Photo: courtesy of Andrew Murdoch
Did you have a mentor or some other figure that significantly influenced your sailing career?
Andrew Murdoch: My father was a big part of my success. What he had learned in top-level motorsport helped me heaps in yachting campaigns. The two sports are very similar
How did you learn the racing game?
AM: The hard way! No, I guess through good advice and trial and error. Actually, I’m still learning; that’s the awesome thing about yachting—you never have it all perfect.
Do you have any rigging tricks?
AM: Not many tricks in rigging a Laser. Spraying your spars with McLube™ works well, and having a good setup for adjusting your hiking strap is handy. The rest of it is pretty standard.
How do you prepare for a race?
AM: Nothing special. I spend time in the gym and I have a good support team that helps me keep everything in check. I prepare the boat by checking everything to make sure there’s nothing dodgy or about to break. I spray all the fittings with McLube™ and give the boat a soapy wash and
polish if needed.
How do you deal with the stress of racing?
AM: I always make sure I have something to do when I’m not racing. Watching a DVD, listening to music, doing a bit of sightseeing—whatever is available.
What would you miss on your boat if you forgot it?
AM: My starting watch. I’ve had one fail before at a major regatta and it made things pretty interesting!
How do you feel judges’ close scrutiny on the water affects sailors, especially in a physically demanding boat like the Laser?
AM: It certainly affects things, but I think it affects some sailors more than others. Everyone pushes the rules hard, though I believe someone sailing their boat well and within the rules can beat someone who is forcing their boat.
Do you have any creative uses of McLube™ or Harken on your boat?
AM: I don't do anything that special. McLube™ works well on the clew tie around the boom. Harken X-Treme fairleads are awesome for adjusting the cunningham and outhaul while sailing upwind; they are bulletproof. Forty-millimeter Carbo ratchet blocks work well with six-millimeter mainsheets. I have just started using one instead of the 57 mm Hexaratchet and am really happy with it.
Is there another side of you that you’d like to share?
AM: They’re on hold at the moment due to my sailing commitments, but I’m more than halfway through my mechanical engineering studies.
What do you find most fun and rewarding about the sport?
AM: I’d have to say the quality of the racing. One of the great things about yachting is the number of variables. You are forever in pursuit of the perfect setup, start, etc.
What advice would you give to a new racer?
AM: Get some quality advice and coaching early on so you can learn to set up your boat well. Many boats can be very difficult to sail if the controls aren’t adjusted correctly. It is not uncommon to see a person new to the sport wrestling with poorly trimmed sails: with a couple a small adjustments, you can turn a boat from a beast into a beauty.
What has been your secret to the very successful year you’ve had?
AM: It has been a combination of a few things. I think I planned fairly well, aiming at a few key events throughout the year and working towards them. Also, I’ve had great support from my federation and sponsors, allowing me to concentrate on sailing.
How are you preparing for Qingdao?
AM: By now, everyone knows that Qingdao will be a tough venue. I don't mind actually, because I see it as a real challenge. The wind should be on the lighter side with a day or two of breeze, so I am planning to drop a few pounds of bodyweight but won’t get too carried away! It’s my first Olympics and I think it will be important not to get caught up in the circus that I hear they can be. I'm just doing everything I can to best prepare between now and the start, because I want to arrive and have a good, confident attitude.
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