The windward mark

		The windward mark

	The Windward mark: reprinted from Sailracer magazine. 11 issues of Sailracer magazine were printed between May 2003 and April 2004. As a regular contributor, Mark introduced the resident coach, Tom Sniddleback, as a medium to teach some of the often overlooked tactical principles behind "negotiating the obstacle course" Here is an example.

The Windward mark: Strategy and Tactics

In issue 4, Tom Sniddleback, our resident coach, explained that priorities change and develop as we progress up the beat.

In the final sector of the beat we are looking to:

Decide the offwind strategy and round the mark in good shape to execute this strategy.

Consolidate any advantage over the opposition, and, if possible, put space between us and the boats around to give clear wind on the next leg.

Keep clear wind for as long as possible.

Use boat on boat tactics to make the most of developing opportunities.

(Tom) “Let’s first look at some general principles which affect the way we line up for the final approach, then develop these into some classic windward mark situations and how to make the best of them”

Offwind strategy

We will look at reaching and running strategy in some detail in future issues. We need to have a clear plan, observe as the groups of boats form into patterns, and avoid getting forced into a last minute reaction which takes us away from our game plan.

In SailRacer issue 2 we set a strategy for the beat, then used the start as the springboard to launch into this strategy. In the same way, we can look at the windward mark as the springboard for the offwind strategy.

“If I am sure that the left hand side of the run (looking downwind) will pay, so want to gybe-set, there is no point rounding the windward mark outside a bunch of boats.”

If it’s a broad-ish reach with puffs coming down from the right, I really want to try to generate a gap behind so I can hook into these puffs then use them to soak, without being threatened by boats behind and to windward.

If it’s a tight reach and I want to go high initially before setting the kite, there is no point tacking on the buoy inside a bunch of boats unless I’m sure to pop out clear ahead… if I am overlapped to leeward the chances are, even if I try to luff, they’ll reach over the top while hoisting their kites leaving me struggling to get to my course through bad wind and water.”

Consolidation

Three reasons to avoid the lay line:

Unless there is a clear tidal or wind pressure advantage right to one side, hitting the lay line early rarely pays. Here are three reasons:

Strategic

Yellow and blue are equally advanced up the course (1). The wind heads 20 degrees (2), blue is now ahead, can and will tack and cross yellow, and lead to the mark. If the wind had lifted 20 degrees (3), blue would now lay the mark and again round inside and ahead of yellow. Both lift and header disadvantage the lay line.

Tactical

Yellow and blue are again equally advanced up the course. Yellow has shown her cards early by tacking on the lay line. Yellow’s commitment gives blue a great indication of just where the lay line is, and can use this to plan a better approach. In this case yellow has judged the lay line spot on, and blue can see this. Blue simply tacks to lee bow yellow, squeezes up to lay the mark comfortably and leads yellow around. If the wind heads, neither will lay, but blue will gain more from the lee bow and will be ahead when they both tack. If the wind lifts, both will lay the mark, blue will round inside and ahead. (See “Sniddly move 6” for ways for yellow to defend from blue in this situation.)

Traffic jams: finding a lane.

The girls in pink have sailed a perfect beat, there is no close threat from the left so they have been happy to sail to the lay line. Yellow has tacked in clear wind behind and to windward, sacrificing extra distance for clear wind. Red, also wanting clear wind, tacks behind and to windward of yellow, and as the situation develops, the traffic jam “(the slow lane”) builds. Now green finds a way to sniddle through the starboard tackers, and tacks, right on red’s wind. Red is already over standing so can’t tack off. As each new boat comes across to the lay line, it is forced to over stand more to get clear wind on the approach, giving more bad wind to the boats behind, and pink’s smiles get bigger and bigger!

“In pink’s position now I’d start to really turn the screw: I’d sail high, heel the boat to windward, and make blue (and in turn the pack) hurt. At three or so boat lengths from the mark, I’d reach off and trim for speed, aiming to hit full reaching speed with the kite “made” just as we bear away round the mark, leaving our competitors wallowing in their accumulated bad air”

“In this example, Blue has avoided the bad air zone by finding a clear lane. He tacks below the queue of boats on the lay line. He makes his final port tack approach to the lay line 3 o r4 boat lengths below the lay line, looking for the right boat starboard to tack underneath. To be safe from rule 18.3 he completes this tack outside the 2 boat lengths zone. He has moved from “also ran” to a secure second place, through finding a lane with clear wind, and avoiding the lay line.”

