More great tips from friend David Dellenbaugh of Speed and Smarts Newsletter regarding Upwind Tactics In A Fleet.
When sailing on your own it’s easy to execute a strategy. When you are sailing in a fleet of one-design boats, however, this is where you need a repertoire of tactical moves.
General Tactics Principles
The tactics you employ in a race are influenced by many factors including your boatspeed, your position in the race, the abilities of your crew and how far you are from the finish.
Play the Fleet –
the fleet’s position determines where the right and left sides of the course are. You may be sailing right up the rhumbline, but if the rest of the fleet is near the starboard layline, you are tactically in the left corner.
Cover when ahead –
The basic tactical rule of thumb is to cover the other boats when you’re ahead. Lateral separation increases the damage done by an unfavourable wind shift, so the best way to reduce risk is to stay close to the fleet.
Split when you’re behind –
The closer you get to the finish, the more important this becomes, because it is very difficult to pass other boats by following them.
Cross and Consolidate –
When you make a gain on other boats, consolidate by crossing ahead of them. A gain or loss is not actually realized until the boat that gains crosses ahead of the boat that loses.
Preventing a Loss –
If boats have gained on you and are trying to consolidate their gain, don’t let them cross you. Tack to leeward and ahead of them so that you will lead them into the next wind shift. This works perfectly in an oscillating breeze.
Bite the Bullet –
When boats are gaining on you because of a persistent shift, it usually pays to “bite the bullet” and sail behind them toward the shift.
The above principles are dependent on you having good boatspeed.
Many sailors think that if you are slow you should take more chances. However, the opposite is probably true.
If you are slow, you can’t afford to make mistakes, so your strategic and tactical moves should be quite conservative.
BOOK FOR YOUR SAILING BUDDY (and one for yourself)
Boat on Boat Tools
Lanes –
Look ahead for “lanes” of clear air. When you find a good lane, take it, or you may have to wait a long time before you can get onto the favoured tack with clear air.
Use a Blocker –
Find a boat that you cross just behind and tack to windward so you are just free of his bad air. Now this boat is your blocker.
Boats that might have tacked on your lee bow will now go for this boat’s lee bow instead, leaving you free to continue in clear air.
Loose Cover –
To cover another boat loosely, you are staying between them and the windward mark, in a position where your bad air is not hurting them.
A loose cover is useful when you don’t want to initiate a tacking duel, the other boat is going the wrong way or you are worried about more than one boat. The loose cover can be applied to more than one boat.
Tight Cover –
This is a more aggressive type of cover where you use your wind shadow to slow the boat behind.
This is a good tactic when you are worried about only one other boat or the boat behind is headed toward the favoured side of the course.
Don’t become obsessed with one boat behind in case you lose the rest of the fleet.
Lee Bow –
If you do this right, you will give the other boat dirty air and water, and they will have to tack away or else fall in behind you.
Clamping on an effective lee bow requires good timing, judgment and boat handling. Smooth water and moderate air are the best conditions for this tactic.
If you are the port tacker and are almost crossing, then it is possible to make a good lee-bow tack.
Pinning –
This will work on either tack. It’s more effective on starboard tack because the boat that’s pinned will not have the right of way after she tacks.
The typical approach is to cross just behind a starboard tacker and then tack right on their windward hip.
Another way to pin is to reach down from a position to windward. This shuts off their option to tack and duck you.
