Speed & Smarts: Avoid the laylines and corners of the beat

By David Dellenbaugh

One reason why you should sail the longer tack first is so you avoid getting to the laylines and corners. These are usually bad places to be because:

• you risk overstanding the mark and therefore sailing extra distance;
• you will lose to other boats if you get lifted or headed; and
• other boats may tack on you and give you bad air all the way to the mark (or else you’ll have to do two extra tacks and overstand the mark).

For more racing tips and resources from David Dellenbaugh, visit the Speed and Smarts website.