Mastering racecourse strategy starts with understanding the wind. Some tips on how to spot oscillating shifts, persistent shifts, and one-sided tracks – plus the pre-start routines that help top sailors make smarter, faster decisions right off the line.
All of us know the agony of watching a pack of boats pick up a massive lift on one side of the course while we’re pinned on a header on the other side. Or maybe you’ve been lucky enough to experience that golden leg where every tack was perfectly timed as you picked your way effortlessly to the top mark, benefitting richly from one shift after another.
The difference between these two scenarios comes down to being able to understand what the wind is doing and setting your strategy accordingly.
Three of the most common breeze scenarios on the racecourse are:
Each requires a different strategy – and recognising which one is in play, ideally before the start gun, is the key to a great first beat. This article breaks down the characteristics of each, gives some tips on how to spot them, and some hints how to develop a winning plan using a solid pre-race routine.
I check-in with Tudor Team Alinghi’s director for technical and sailing, New Zealand America’s Cup veteran Dave Endean – the man in charge of making sure that in AC38 the Swiss syndicate improves on its somewhat lacklustre performance in the last Cup in Barcelona.
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