Tactics and Strategy
By Scott Nixon

Strategy is determined by how you play the wind, waves and current on the racecourse. It is basically how you sail your boat around the course.

Tactics are determined by how you sail your boat according to the other moves of the fleet and how you deal with the competition on the racecourse.

1. Preparation-Races are won before the regatta even starts
   • boat is in race form
   • sails are repaired and in good shape
   • crew is in shape, practiced and ready to race
   • have all instruments working and ready (compass, radio)
   • talk to locals or sailors who have raced at the venue before
   • read Sailing Instructions carefully; know courses, special instructions and proper VHF channel
   • look at tide tables and charts of the race area
   • use a checklist to make sure all grounds are covered and everyone has a task to complete
   • think ahead and create a game plan based on all the information you have gathered
2. Pre-Start
   • get to the racing area early (one hour before the start)
   • sail to the course to get everyone in race mode and to make the proper sail selection
   • sail upwind and get wind headings on port and starboard tacks
   • practice upwind tacks
   • sail with another boat if possible to test boat speed
   • sail on both sides of the course to see if one side is favored
   • sail by crab pots or channel markers to check the current
   • put spinnaker up and practice jibes and takedowns along with a leeward mark rounding
   • find the side with the most velocity (pressure)
   • try to see if the wind is persistent or oscillating
   • stay near the starting line before the warning gun (especially in light air)
3. Starting
   • have a starting checklist to make sure you are well prepared at the gun
   • get a line sight
   • sail the laylines to the starting line
   • do a couple of timed starts
   • find the favored end: compass, luff head to wind, tactician's compass, flags on RC boat, other boats starting, wind readings from the RC
   • check current and scope on starting pin and RC boat
   • have one person watch RC to get countdown time (flag) and call the time pre-start
   • check for I Flag, Z Flag or Black Flag
   • have radio on proper channel for over-early calls

    

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     • high risk, high reward
     • takes great timing (time/distance)
     • port tack approach
     • can see where the majority of the fleet is setting up
     • can round an end easily if you are over early in an I Flag
     • pick a hole on the line to tack into
     • protect left side (in a big fleet it will be hard to get to the right side if the wind goes right)
     • starboard approach
     • watch barging inside of starboard tack layline
     • luff and go
     • great start in big breeze (fleet will slide to leeward when they sheet their sails in, creating a hole)
     • easy to round an end
     • timing is important
     • must be patient
     • if starboard side of course is favored, you can be the first to tack out right
     • very conservative start
     • fast boats almost always start in the middle
     • be aware of mid-line sag; have a line sight
     • know where the line is (good line sight) (possible dip start/current)
     • start to leeward of a slow boat
     • try to avoid starting between the fast guys!
     • leave plenty of room to leeward and suck up to windward boat (protect your hole)
     • luff and go (leave plenty of runway to accelerate in the last 20 seconds)
     • can squeeze up to windward end or pin end
     • if you are over early in the middle with an I Flag, it's a long sail to clear yourself
     • after the start, your options are open to protect the right or left side of the course
   REMEMBER THE 4 B'S OF STARTING:
   Be on time. Be on Starboard. Be moving. Be at the favored end

   Pin end start:

   Boat end start

   Mid-line start

4. First Beat (Windward Leg)
   • determine if the wind is oscillating or persistent
   • visually find the windward mark
   • know the direction of the current
   • divide the beat up into thirds (bottom, middle, top)
   • sail as fast as possible for as long as possible (no tacks, full speed)
   • clear air is super important
   • rule: tack on headers, sail straight in the lifts
   • if you have to tack off the line, get in a clear lane ASAP
   • the fewer tacks the better (one-two boat lengths lost per tack)
   • sail for darker water or more pressure
   • when in doubt, keep the bow pointed at the mark
   • spend more time on the longer tack
   • position your self for the next shift, don't chase the wind, anticipate the shifts
   • don't sail too much distance; if you start left, don't sail to the far right corner
   • consolidate when ahead
   • stay with the fleet; if you split, you should have a good reason
   • go for more leverage when you are behind (higher risk)
   • go for smaller gains; don't go for the high risk - it rarely pays
   • keep thestarboard tack advantage for as long as possible
   • remember your option to duck or lee-bow
   • let port tackers cross if you want to get to the left of them
   • when behind, stay off of the laylines; when you are ahead, get to the laylines
   • laylines limit your options once you get to them (lifted or headed, you must live with it)
   • avoid the starboard tack parade (boats go slower in groups or packs)
   • if you are behind a pack of boats, it's safer to slightly overstand and round with speed
   • be careful coming into the weather mark from the left (no rights)
   • don't tack inside the two boat-length zone (risky)
   • remember what phase the wind is in at the mark rounding (jibe or not jibe)
5. Downwind leg
   • remember if the wind was right or left at the rounding
   • it needs to be around a 10 degree shift to the right to jibe
   • don't jibe into bad air from starboard tack train of boats
   • check out the current direction
   • don't relax downwind - big gains can be made if you work hard!
   • protect high to keep breeze clear
   • remember what you learned upwind; if the right side paid upwind, it might be the same downwind
   • stay with the fleet when ahead
   • split or go for more leverage when behind
   • clear air is still the single most important thing
   • sail the longer jibe to the next mark
   • the favored tack upwind will be the opposite downwind
   • rule: jibe on the lifts, sail deeper/faster on the headers
   • don't jibe too much (½ to one boat length lost on most jibes)
   • packs of boats sail slower than individual boats
   • stay off the laylines when behind
   • race to the laylines when ahead
   • if you are unsure what you should do, sail fast and straight
   • protect starboard advantage at the bottom of the leg
   • try the low road if you get behind or to work on inside overlap
   • protect the inside position hard when you are at the bottom of the course
   • if you have a gate, pick the gate that is further upwind or the one that has less traffic
   • get the jib/genoa up early and the spinnaker down early
   • it's very important to have a fast leeward mark rounding where you can tack if you need to
6. Last Beat
   • same as first beat but remember to cover when ahead (loose or tight cover )
   • keep number of tacks down; don't get caught in a tacking duel
   • watch the laylines
   • don't sail too much distance; stay on a side
   • less leverage when ahead; more leverage when behind
   • remember clear air is important (boat speed is always king!)
   • if in doubt, sail fast and on the favored tack; point the bow at the finish
7. The Finish
   • find the favored end as soon as possible on the last beat
   • if the line has not moved, the favored end should be the opposite end of the favored starting line
   • protect the starboard tack advantage for the last crossing before the finish
   • stay off the lay lines, if possible
   • never finish in the middle (it is too hard to judge the line)
   • shoot the line at the finish for faster finishes
   • clear the line ASAP
   • get the crew, boat and sails ready for the next race before you take a break
   • stay near the line if there is to be another race
   • Good Luck, sail fast and have fun!