1

Perfecting Your Technical Preparation

Peter Bentley

Technical Manger - RYA Olympic Program

2

Perfectionist?

3

Perfectionists?

4

“Failing to plan is planning to fail”. Abraham Lincoln

Perfectionist? Many have the will to win, few have the will

to prepare

5

Four Steps

1. Set-up

2. Maintenance

3. Tuning

4. Development

6

1 Set-Up

• Setting up the boat to your preferences

• Reliable• Symmetrical

and aligned• Fair and

smooth• Tuned

according to known fast settings

7

2 Maintenance

• Keep everything in perfect working order

• Daily boat-check• Choose your time

to make repairs• The right spares• The right tools

8

3 Tuning

• Develop boat speed to maximum potential with standard kit

• Two-boat tuning• Repeatable fast

settings• The importance of

accurate measurement and recording

9

4 Development

• Trying to improve on the standard kit

• Understanding• Clarity of goals• Clarity of method• The need for

precision

10

Methodical progress

• You can’t run before you can walk

• Missing out steps takes more time in the end

11

Strategy

• You can’t do everything yourself

• Winners use all the help they can get

• If you ignore the problem it won’t go away

• Develop a strategic solution to technical problems

12

Tools and spares

• Tools and spares are at the heart of your boat preparation

• They are an essential, not a luxury

• Learn what you need and learn to use it

• Look after your tools as well as you look after your boat

13

Resources

• Guidance Notes• Tool box lists with

suppliers• Nut and bolt order• www.peterbentleypictures.com/rya

14

World Class Preparation

• World Class is not “Good enough for now”

• World Class is not “Better than the competition”

• World Class is not “I’ll do it tomorrow”

• World Class is simply being the best in every area.

15

When everything is perfect…...