Rules of Thumb
David Dellenbaugh鈥檚 Speed & Smarts, Issue 112 路 May/June 2010.
The reading behind our first two quizzes: wind shifts, choosing a tack, clear air, laylines and managing risk. A rule of thumb is a useful starting point; look at the conditions before choosing your move.
Week 1 路 Coaching notes
Tack before the fleet to keep clear air and room before the layline. Protect the side your wind strategy favors with a loose cover rather than sailing to a corner alone.
Strategy before tactics: look at the mark and the wind shifts, then decide how to deal with the fleet.
Do the longer tack first. Know where the wind is and which tack is lifted, especially before the start and when rounding the leeward gate. Check both close-hauled angles before the start to plan whether to start and tack or start and continue. Check the wind angle again before rounding the gate so you can choose your first tack and catch the lift before the fleet. Doing the longer tack first keeps room for the short tack later; the longer tack is not automatically the lifted tack.
Avoid early laylines. Keep room to respond to shifts and find clear air. Commit early only when a deliberate attack justifies the risk鈥攆or example, when recovering from a bad start and you see a real opportunity, or when stronger pressure clearly favours one side. Once on the layline, your useful options are sharply limited: you are showing your cards.
Keep speed and clear air. Before deciding whether to tack, assess whether the shift is likely to come back or persist. In oscillating wind, favour the lifted tack and tack on meaningful headers. In a persistent shift, consider sailing toward the continuing shift, even on an initially headed tack. That header may grow as the shift continues. Keep your boat fast and in clear air throughout.