August 2011 Cover

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Now that we’re around the weather mark, we’re looking to have a productive downwind leg, focused on staying in front of any boats in the rearview mirror and passing nearby competitors. The essentials to the downwind leg are the same as they are for the upwind leg: stay in the most wind and keep your bow pointed toward the mark. Your tactical focus should be on these two criteria. Remember, having a good lane means you’re sailing in more wind than someone who’s in a poor lane.

Before rounding the weather mark, you lay out a plan for which way you want to go downwind. This decision will be based on the wind direction and where the most wind is as you round. Your goal as you start the run is to sail the headed jibe toward the leeward mark, whereas upwind you sail the lifted tack. You also want to stay in the most pressure available (positioning your boat in the patches of water that appear darker).

If you’re sailing in a left shift as you round, you’ll want to set your spinnaker and sail straight downwind on starboard tack. If you’re in a right shift as you round, consider jibing to port as soon as possible. How soon you jibe depends on the size of the shift and how much disturbed air is at the top of the course. A 15-degree shift or more warrants a prompt jibe. Anything less typically warrants waiting a few boatlengths, unless there’s minimal bad air at the top: if the fleet is spread out, for example. Most of the time, setting the spinnaker and sailing straight (going right looking downwind) to get away from the bad-air zone created at the top of course is the prudent move.

If it’s urgent to get left (looking downwind), it’s fine to jibe early after setting. But be aware that disturbed air from the upwind boats will slow you down until you get well clear of them. As long as the long-term gain from jibing early makes up for the short-term loss at the top of the course, it’ll be a smart move. If it’s not crucial to jibe immediately, but you want to jibe, sail for at least 30 seconds and then put in your jibe, extending away as much as possible from the disturbed air at the top.

If you’ve continued sailing straight (to the right looking downwind) you’ll need to jibe away from your group at some point, and the timing here is critical. I usually prefer to jibe just before everyone else in my group so we lead away on what is now the long tack. The longer you wait before jibing, the longer the other jibe becomes, but also the more likely boats around you will start jibing. The challenge is to wait as long as possible but still lead away. As it gets closer to jibe time, watch for signs on other boats (tacticians anxiously looking around, trimmers taking the slack out of the lazy sheet, bowmen moving forward), try to jibe before them. If you’re the first to jibe, you’ll usually have a great lane away from the pack and into the mark, and leading the group on the long tack is a powerful position. If you’re late to jibe and others go first, you may want to wait longer for a clear lane, as long as you have some time left before the layline.