How do we judge the lay line?

Sadly the lay lines shown on the diagrams are not as clearly drawn in real life. It’s possible to pick up a transit on a practice beat (but be aware of windshifts), and to get hints from fleets ahead. Be aware of any tidal effect, in particular there are always many boats lengths gained and lost on the first beat when there is a strong favourable tide. As with most sailing skills, practice improves accuracy. Leaving the lay line approach to three or four boats lengths makes all these judgments less critical.

“The leader often gives a good clue to the lay line, you can see whether he has over stood and easing sheets or struggling to lay… but look out for Sniddly move 1!”

Starboard or port approach?

When racing on a big course with a small fleet, or even a well spread big one, strategic considerations take precedence over “boat on boat” tactical ones. The best gains come from sailing the fastest route to the windward mark, and using the Sniddly moves below to deal with the other boats. If the oscillations are such that the final lifted approach will be on port tack, the gains from approaching on port are likely to outweigh the risk.

However, typically in a big, closely matched fleet, the windward mark area is so congested that there is simply no way through on port. Sniddly move 3 may help, but it’s likely that the port tack approach is doomed! In this case we have to commit to joining the “slow lane”, on starboard tack, work hard at finding a suitable gap, as clear wind as possible, and with as small an over stand as is necessary to give reasonable breeze to the mark.

“You will gather from this that I am not a great fan of the lay line! The ideal time to hit the starboard lay line, other variables permitting, is at a distance which gives sufficient time to prepare pole and spinnaker for launch at the mark, and get mainsheet, kicker, and cunningham controls ready to ease for the bear away. Once on starboard, I double check that we are laying taking account of tide and leeway, then use my Sniddly moves to defend from port tack predators.”

Port tack approach.

“The port tack approach puts increased pressure on boat handling, requiring accurate tacking, reliable acceleration, and the ability to turn the boat fast at slow speed, and quick sort of spinnaker gear for a hoist immediately out of the tack / bear away. It needs great anticipation skills to find the right gap, and also requires that any starboard tackers interpret the racing rules as we do!”

Don’t try this in anger without practicing all these skills first!

“The port tack approach is a favourite when leading a race: it’s really satisfying to watch the competition slowing each other in a line above the starboard lay line while we sail to the mark at full speed, tack, and disappear! Further down the fleet, especially when there are visible gaps, it can be a way to keep clear wind right to the end of the beat and recover places at the end of a bad beat…. But watch out for boats already on their way down the first offwind leg! Also if a long way back in a big fleet, watch out for the wind shadow below this leading pack.”

If the line of starboard boats has over stood, we sail less distance by approaching on port, and are less vulnerable to rule 18.3. “(See 18.3 over stand, below)

Which rules apply?

Rule 18: the mark rounding rule, does not apply to beating boats on opposite tacks. Port tack gives way to starboard tack, and a boat tacking gives way to a boat that is on a tack.

Rule 18.2: If two boats on the same tack are rounding a mark, and an overlap was established before two boats lengths, the normal mark rounding rules apply: the inside boat is allowed room to round the mark.


However, if there was no overlap, as soon as blue passes head to wind, she loses her rights under rule 18.3,c. Unless blue can complete her tack onto starboard and subsequently yellow has room to keep clear, she’ll have to wait for yellow to round first. (See Sniddly moves 6 for a solution for blue)

Rule 18.3; opposite tack boats tacking within two boat lengths of the mark, further reduces the rights of a tacking boat. Not only does the blue have to keep clear while tacking, if the yellow has to sail above close hauled to keep clear, even after the tack is complete, the blue has fouled.

If blue tacks inside two boats lengths and yellow establishes an inside overlap, she has to give room. If blue can’t keep clear, she has fouled.

But: if yellow has over stood, there is a subtle difference. So long as blue completes her tack before yellow has to start keeping clear, she only fouls if yellow has to luff above close hauled. “Sniddly moves 2” show how yellow can stop blue doing this.

