts

San Diego Yacht Club Coach and fellow Argonaut Jon Rogers shares his years of sailing experience and wisdom through a series of concise, high-impact short videos.

Scroll down for a bonus DF95 tuning session from Ken Read, President of North Sails.

Lesson 1 – The 3 Rules of Sailing Starts

The Cardinal Rule of Sailing Starts: Slow before Start, Fast Trigger at the 3-Second Mark

Two types of Starts:
1) Starboard & Hold Lane
2) Starboard & Tack ASAP

Demo 1 – Concepts covered:
1) Staying Close to the Line
2) Heaving To (for Slow Speed)
3) Trigger at the 3-Second Mark

Demo 2 – Concepts covered:
1) Staying Close to the Line
2) Heaving To (for Slow Speed)
3) Trigger at the 3-Second Mark

Lesson 2 – Upwind Sailing, Telltales, & Tacking

Concepts covered:
1) Using telltales on Sails & Using Other Boats as Telltales. 2) Leeward Telltale is Key.

Concepts covered:
1) Leeward Telltale
2) Stalling & Pinching
3) Tacking: Slow first, Flatten the Boat, & then Fast

Concepts covered:
1) Do not turn the rudder quickly when the boat is heeled too much
2) Get the boat flat before turning the rudder in a big way
3) Other benefits of turning slowly during tacks

Demo 1 – Concepts covered:
1) Sailing close-hauled using telltales on sails
2) Using the leeward side telltale as a key indicator
3) Stalling & Pinching

Demo 2 – Concepts covered:
1) Fast turns push the bow down (slowing the boat)
2) Flattening the boat (by turning the boat slowly first) is more efficient.

Lesson 3 – Windward Mark: Picking Laylines, The Delayed Duck, & Fast Exit