All Day I Dream About Sailing: Leebowing the current
So.. Ive started a conversation about sailing basically "sensibly" down the reach i.e. don't be a muppett and go high, its a slow approach to the mark, you sail too far and you get no real passing opportunities..
BUT...
What if... you gybe (probably) making sure no-one has an overlap to leward.. and you go high, fairly drastically for around 20 boat lengths... the boats behind go up, the boats in front go up..and this "reaction" goes forward through the fleet and backward I would say at least 5-10 boats each way... then at at an opportune moment i.e. a gust a good wave to surf, you make your move low, very low...
The Effect:
As far as I can see (and so far I haven't tried it) this is perfect.. you push the boats around you high, it has a knock-on effect on what I would say is a considerable number of boats either by pushing them high or by plain winding them and affecting their boatspeed and concentration... you then sod-off low and work hard and get the great gains we have already identified...
OK so its crafty, mean and a little bit calculated..but then sailing is a game, a tactical game and selling your competitiona dummy (going high) is fine in my book...
3 comments:
I don't think it would work, at least I might work occasionally but not enough to make it a good tactic.
I think what probably does work is working your way away from the boats all following bows to stern from one mark to the next, and trying to make better speed away from thier slowing influence.
Although for this to work the reach has to be a decent length in time in order to effect the break from the pack and effect the gains.
Is it really a good idea to advertise your carft and mean tactics to your competition?!
Do I go racing enuff this year and get close enuff to other boats to care :-)
Fair point.. still maybe people will give me a wide berth at the Inlands...?
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