by: Jim Westervelt

So, you’ve been bitten by the racing bug and you really, really want to get to that finish line faster than anyone else. As any decent sailor would, you consider that maybe your boat is too old and just replacing that old hole-in-the-water will be the answer. Your spouse already excuses you from not working on the weekend (either to earn more money or make the house to-do-list a little shorter), and will not likely respond well to this solution. Perhaps a new sail, dear? Your dear, giving you hope, says: “Perhaps next year, darling.” While you wait, let me share some sailboat racing secrets.

Secret #1: Know at least the basic rules and use them as a weapon

Many new sailors give everyone else far too much room because they are not sure of the rules. Pick up that rulebook and give it a go. The most competitive sailors will even study race protest cases to master the finest details of the precedence of race rule applications.

Secret #2: Never get angry when racing

Get focused. Stay alert. Give your crew clear orders in a kind, but insistent manner. Getting angry often results in loss of focus, loss of clear thinking, and loss of friends and family. I’ve been there!

Secret #3: Develop a consistent crew

The more you race with the same crew, the more successful your boat will be. With a seasoned crew you will need to think less about operating the boat and more about sailing tactics. You will be able to tack faster, fly a spinnaker quicker, leave the spinnaker up longer, etc.

Secret #4: Seek clear air

The wind downwind of other boats moves you slower. Steer your boat where there is clear wind to find optimal power.

Secret #5: Upwind S-curves

Many new sailors want to keep their sail taught, but need to instead seek to keep their mainsail BARELY taught. The leading edge of your sail needs to be parallel to the direction of the apparent wind. To find this spot, slowly turn your boat upwind until a pocket, or luff, forms in near the mast. You are now too far into the wind, so back off SLOWLY until this pocket just disappears and steer straight. In a few seconds, repeat. With practice, your S-turns will be unobservable to everyone but you. This practice ensures that you are making the best headway upwind.

Secret #6: Use your masthead flyer

Some skippers virtually stare at that weathervane – keeping the leading edge of the sail parallel with it. Similarly, use feathers or yarn on your side stays.

Secret #7: Lose the weather helm

Weather helm is that desire that safe sailboats have to turn into the wind. This is safe because if the skipper falls overboard the boat will tend to turn into the wind and slow down – giving the skipper a swimming chance to get back into the race. But, in racing the constant need to pull the rudder to keep the boat sailing straight actually puts drag on the boat and sends you to the back of the fleet. Raking (leaning) your mast forward will decrease the weather helm and, if taken far enough, will cause lee helm – a tendency for the boat to turn away from the wind. Some boats allow you to do this while sailing and others when at the dock. A boat that allows this while sailing can be steered by adjusting the forestay – similar to how one steers a sailboard.

Secret #8: Get a good start

The MOST critical factor in the finishing of boats in short triangle races is the starting order of the boats. The most important qualities of a good start are having clear air and starting near the end of the starting line that is closest to the first mark. Knowledge of the rules is most critical at the start where lots of boats are all trying to get a good, if not optimal, start. Aggressive use of the rules will get your where you off to a great start.

Secret #9: Head into each mark, if possible, on a starboard tack

In a tight race, boats tend to lineup on a starboard tack making it sometimes very difficult for a port-tack boat to optimally join in the fun without losing ground.

Secret #10: Slow down to win

When two boats are heading into a leeward mark, the inside boat (if it overlaps the other boat within 2 boat lengths of the mark) has right of way. However, often the outside boat has the clear air. If you are moving to pass another boat on what will be the outside, you will do better to slow down, move to the inside and establish your overlap – forcing your competitor to round the mark with you inside. But, don’t do this too soon or your just-passed competitor may have the opportunity to pull this stunt on you.

Secret #11: Get your centerboards up

When sailing on a reach, your boat needs less board in the water to keep from slipping sideways. The faster your boat is reaching the less board is needed. When running straight downwind, you may be able to complete extract the board from the water.

Secret #12: When running, lean the boat to windward

If the overall forward force on the sail (or sails) is off to one side, the boat will try to turn and you will fight that tendency. In so doing, you will introduce drag with the rudder. Instead, rock the boat to center the forward force of the sails directly over the center of the boat and you will lose the drag and go faster.

Secret #13: Flatten your sail in high winds

While you can keep your boat under control by letting out your mainsheet in a blow, you will introduce that evil weather helm, which you will fight by introducing drag and slowing down. Instead, using the Cunningham (downhaul), outhaul, boom vang, and main sail traveler, flatten that sail. (Or, just get heavier crew ;-)

Secret #14: Use the shifting winds

Our lake provides anything but constant winds. There is no consistency in the speed or direction. When going upwind, a shift that allows you to turn more upwind is always welcomed and is called a lifter. Your S-turns will help you find these shifts even in light breezes. A shift that turns you downwind is a header. Tacking in a header turns it into a lifter on the other tack and will get you upwind to that windward mark faster.

Secret #15: Keep the boat moving in light winds

Even when going upwind, let the sail out more than normal, keep it baggy, and force it to hold shape by leaning the boat leeward. By keeping any forward motion, even if it seems to be the wrong way, gives you steering capability. When a puff hits, you can then steer to catch it while others are dead in the water – making it appear that the wind mysteriously found only you.

Secret #16: Hunt the wind

Read the water to see where the wind is strongest. Then, choosing your upwind tack (port or starboard) accordingly can put you in that “lucky wind”.

Secret #17: Stay away from the trees

Wind coming off the trees is slower, shiftier, and can even completely backwind. These effects can extend across the lake, but are most significant near shore. Wind driving into trees can slow down too.

Secret #18: Keep your closest competition “in your wind”

If you are ahead of another boat, stay there by keeping it in your wind shadow. If it tacks to find that clear air, you tack to keep it in your ”dirty air”. With matched boats, it can be impossible to pass someone upwind playing this game.

Secret #19: Talk about it – later!

While your crew and those on other boats may want to talk about tactics, timing, and other decisions during a race, this only takes your focus away from the race – opening opportunities for certain mistakes. But, an essential part of racing is talking about it after the race. “How did you do that?” “Nice move at the mark!” “I though I had a perfect start. Where did you come from?” “Luck wind, eh?”

Secret #20: Don’t give away all of the secrets