Sailboat Racing Basics – Why and When to Go Slower (or Faster!)

Currently, I’m working on a month’s worth of racing topics for sailing, and along with a close study of the rules; I think students would benefit from some race philosophy. Well – maybe not philosophy, but, some deep thought about what they want to ask the boat to do and when. How would you answer these questions?

Why would we want to go faster? 

When would we want to go faster?

How do we make the sailboat go faster?

Why would we want to go slower? 

When would we want to go slower?

How do we make the sailboat go slower?

I think an initial discussion on each of those thoughts, then some directed examples would do well.

Here are some possible answers – feel free to add to the conversation in the comments below!

1. Why would we want to go faster? 

To win, to put ourselves in a right-of-way position, to get close to someone, to get away from someone, to avoid a collision, to avoid known hazards on the course, to keep in clean air, to get out of “bad air,” – perfect time to discuss bad air situations; blanketing.

2. When would we want to go faster?

When it’s safe to do so, to get to a mark faster, to have right-of-way, as we cross the starting line provided we are not early, anytime it gives us an advantage and is safe. 

3. How do we make the sailboat go faster? 

Discuss role of halyards, sheets, outhaul, vang, crew weight and location, gear weight, hull condition, equipment weight, jettisoning liquids, books, etc, keeping in clean air, using the current to our advantage, watching the wind, looking for lifts, avoiding headers. Also sculling, pumping, and ooching not allowed in most cases. Discuss when and why to move crew around the boat, where to place them or not place them. In light air – low side to make the boat heel and lengthen the waterline. In higher wind – high side to carry more sail, reduce heel to that boat’s particular “sweet spot,” midships and not on the stern on the downwind legs. 

Great conversation is take time to make sure everyone understands that a header on your current tack is a lift for the other tack, so tack and take advantage. This is a difficult concept to grasp at first. Drawings with a wind arrow will help. Full five minutes possibly. 

4. Why would we want to go slower? 

Whaaaat???? Slower? : )  To put ourselves in a right-of-way position, to get away from someone, to avoid a collision, to avoid being “early” across the line, to allow wind or tide to put us somewhere better situated.

5. When would we want to go slower? 

If it looks like we will cross the start line too early, when it looks like we will put ourselves in a bad position to round a mark, when we need to maneuver into a better wind position.

6. How do we make the sailboat go slower? 

Discuss role of halyards, sheets, outhaul, vang, crew weight.