Pacific Corinthian Youth Foundation Sailing Team

Always be fast

Maybe categorize this one under mental check list. Ok, so you've practiced tacks, mark roundings, starts, jibes, pretty much everything. Some things are perfected, some still need work. Now it's regatta time. Set aside working and concentrate on doing. Set your mind to simply checking in as you execute any maneuver. Go through your mental checklist and ask yourself "Am I fast, how should this tack go, control my spot on the line." The reminder is "Always be fast" if you can keep the level of concentration high and move through your mental checklist your end result will improve dramatically. Remember you're not out to beat the next guy you are out to minimize your own mistakes and optimize your own performance.

Upwind Speed Mantra

The Upwind Speed Mantra: When I’m slow, I sail low.

Here are a few tips that go with the Mantra...

- Attitude: Sometimes you have to go straight and cannot tack, or clear your air, this happens on laylines, early parts of the first windward leg and sometimes when you know the correct side and just have to sail in that direction until you get there. So, your attitude is most important to recognize you may have a difficult spot, but if you concentrate on all the little things you can go fast anyway.

- Speed versus height: When sailing upwind you can point high into the wind, or you can reach away a touch and go fast (sail low). The ideal state is a balance of the two, and actually, a fast upwind sailor is bouncing back and forth between the two choices. If you are high and slow, then put your bow down (away from the wind) and ease your sail, hike a bit more and accelerate. Once your speed is excellent gradually gain height and point your bow back upwind and trim in accordingly. As this becomes a constant ying and yang you'll magically get in "the groove." The groove is when you are maximizing both speed and height, but it takes a little exaggeration of each to find that sweet spot in between.

- Sailing flat: It's all about your sail that is in the water... otherwise known as the wing under the boat… your centerboard. We all know the mainsail is the wing above the water. We also know that it creates lift away from the boat basically in a direction perpendicular to your boom. Your sail uses the wind to generate lift. Under the water you have another wing, the centerboard, but it doesn’t have any wind, it needs water moving around it. The particularly savvy among you will note that in order to have water moving around your centerboard your boat needs to be moving. The faster the boat moves forward the faster the “wind” (water) is moving across your centerboard. Voila! Lift. The centerboard begins to lift and actually scoots your boat to windward and points you further upwind. This is the secret to gaining height upwind by sailing lower and faster!!! This is also why your centerboard needs to be straight down into the water. So, when there is enough wind and you are not in drifting conditions your boat works best flat, with your centerboard deep in the water.

Straight Line Upwind

This is a great tip from Dave Perry's book Winning in One Designs... "When you are sailing close-hauled (upwind) and get a lift, it's usually faster to ease your sails first, then heel the boat slightly to leeward and head up. Often if it's very light and shifty, you may choose just to play the sails and not turn the boat at all. Every time you turn the rudder and the boat you lose speed and momentum." 

Two practices ago we noted that sailing into a header everyone had the tendency to heel the boat slightly to leeward. Actually a gentle tip to windward will steer the boat away from the wind slightly and get the boat in optimum trim without having to initiate the turn using the rudder. Then, when you are headed in the right direction and sailing in lighter air you can use a slight heel to leeward for your straight line trim of the boat, keeping more hull out of the water and the sails in a good position to catch what little wind there may be.

Remember the first option for changing the direction your boat is by using your body weight, next is your sail trim, and your final option is the rudder.  Imagine your rudder simply following you around the race course.

The Eyes Have It

Remember to keep your eyes moving all the time: note the heel of your boat, the trim of your mainsail, how high or low you are sailing compared to your competition, how fast you are, and check the wind and wave conditions ahead of you.

Speed in Bad Air

First of all, what is bad air?  Anytime you are sailing in disturbed wind due to another boat you are in "bad air." Upwind you have two options: 1) Tack away and find a clear "lane" to sail in; or, 2) if tacking is not a great option, you need to learn to sail fast while in bad air. The focus should be on powering up your boat, ease your sail slightly, keep optimum heel by adjusting your body weight into the boat a touch and try not to pinch into the wind too much. Concentrate on your speed and don't get stuck looking or thinking too much about the boat that is front of you giving you the bad air. Decide now whether tacking away is the correct choice, or doing a tack sailing a short distance to clear your air and tack back is the correct choice, or finally, to hang in there a little while longer until the opportunity to tack is better. Whatever you choose, stay fast while getting disturbed wind.