Communication: Key to Winning

Maybe was because there's a regatta (S.O.C.K.S.) coming up in a few weeks... Maybe it was because we upgraded from our number 3 genoa to number 2. Maybe it was because the wind speed was more to our liking... (although it went light toward the end of the race). Whatever the reason, communication on the boat was (IMO) excellent! Good enough to win race 4 of the Spring Series. There are three of us on a Santana 20: helm (skipper), middle and foredeck (that's me). On our boat, we clearly have a skipper but we also make decisions together.
I think it started in the pre-race setup, carried through right to the start and ultimately the finish horn. The other two have been sailing together for over 30 years. I joined them about 9 years ago. We have our roles pretty well figured out as you might imagine. Much of the time there's just a collective flow of information. Questions come up periodically and someone responds to but generally we each provide information based on our task and perspective. This information is taken and processed by the other two to help them with their tasks and influence the information they in turn need to feed back.
So, for example we are going to tack. "Ready about, helms a lee"... we roll and jump back to the new high side, in lighter air where we don't immediately come up to speed, I'll call out the numbers from the knot meter, our middle is looking for wind and waves and indicates the head sail trim. Our skipper (hearing the speed increasing) say he's coming up and works together with the trimmer as we become close hauled. Other maneuvers are similar...
And sailing up and downwind is also about communication when you're racing. The helmsman is watching the sails and driving. The trimmer is watching the sails and looking forward. I'm generally looking for wind and the boats around (ideally behind) us. Each of us indicating what we observe.
These are some of the key lessons in communication on our boat:
  • Listening is as important as talking -- providing information is important but everyone must also take the input of others to improve what they are doing and thinking.
  • Non-verbal -- On our boat, we know each others body language and tendencies. This helps understand what's happening on the boat even when the words are few. A hand motion indicates the location of a boat behind us. There are also times when you don't want to say anything. Worked out ahead of time, if I go forward everyone knows the boat behind us is going up and we're jibing.
  • Efficiency -- This has to be developed. This requires two parts that are generally worked out ahead of time. The words that are said have to convey the intended meaning (as they are received). For example, "give me more vang" is ambiguous... Do I ease it or snug it up? So you work out a common language or understand of how things will be stated so the meaning is clear.
  • Confidence in others role and ability -- This takes time as well. The more confidence each of us has in the others the easier it is for us to focus on our own jobs. In terms of communication, there's no second guessing the input or information coming from anyone.
  • working together... timing is everything -- All of it comes together and you feel like things are firing on all cylinders. That doesn't necessarily mean mistake free.... We all know mistakes happen! But when they do, all of the above should help.
Hey, communication must be important... there are courses offered on this stuff.

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