COACHING &
TRAINING
MASTERING THE MUSTO SKIFF
TRAINING | STRATEGIES | TACTICS
The best way to learn to sail the Musto Skiff is to get out there on the water and give it a go.
Whilst we all want to be great sailors, we also want to have fun when we sail! Whether you are new to the class or an experienced sailor who wants to improve in certain areas, our aim is to help you to develop your sailing skills and knowledge to better enjoy this fantastic skiff.
This page includes our official training videos to learn the basics of the Musto Skiff, as well as articles and other videos to help you to improve your boat handling and racing techniques.
Musto Skiff Training Video Series:
'The Musto Skiff Basics'
‘The Musto Skiff Basics’ video series is aimed at sailors who are new to the Musto Skiff, as well as those that are looking to improve their boat handling and racing techniques.
The video series covers:
- Rigging
- Launching & Landing
- Tacking
- Gybing
- Hoisting & Dropping
- Upwind Speed
- Downwind Speed
- Mark Roundings
- Capsize Recovery
To support growth in the class and encourage more people to demo and sail the Musto Skiff, these new training videos are available as a free training tool for the class. Explore each of the videos below, or head over to our class YouTube channel.
Training Video 1:
Rigging
Features:
- 01 – Stepping the Musto Skiff Mast
- 02 – Rigging the Musto Skiff Kite
- 03 – Hoisting the Musto Skiff Mainsail
- 04 – Setting Batten Tension
- 05 – Setting Rig Tension & Rake
Training Video 2:
Launching & Landing
Features:
- 01 – Launching the Musto Skiff
- 02 – Landing the Musto Skiff
Training Video 3:
Tacking
Features:
- 01 – Enter flat and fast
- 02 – Downhaul on When Tacking
- 03 – Crossing the boat
- 04 – Oversteer to maintain flow on the foils
- 05 – Ease main to maintain speed on exit
Training Video 4:
Gybing
Features:
- 01 – Enter flat and fast
- 02 – Body weight when gybing
- 03 – Kite trim when gybing
- 04 – Main Trim when gybing
Training Video 5:
Hoisting & Dropping
Features:
- 01 – Tiller positioning when hoisting and dropping
- 02 – Body weight when hoisting and dropping
- 03 – Hoisting and dropping the kite
Training Video 6:
Upwind Speed
Features:
- 01 – Tuning the Musto Skiff Main
- 02 – Pinching in the Musto Skiff
- 03 – Flat and fast
- 04 – Trapezing in the Musto Skiff
Training Video 7:
Downwind Speed
Features:
- 01 – Vang settings downwind in the Musto Skiff
- 02 – Downhaul settings downwind in the Musto Skiff
- 03 – Using the mainsheet downwind in the Musto Skiff
- 04 – Weight trim downwind in the Musto Skiff
- 05 – Dealing with big waves & gusts in the Musto Skiff
- 06 – VMG angles on the Musto Skiff
Training Video 8:
Mark Roundings
Features:
- 01 – Flat, fast & controls off when rounding the mark
- 02 – Easing main fully as rounding the mark
- 03 – Hoisting & going following the rounding
- 04 – Rounding the leward mark
Training Video 9:
Capsize Recovery
Features:
- 01 – Dropping the kite following a capsize
- 02 – Release controls following a capsize
- 03 – Righting the Musto Skiff with the mast downwind
- 04 – Righting the Musto Skiff with the mast into the wind
- 05 – Settling in the boat following righting
Musto Skiff Training EVENTS
We highly recommend joining one of our class training sessions during the season to fast track your learning curve. We aim to host at least one organised training session just before our Worlds, and throughout the year, local classes also organise their own training for their class members.
Contact your local class / country representative to find out the latest training schedule for your region.
Don’t forget to join the class Facebook group for your region. Both organised and informal training sessions are usually shared via these groups. We also share regular update on our class Facebook page too. The class social media groups, as well as your local sailing club, are great places to find training buddies and get lots of useful advice.
GETTING STARTED WITH THE Musto Skiff
Whilst we all want to be great sailors, we also want to have fun when we sail! Whether you are new to the class or an experienced sailor who wants to improve in certain areas, our aim is to help you to develop your sailing skills and knowledge to better enjoy this fantastic skiff.
We aim to host at least one organised training session just before our Worlds, and throughout the year local classes also organise their own training for their class members. Contact your local country representative to find out the latest training schedule for your region.
You can get started with the basics in the step-by-step guides below, which cover how to launch, tack, hoist, gybe and drop:
ARTICLES ON MUSTO SKIFF TRAINING & TACTICS
Noble Marine Insurance sponsored MUSTO Skiff training at Stokes Bay with Dan Henderson
The MUSTO Skiff Autumn training event was aimed at those sailors in their second and third seasons who had worked out how to sail their boats and were now keen on competing better at Open Meetings and Championships. Dan Henderson (MUSTO World Champion 2011) was lead coach.