Rule 19: room to tack at an obstruction, does apply. So a port tack boat can ask a windward port tack boat for room to tack to avoid a starboard boat. Careful manipulation of relative boat positioning means this rule can be used to prevent a windward boat forcing you out to the lay line (“Sniddly move 5”)

Nip and Tuck

“We have decided how we want to play the offwind leg. From this comes our optimum positioning against the other boats at the windward mark. We have made the best of the final wind shifts and clear lanes, and know what the tidal situation is at the windward mark. Here are my 6 favourite boat on boat “sniddles”, used to gain and maintain optimum positioning.

Sniddly moves 1: bear away when over lay line

“I’m in the pink, but have overlaid a bit. If I can persuade green to over stand the mark the same distance or more, I’ll gain distance and have more chance of clear wind on the offwind. So as green comes close to my line, I gently bear away. When she sights through my transom, it appears that I am below the layline…. With luck she’ll sail another four or five boats lengths before she realises!”

Sniddly moves 2: bear onto or below lay line

“I am yellow, above the layline. I really don’t want a port tack approacher to lee bow me and lead in to the mark. My first defence, once I’m confident with tide and sea conditions, is to get right down close to the layline. This means a port tack predator who tacks below me will struggle to lay, and if he tacks inside two boats lengths he will certainly break rule 18.3 as I will have to luff above close hauled.”

“Despite this, I see blue approaching as if to tack below. I bear away and aim 2 feet in front of his transom. He will probably deduce that I am not laying, take my transom, and join the queue behind. He might tack early and fail to lay the mark. At worst, he will tack in what looks like a lee bow position. I will then use the speed I have gained to climb back into clear wind, and, if he is lucky enough to lay the mark, give him a friendly wave as we bear off around his stationary bow at the windward mark”

Sniddly moves 3: cross ahead on port

“It’s all gone horribly wrong; we are approaching a congested windward mark on port tack! We are back in the pink, and can just cross our friend blue. If we tried to tack inside, we would certainly infringe. If we bore away, we may never find a way through the traffic! We ignore the mark; keep going on port across blue’s bow. (He certainly doesn’t want us to tack here!) Once clear, we can tack onto starboard, and follow blue round.”

Sniddly moves 4: bear away to stop the leeward boat tacking

“We’re approaching the starboard layline, in pink, with green just below us. There is a fair amount of adverse tide on the mark, we really want green to sail well past the layline to leave room for us to round inside. As we are there is plenty or room for him to tack onto starboard and force us about. We bear off hard, down to one boats width separation from green. Now he can’t tack onto starboard without infringing. We have control, and can choose our lay line.”

Sniddly moves 5: find a boat to ask room to tack on

“The roles reversed, green is now trying to force us to the lay line by bearing down to stop us tacking. We spot red on the lay line, and adjust our speed and direction so red is sure to force us about. Once we call room to tack, pink is immediately obliged to tack or call “you tack” and keep clear. Nice move!”

Sniddly moves 6: slowing to create an overlap

“We are in pink, along with our friend blue. We have found a huge advantage from the port side of the course. Blue is a little higher, and as things stand, will stop us from tacking around the mark. At two boat lengths, we slow down. Blue is not entitled to room. He has to bear off and becomes overlapped to leeward …perfect! He now has to give us room to round the mark, including the tack!”

When it all goes wrong….

We have looked at ways to recover from a bad start. A bad beat or windward mark rounding also allows opportunities for improvement:

-Learn from the beat!

Why did it all go wrong? Working this out may help you to build the ultimate downwind strategy!

-The wind comes from behind!

Look out for pressure to either side of the course, and make for it.

In an asymmetric fleet, an early gybe or gybe-set into pressure and away from the luffing pack will often bring you back into contention.

-Never give up!

Nothing is certain in sailing!

Conclusion

The temptation, near the top of a long hard slog upwind, is to relax and look forward to the offwind leg. But after the start, the windward mark is the next most congested part of the course. A two boats length gain could be equivalent to tens of places! This means that there is a high potential for gains or losses…

“Keep the pressure on, think ahead, remember what your objectives are, and get stuck in!”