Trying to find more boatspeed in light air is a bit like squeezing blood from a stone – sometimes it seems hopeless. But the good news is that you only need a little more speed to gain an advantage over your competitors. A tenth of a knot may not seem like much, but it’s significant when the fleet is moving

at only two or three knots. Here are some priorities for going faster in light winds:

• Find the best pressure. It’s obvious that more wind equals more speed. This is why in light air it’s so

important to sail in the areas of best wind velocity on the race course. Even if you can find just half a knot

more wind, that will make a bigger difference than anything else you can do with your hull or sails.

• Sail in clear air. This is very similar to finding better pressure. Bad air from your competitors is like a lull, while clear air is a puff. Since wind shadows are quite large and damaging in light air, it’s very important to think ahead about how you will avoid them.

• Neutralize helm. When you’re sailing upwind, it’s good to have a bit of windward helm so the rudder creates lift and gives you some feel to help find the groove. On a run, however, the main thing you create by sailing with the rudder off centerline is drag (which is especially slow in light air). So position crew weight to balance the boat with a neutral helm.

• Minimize weight. When you don’t have much horsepower, it’s time to lighten your load. Sail with a lightweight crew, make sure all your equipment is as light as possible and, of course, don’t bring the cooler with you during the race.

• Optimize sail controls. Before

a light-air race, do anything you

can to make the boat easier to sail.

For example, take one or two parts

out of your mainsheet if possible.

When you begin a downwind leg,

make sure your sail controls are

relaxed to produce sails that are

full and twisted. You don’t want any

boom vang tension, for example,

and be sure to ease the mainsail

cunningham (you might even need

to drop the halyard a bit).

• Try not to hate light air. It’s

hard to love sailing downwind in

light air. It’s hot, slow, frustrating

and challenging. But remember

that other sailors feel the same. If

you can hate light air just a little

less than everyone else, you will

have an advantage.

• Be still, patient and focused.

Light-air sailing offers the ultimate

mental challenge because things

happen in slow motion. To succeed

you must stay more patient and focused

than your competitors. That’s

not easy but try to avoid decisions

made out of boredom or due to lack

of concentration.

Finding a little extra speed in

light air is great, but you still have

to figure out which way to go or it

won’t help you very much.