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. 

Speed & Smarts: Watch out for other boats’ wind shadows

By David Dellenbaugh

When you want to go fast upwind, bad air is your enemy. So watch out for other boats, and look ahead for lanes of clear air.

Wind shadows extend farther and slow you more in light air than they do in heavy air. So when there’s not much wind, don’t stay in a position that’s to leeward of or behind another boat. In breeze, however, it can be OK to sail in a boat’s bad air, especially if you’re on a lift or going the right way.

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

Speed & Smarts: Sail the longer tack first

By David Dellenbaugh

When you’re not sure where the next shift will come from, get onto the longer tack to the windward mark (the tack on which your bow is pointing closer to the mark). This is one of my most reliable strategies.

Sailing the longer tack works because of probability. Your chances of success are better when you sail the longer tack toward the middle of the course rather than the shorter tack toward the layline. Of course, once in a while it pays to go to the layline early, but more often than not the windshifts favor taking the longer tack. And your odds improve as the two tacks become more and more uneven.

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

Speed & Smarts: Sail toward the next shift

By David Dellenbaugh

This is a sure-fire rule of thumb that works in any wind condition. Of course, you must be able to predict which way the wind will shift next. But if you can do this, all you have to do is sail in that direction and you will come out ahead (assuming you don’t overstand the windward mark).

In an oscillating breeze, sailing toward the next shift is basically the same as tacking on the headers. In a persistently shifting breeze, sailing toward the next shift is the same as digging into the favored side. In both cases, this strategy works because when the wind shifts you end up on a higher ladder rung than boats that went the other way.

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

Speed & Smarts: Follow Your Strategic Plan

By David Dellenbaugh

This sounds simple, but it’s not always so easy to do. A strategy is your game plan for how to sail fast up the first beat, a guideline to keep you going the right way. It’s not so difficult to develop a strategic plan – you just have to get out to the starting area early and gather information about the wind. But putting that plan into action is another story.

When you come off the starting line, it’s easy to lose your focus amidst all the distractions. But if you want to be succesful you must do two things:

1) Keep your strategic plan in mind and make it your number one priority; and
2) Use good tactics and anticipation to stay in control of your race. Don’t let other boats keep you from following your strategy.

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