When Sailboat Racing, There Are Certain Times When It Pays To Be Aggressive
In my most recent column, we discussed the situations that required being patient on the racecourse. This month we will look at the flip side: when it is critical to be decisive and aggressive. When he who hesitates is lost.
The start, with all the chaotic movement and sailboats headed in every direction, is full of moments that demand quick and decisive action.
Protecting space
You have set yourself up nicely on your final starboard tack approach with plenty of room to leeward so that you can bear off and build speed before the gun. Suddenly, a port tacker appears with an eye on tacking underneath and usurping your precious space. Attack! Bear off hard and aim straight at the port tacker forcing them to tack early. Dig lower than you think. You will need the room to kill the speed you have built up. As soon as they turn, use momentum to head up hard and aggressively (this is no time for a subtle turn) reclaim as much distance to windward, killing excess speed, and reestablishing the all-important hole that will enable you to build speed before the start.
Killing speed
There comes a moment in many starts where you realize that you will need to kill time. This is actually a good problem to have. It is much better than the alternative: realizing you are late and already racing just to try to get to the line on time. Once you make the realization, you have to act fast. Two good ways to kill time: the first is to go into the “high and slow” mode. Trim hard. Sail above normal upwind. Usually, you have a target speed that you cannot go below (going three knots works in many boats). Ideally, you don’t want to stop completely. That leaves you helpless. Also, if you go too slow, you will go sideways, giving up precious ground to leeward.
The second time-killer calls for getting aggressive. Use hard turns. Bear off quickly and deep (assuming you have no leeward boat). Head up just as hard, overshooting and going nearly head to wind. This type of rapid, almost violent “S turns” can help kill time and create space to leeward.
Over early
Yes, it happens to us all. In fact, the old saying is that if you are not over early occasionally, you are not trying hard enough. The key is to recognize and make a decisive move early instead of hanging onto the hope that somehow you are going to be able to stay on the right side of the line. If you are at an end, it is relatively easy to concede the timing mistake. Just pull the trigger and go over the line. At the leeward end, gybe around and get ready to start ducking boats on starboard. You may have to duck the whole fleet, but you will be right on their tails as opposed to having to slow down, wait for a lane to go back, and sail the distance back to start properly.
If you are at the committee boat, tack around the boat and gybe into position behind the boats with good starts. You will be behind but can usually tack immediately into clear air. In both cases you will lose a lot less time than if you tried to hang in there and had to end up sailing back. The middle of the line, especially in a crowded fleet, is much more dangerous. You are probably not going to have room to bear off (or else there was not reason to be over early). All you can do is luff up hard (you have rights until you start to return to the line), wait for the boat to leeward to pass, and bear off to take your medicine. It is one of the disadvantages of starting in the middle.
On the course there are all kinds of situations that demand an immediate response.
Tacked or gybed on
In the earlier article on patience on the racecourse we talked about times when you just had to learn to live in bad air. In most cases, however, it is better to make an immediate decisive move to clear your air. A quick clearing tack or gybe should be an almost automatic response to a tight cover. Just remember to go back as soon as you can to continue pursuing your big picture strategy.
Crossing situations
Upwind or downwind crossing a port tacker demands clear, decisive decision making. You can’t just keep sailing toward a port tacker hoping things are going to get better and somehow you are going to cross. It is okay to duck. Duck early and commit to a nice smooth move that minimizes losses. You can almost gain ground if you do it right. The bonus is that next time you come together you will be the starboard tack boat. If it is going to be a big duck or if you simply have decided it is time to go the other way, tack or gybe early and lead back to the middle. The important point is to anticipate, keeping in mind your big picture strategy (where do you want to go) and making an early decision. Do not get caught waiting to see how things develop. Have a plan before it is too late.
Marginal layline
Another typical deer-in-the-headlights moment can happen as you approach the mark on a layline that is less than perfect. “I think I can, I think I can” just won’t cut it. Better to make a decisive move and put in the two tacks or gybes instead of trying to force it.
Room at the bottom mark
Another classic situation where waiting for too long to make a decision can kill is trying to get an inside overlap coming into the bottom mark. Even if it is close, the smart move is to concede, take the spinnaker down early, and work on an in-wide and out-tight mark rounding. You give up a boat or two but are still right in the game as opposed to risking a foul and a horrible spinnaker take down.
Mechanics
When the breeze is on, it is time to be aggressive and eliminate hesitation. Tacks, sets, gybes, and douses all have to be attacked. Timidity will ensure failure. If you are going to set a spinnaker, you must be all in. Bear off. Wait until the boat goes flat, and hit it, hoisting as fast as you can and getting your weight to the back of the bus as the sail fills. Leave the jib up. No need for extra time on the bow.
Gybes are usually the hardest maneuver in breeze. Be aggressive. No hesitation in the middle of the turn as you might do in lighter conditions. Turn distinctly to the proper angle on the new tack. Filling the spinnaker the whole time is not a priority. Just get the mainsail across and the spinnaker to the new side. It can luff for awhile until your angle and crew weight are set.
Finally, in heavy air, take the sail down early! Better to have a good drop with the spinnaker down and under control than realize that you still had four or five boat lengths to go. You will still be going fast and will have time to make a proper turn. The alternative is to sail right by the mark (or worse yet, have the helmsperson try to make the turn) with the sail still up. Keep in mind the downside risk!
It is one of the beauties of our sport that it demands patience, decisiveness, and aggression. It is one of the attributes that makes it such a cool game.
By David Flynn of Quantum Sails. Find more racing tips here.
Questions? Email [email protected]
