How to Make the Most of the Least, Part II
How to Make the Most of the Least, Part II
Light air, heavy traffic: Tony Rey tells you how to outsmart the crowd on your next light-air run. "From the Experts" from our July 2008 issue.
Last month we outlined the keys to a winning strategy on a light-air run: sail in the maximum windspeed on the racecourse, stay on the long jibe, avoid the middle of the track if possible, and keep the boat moving fast at all times.
Sounds simple enough, right? In reality, however, your race track is probably congested with numerous competitors who all have the same idea. So this month we'll explore tactical concepts that will help you implement your winning light-air strategy.
Keep it clean
It is impossible to sail at optimum speed in light wind if you're sailing in wind disturbed by another boat, aka dirty air. On a light-wind run, the best way to tell if your breeze is clean is to look at your masthead fly, or shroud telltales, which will give you an indication of where your apparent wind is coming from. If you don't have a masthead fly, get one.
If the area at which your masthead wind indicator or telltale is pointing is clear of other boats then your lane is probably clean. Generally speaking, the bigger the boat, the longer and wider the wind shadow will extend to leeward.
If there is a windward opponent just aft of your lane of breeze, you should be OK, provided he is going the same speed. If he's just forward of where your masthead fly is pointing, the exhaust from his sails is likely spoiling your clean air.
Don't get sucked up
A large percentage of light-air runs start with a similar scenario, with the fleet extending away from the windward mark in a line on starboard tack. The first priority for virtually every boat is to exit the mark with a clean lane. The second priority is to keep it that way.
If everyone behaves themselves, and sails their best VMG angle, it can be an orderly procession to the layline. But inevitably, the trailing boats will sneak high and threaten the clean air of the boats in front.
How these leading boats react separates the top teams from the average ones. When an average tactician hears the bubbling bow wave of the boat behind, he will often panic and reach up until he finds a massive clearing to windward. This will assure him of clear air, but the lateral distance, or gauge, sacrificed in the process will often prove more costly further down the run.
If the boats behind you start sailing high, and you are comfortable that you are already sailing your optimum angle, resist the urge to go up with them. They may be defending against boats behind them. Eventually everyone will settle into their preferred downwind angles. At that point, you will have made a nice lateral gain by not taking the bait.
If the boats to windward are moving faster-maybe they are faster, or bringing more pressure with them-you may need to head up to defend your lane. Good separation to leeward is valuable, but not as valuable as a clean lane.
Sometimes, no matter what you do, you will get rolled. Once you've recognized that there is nothing you can do to prevent another boat sailing onto your breeze, limit the damage by jibing away before it happens, or, if it is imperative to remain on that jibe, by reaching up sharply after your opponent rolls over top to defend against the next boat flying by. The correct call should be based on your overall strategy-where is the best pressure, and which is the long jibe to the leeward mark? In this windspeed, sitting in bad air downwind is a slow death.
