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Current issue #119 - Light Air Downwind
Recent Articles
- ISSUE 119
- ISSUE 117 – Find time to make better decisions
- ISSUE 112 – Rules of Thumb
- ISSUE 114 – Mainsail Sail Controls
- ISSUE 119 - Light Air Speed Downwind
- ISSUE 116: Attack Your Speed Problem!
- ISSUE 118: Laylines
- ISSUE 113: The philosophy of one-versus-one
ISSUE 113: The philosophy of one-versus-one
A fleet race is supposed to be just that – a race against a fleet of boats. But in practice you don’t really race against all the boats at once; you compete mostly against the individual boats that happen to be nearby while you are sailing around the course.
Therefore, in order to score well against the whole fleet, you actually need tactics designed to work against one or two or three other boats. If you can win most of these small battles, you will get ahead of those boats and you’ll be more in control of your own destiny.
Of course, you can’t forget about the rest of the fleet. Every time you fight a small battle, remember that most of the other boats are sailing fast toward the finish. So go after one boat only if you think the rewards will outweigh the risks.
Even though this issue is about the tactics of one-versus-one, there are many times when you shouldn’t mess around with a single competitor. Try to ignore other boats that are not getting in your way, are slower than you (unless they are in your way, since hopefully you will beat them on speed), are going the wrong way, are sailing away from the rest of the fleet and so on.
I also avoid tacking on or otherwise slowing boats when doing so will produce only a marginal benefit. All sailors understand the nature of the game and they expect to be the object of tactical maneuvers at various times during a race, but there is a certain amount of good will to be gained from not always being so aggressive about this.
In summary, maneuvering against one other boat in the middle of a fleet race is not only an accepted tactic, but a necessary strategy for success. It’s not always the right thing to do, but when you have a chance to use the tactics in this issue and catch the boat next to you without risking very much, go for it. •
A fleet race is supposed to be just that – a race against a fleet of boats. But in practice you don’t really race against all the boats at once; you compete mostly against the individual boats that happen to be nearby while you are sailing around the course.
Therefore, in order to score well against the whole fleet, you actually need tactics designed to work against one or two or three other boats. If you can win most of these small battles, you will get ahead of those boats and you’ll be more in control of your own destiny.
Of course, you can’t forget about the rest of the fleet. Every time you fight a small battle, remember that most of the other boats are sailing fast toward the finish. So go after one boat only if you think the rewards will outweigh the risks.
Even though this issue is about the tactics of one-versus-one, there are many times when you shouldn’t mess around with a single competitor. Try to ignore other boats that are not getting in your way, are slower than you (unless they are in your way, since hopefully you will beat them on speed), are going the wrong way, are sailing away from the rest of the fleet and so on.
I also avoid tacking on or otherwise slowing boats when doing so will produce only a marginal benefit. All sailors understand the nature of the game and they expect to be the object of tactical maneuvers at various times during a race, but there is a certain amount of good will to be gained from not always being so aggressive about this.
In summary, maneuvering against one other boat in the middle of a fleet race is not only an accepted tactic, but a necessary strategy for success. It’s not always the right thing to do, but when you have a chance to use the tactics in this issue and catch the boat next to you without risking very much, go for it. •
