File - Canadian Wayfarer Association

ow is pushed to windward a bit and we move out on any who are slower to take advantage while
they bask in the rosy glow that goes with the knowledge that you got a good puff.
Even more dramatic is the way the competition can be positively devoured when you are faster
than the boat beside you to adjust to the dreaded dead spot. Everything off: vang, main sheet,
jib sheet - quite possibly to a close reach position to make sure you go even faster to further
depress the over-vanged guy beside you. Here you must make sure you do not pinch! And. of
course, don’t let the boat heel to windward in those lulls. In fact, this is one time I let the boat
heel a bit to leeward in order to give myself that illusion of better speed (on the premise that if
I feel better, I’ll sail better - my crews put up with this quirk).
2.5.3. Helmsmanship
Apart from the obvious requirement of being good at keeping the jib on the edge of a luff with
attentive steering, helming brings with it more subtle requisites if you are to join the ranks of
the successful “pinchers”. Up until not too long ago, I used to think of “pinching” as always sailing
that little bit higher, but lately I am more than ever convinced that you cannot “pinch”
successfully unless you first get optimum speed for the conditions. You can point higher before
hitting optimum speed of cours. But that is a sure way to lose due to slower and slower speed
through the water which brings with it the added “bonus” of increased leeway. What needs to
happen after a loss of speed (e.g. sitting on the start line, after a bad tack or wave, etc.) is that
you need to start off in first gear (i.e. with sails not oversheeted and the jib not too close to
luffing). Once up to speed, and if the waves are not too bad, you can oversheet the main (but not
the jib!), and let the leech ticker disappear for some lengths of time. But, you must be alert for
any loss of speed and gear down at its first sign. In the end, like most things, nothing helps like
practice.
2.6 The "relief" of the first reach 33
Preparation for the reaching legs is often the last thing on most sailors' minds as they finally
get to the windward mark. In windy weather they are often too exhausted to care, whilst in light
airs they can he too frustrated at the time it has taken getting up the beat.
Add to these negative feelings the anarchy that reigns in the middle of large fleets, and it
becomes almost irrelevant where the gybe mark is. As Billy Bacon once said: "Blow where the
next mark is, where is this one?" However, priority number one is still to get round the windward
mark without actually hitting it. It is then, and only then, that those sailors who haven't planned
ahead, start to get ready for the reach.
For many it is just in that relaxed moment as the boom end clears the mark that disaster so
often strikes. The crew dives in from the weather gunwale to do all those things to get the boat
ready for the reach. Kicker, cunningham, clew outhaul and centreboard all apparently have to be
eased, and what is more, they all have to be done within microseconds of rounding the mark. So
what happens? The helm, alarmed at the boat heeling (at this stage the boom may be in the
water) tries to bear away and ease the mainsheet. The boat on the other hand, is trying to
broach as it builds up an impressive leeward bow wave. All of which results in a slow agonizing
wipeout. No - important as all that energetic unloading of tension is, it must take a poor second
place to the primary purpose of any reaching leg which is to consolidate your position on the
boats that are attacking you, whilst at the same time trying to gain on the boats in front. The
name of the game then is "not to lose places". So, rounding the mark in a breeze should mean
33 Michael McNamara, UKWA News #54/Summer 1992
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