Noble Marine Insurance sponsored MUSTO Skiff training at Wilsonian Sailing Club with Russ Clark
We met with Russ at 10am Saturday. From the forecast it was clear we set for a great day Saturday with 8-10 mph of breeze, but the possibility of no wind on Sunday. It was quickly agreed that we’d have a full day sailing Saturday with a thorough analysis on Sunday before Russ leaves at midday.
Noble Marine Insurance sponsored MUSTO Skiff training at Stokes Bay with Russ Clark
On an unusually foggy and windless Saturday on the south coast, eight MUSTO Skiff sailors gathered for a day’s training at Stokes Bay Sailing Club. The session was deliberately aimed at those new into the class and those looking to improve their boat knowledge to move them up the fleet.
MUSTO Skiff Training at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club coaching with Ian Turnbull
Yorkshire Dales was the venue for the MUSTO Skiff fleet training on Easter Friday. Ian Turnbull was invited to take on the roll of coaching the fastest growing fleet in the north, who now have 8 regularly sailed boats.
Learning to sail a MUSTO Skiff on a limb…
The Irish ‘skiff scene’ has always been something of a misnomer. No club in the country could claim to have anything resembling a skiff fleet. Although they can sometimes be seen honing their skills on local waters, for the most part, the Irish 49er squaddies ply their trade in the Olympic sphere. As a result, there has been no ‘trickle-down’ effect to weekend-warrior level.
ACO sponsored MUSTO Skiff Training – Palma 2017
ACO sponsored MUSTO Skiff Training at CNA, Palma de Mallorca (26-27 May 17) Report by Russ Clark I have just had the pleasure of coaching over 30 sailors from countries from as far afield as Australia and Norway during the ACO sponsored MUSTO Skiff class training.
MUSTO Skiff Training at Stokes Bay (GBR) 2016
Five boats travelled to Stokes Bay to join the ten locals for the Noble Marine Sponsored MUSTO Skiff Coaching at Stokes Bay with Ben Schooling ably assisted by Mike Palfreman.
Transition from the 29er to the Musto Skiff
From the first race at Hayling up till the present day, I have always believed that you don’t have to be Super Man to sail the MUSTO, it just takes practice, some time on the water, and a little more practice to get to the front of the fleet.
OTHER MUSTO SKIFF TRAINING VIDEOS
Access a range of training videos in the Musto Skiff Archive Hub using the link button below:
Purchase the "K16 Taking Control" Musto Skiff Training DVD by Richard Stenhouse.
About the “K16 Taking Control” video:
“The Musto Skiff is a single handed, high performance sailing boat, with trapeze, main and kite, without the right techniques helming can be a bit of a handful. Former Olympian, Richard Stenhouse, shows how to bring the beast under control, so you don’t have to learn the hard way. Featuring all the boat handling skills he used to win the World Sailing Musto Skiff world championships. Kit Stenhouse talks you through the important points, and interviews the experts for some top tips, to get you up to speed quickly. Contains innovative camera shots, making it feel like your there sailing the Musto Skiff.” – Original sound track by musician and skiff sailor Barry Shotton enhances the great footage. Only available in DVD format.
SKIFF SAILOR SECRETS....
For some top tips from some of the best sailors in our class over the years, visit our ‘Training: Top Tips’ page here.
You can also find loads more tips for your boat and improving sailing performance in our ‘Pimp My Skiff‘ section.
SUPPORT MATERIALS FOR COACHES
Each class association can organise training sessions for their members throughout the year. The legal position of a coach may be different from one country to another. The class strongly advises that the national authority is contacted to ensure that what is being planned meets with all requirements, including insurance.
Checking your local requirements is even more important in the current climate with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may require you to follow extra guidelines and regulations to safely host a training session in your local country. However, the following PDF documents are a good starting point to help you plan your next local training session.
World Sailing Risk Assessment Document (Example Template)
This template highlights the important information for coaches to record, including a risk assessment section.
Example of a 'Risk Assessment Document'
This document is an example of how you can use the World Sailing Risk Assessment Document template to plan your local training session.
Event Coaching Application - GBR Class
This form must be completed by any coach hosting a training session for the GBR Class.
RYA Medical Form - GBR Class
It is the coaches responsibility to ensure that all participants at their training session complete the RYA medical form. (Additional COVID-19 health forms may also be required.)
World Sailing Risk Assessment Document (Example Template)
This template highlights the important information for coaches to record, including a risk assessment section.
Example of a 'Risk Assessment Document'
This document is an example of how you can use the World Sailing Risk Assessment Document template to plan your local training session.
Event Coaching Application - GBR Class
This form must be completed by any coach hosting a training session for the GBR Class.
RYA Medical Form - GBR Class
It is the coaches responsibility to ensure that all participants at their training session complete the RYA medical form. (Additional COVID-19 health forms may also be required.)
