Hi everyone: Thanks to the generosity of a very good friend, I have the good fortune to race on a J/30 in Penobscot Bay near Northport, Maine. I have the even better fortune of being able to drive. I'm looking for advice on the best place to sit or stand so I can see the Tell-Tales on the jib. I think I have a tendency to sail too high and pinch.

I have an "old" cockpit. I find that the best place for me to sit is on the windward side, aft of the primary winch, outboard, with my back near the lifelines, with tiller extension in hand. I can see the tell-tales well, and if everybody on the rail is sitting out, the water up ahead.

If I have a main trimmer, she'll sit in front of me.

To tack, I often stand up and step over the tiller.

Here's a reasonable decent pic from the Photos album that illustrates what I mean:

http://www.j30.us/gallery/index.php?action=show&show=2004NAPhotos%2FB~047JPEG.jpg

I believe that's Charlie Stoddard driving Falcon in the '04 NAs.

On the 'new' cockpit, sit outboard of the coaming. On all styles, wood foot braces at the edge of the cockpit seats are a help. If you trim your own main it helps to have one foot on either side of the traveler. To tack, push to tiller to leeward with extension, grab the wood handle while dropping into the cockpit, lift and pass behind the back, then slide out and switch to the extension on the new side. Have seen a few folks turn and face aft momentarily while switching sides.

Apparently, Bob and I tack differently... he's surely fast

I do the same... windward side with a main trimmer/tactics in front of me.

Interesting... I tend to drive from the low side so that I can see the entire headsail and have the headsail trimmer down there with me. I leave the tactics and lookout to everyone else who are on the high side. But I'm not known as a fast boat so that might not be the best idea.

I use the same position/technique as described by Bob R. I also will shift forward in very light conditions so that I am fully forward of the traveler (with no one sitting behind me). I find the boat moves better in light condition with all the weight out of the back of the boat.

For me it pretty much depends on the wind and tactical situation. When wind's low enough, I'm the first to go low (assuming there's nothing pressing upwind of me) and I'll drive from the low side on a start if I can be sure I've nailed the bargeline and there's nobody above me. Once we need to flatten the boat, I'm on the high side just aft of the traveller. Tacking depends on the situation...I sometimes use a glimpse aft for a review of what's behind me, but most of the time I step over the tiller, seat-to-seat, facing forward. No matter how ya di it, they're a great bot to drive!