File - Canadian Wayfarer Association

Don't forget also, that you must consider whether tidal streams or waves will override these
windshifts, especially in light or heavy conditions. So make a note of the current direction and
always try to keep it on your lee bow. We'll talk about this in our next article 42 .
Finally, the best way of thinking of headers and lifters is: a header is a change in wind which
forces you to bear away from your previous course and therefore to sail further away from the
windward mark, whilst a lifter is, funnily enough, exactly the reverse!
3.2 Strategy & tactics
3.2.1 Upwind: priorities
The First Quarter of the Beat. Even though you may not have heard it because there was so
much other noise, the starting gun has gone (at last), and you have a reason for being. You have
to get to that first mark and need to shift into 'race mode' quickly. Decisions made or not made
in the next few moments are critical, often deciding your finishing position. If you choose
carefully, you can lead the pack, whilst if you take the wrong option, you'll be catapulted
backwards through the fleet.
So what are these choices? They are in fact pretty simple and revolve around:
1 The need for clear air;
2 Making sure that the boat is up to speed;
3 Getting into 'sync' with the windshifts;
4 Going the right way up the beat.
How you implement these choices, and how you choose which is the most important at any given
time, will depend upon what the wind strength is, and how good a start was made.
1. Clear Air
The lighter the wind, the more important the need for clear air. Those who made good starts,
perhaps because they started just away from the main concentration of boats, will make massive
gains as they easily come up to speed. If they have space to leeward, they can sail marginally
freer to ease out in front. They are the lucky ones.
So, what about those boats who didn't get a good start? How do they get clear air? Well, the
answer is that they must start hunting - and hunting straight away. They will be in less wind, so
should ease kickers, sheet loads, etc. They should not try to point. Foils do not start working
until water flows over their surfaces. So a boat going slowly, is a boat going sideways, falling into
the dirty water and dirty air of the boats to leeward. Go for the best speed you can.
Just after the start, the majority of boats are on starboard. It will be impossible to break
through to leeward of them. So, as soon as you can, tack. Tack sensibly and keep the boat
moving. Panicky and awkward tacks only make things worse. Then take transom after transom, if
necessary. You can easily break through the dirty wind zone, but don't forget to ease the sails if
you have to bear away.
Once an area of clear wind is found, begin thinking about the wind. Try to stay in touch with the
shifts, deciding whether you have to go one way or the other up the beat. But keep looking to
windward. If there is a flag (masthead fly) pointing at you, and you're within five to six mast
lengths, then you are being covered. So, start hunting again.
Word of warning: Do not tack so often that you lose speed. Better to be in dirty air for a
moment while you get the boat moving. Then, when at a reasonable speed for the conditions,
42 Al Schönborn's note: Mike and I are still arguing over this one. I'm of the opinion you can only
lee bow the tide if you're in water that's shallow enough that your centreboard is in less adverse
current than your hull!
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