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The Invisible Sail Killer: UV Rays

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Youth Corner: The Comeback

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SYSTEM SAILING DECISION-MAKING +

April 29, 2022

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Developed by Quantum Sails’ Wally Cross, System Sailing views sailing through numbers and GREAT CONTENT
encourages sailors to improve their skills by using charts, diagrams, and post-race documentation,
Ask a Sailmaker: How Does Sail
making their successes easier to repeat. For more information on the foundations of System SUBSCRIBE
Shape Change Over Time?
Sailing, read this article on planning your season (/en/resources-and-expertise/articles/now-is-the-
time-to-plan-your-season) or dive into the full System Sailing Collection (/en/resources-and-
expertise/collections/system-sailing). Here, Wally breaks down the elements that go into decision-
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making and racing success.

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Queen’s Cup: A Great Lakes

Racing Adventure

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Youth Corner: The Comeback

Kid

Boat speed and boat handling are skills with clear patterns for success that are applicable no
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matter what type of boat you’re sailing. Learning how to make good decisions on the racecourse,
however, is more challenging to develop. But the ability to make good decisions always starts with
boat speed, boat handling, and starting technique. 
Ask a Sailmaker: How Does Sail
Shape Change Over Time?
BOAT SPEED 
No matter how great your strategy and tactics, if you aren’t going fast enough to keep up with the +
fleet, you will struggle. Clean lanes become hard to find, and you might be sailing around taking
transoms. Good boat speed allows you to act on your strategy, keeps your options open for
making tactical decisions, and just might be the difference in crossing your competitor clear ARTICLES
ahead instead of ducking the same competitor and getting tacked on. Key to keeping the boat
going fast is keeping up with boat maintenance. For a full description on how to build a system for Queen’s Cup: A Great Lakes
boat speed, start with System Sailing 1.1 the Boat (/en/resources-and-expertise/videos/system- Racing Adventure
sailing-1-1-the-boat) and System Sailing 2.1 Sailing with Numbers (/en/resources-and-
expertise/videos/system-sailing-2-1-sailing-with-numbers).
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BOAT HANDLING 
Hand in hand with boat speed is boat handling. You must have confidence to put the boat in VIEW ALL (/RESOURCES-AND-
situations where you’ll successfully execute a given maneuver on the racecourse. Practice a EXPERTISE/ARTICLES)
variety of maneuvers so you’re comfortable with a variety of options and decisions to make. The
tactician may recognize an opening to pass a few boats by doing a gybe-set, but if the crew
doesn’t know how to confidently perform that maneuver, it can’t be factored into your decisions.
Instead, you might opt to set, extend, and follow the train of other boats in front of you, while the
boat behind you gybe-sets and passes you and the three boats in front of you. For a deeper dive
into creating a system for boat handling, read System Sailing 3.1 Boat Handling (/en/resources- YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
and-expertise/videos/system-sailing-3-1-boat-handling) and System Sailing 3.4 Fine Tuning
(/en/resources-and-expertise/videos/system-sailing-3-4-fine-tuning).
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STARTING  The Invisible Sail Killer: UV Rays

The essentials for a good start are pretty basic: start on time, on the line, and up to speed, and
your options will be nearly unlimited. Paired with boat speed and boat handling, you can sail the
race however you want – tack on shifts, stay in clear air, and go to the favored side of the course.
Make sure you develop a system for starting at the boat, starting midline, and starting at the pin +
with System Sailing 3.3 Pre-Race and Start (/en/resources-and-expertise/videos/system-sailing-3-
3-pre-race-start).
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DECISION-MAKING PROCESS 
Youth Corner: The Comeback
Decision-making starts well before the race. Successful sailors study the venue ahead of time and
Kid
collect information to inform their race day decisions. Some important things to study before the
event include:

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Typical weather conditions for the time of year 
Sea breeze or any land effect 

Patterns of wind shifts  ARTICLES

Temperature of land and water 

Ask a Sailmaker: How Does Sail
Shape Change Over Time?
Current or tide during race day
Direction based on water depth 

Areas of relief   +

Rivers near race area (rain will change speed/direction) 

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At the race venue, the research continues. The internet is always a good way to get information
about conditions and weather and water patterns, but you should also do firsthand “field” Queen’s Cup: A Great Lakes
research. When possible, consult a trusted local who has raced in the area in different conditions. Racing Adventure
Regardless of their sailing abilities, their information can be valuable. Once you’ve done your
research, break your decision-making process into strategy and tactics.
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STRATEGY (THE PLAN) 
Strategy considers how you would sail the race if there were no other boats on the course and you VIEW ALL (/RESOURCES-AND-
were racing only against the clock. Create your strategy based on the information you’ve gathered EXPERTISE/ARTICLES)
about weather, water, and wind conditions as well as information about the course on race day.  

On-course race day information 

 Sail upwind for 20 minutes to see what’s happening on the racecourse, looking for wind
speed and direction patterns YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Sail downwind for 20 minutes to see what’s happening on the racecourse, looking for
wind speed and direction patterns ARTICLES

At the starting line, determine line bias relative to course side

The Invisible Sail Killer: UV Rays

Based on your on-the-water and pre-race research, you’ll be able to make the best plan you’d follow
if there were no other boats involved. Once other boats are mixed into the race, you need to
determine the tactics to follow that will let you stick as close as possible to your original strategy.
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TACTICS (THE MOVES) 

Tactics consider the real-time decisions made on the racecourse − including the start − while ARTICLES
sailing against other boats. They’re what keep your opponent off guard. Tactical decisions are
based on your strategy, the competition, and any changes happening as the race unfolds. When Youth Corner: The Comeback
your tactics support your strategy, the results are always good. Examples of tactical decisions Kid
include:

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Start to leeward of a group to hold a lane

Sail in clear air

Cross when you can  ARTICLES

Stay in phase 
Ask a Sailmaker: How Does Sail
Sail toward pressure  Shape Change Over Time?
Sail inside the triangle with oscillating breeze 

Work the edges of the course in light breeze  +

Position your boat farther in advance on the downwind leg to be inside at leeward mark 

Round the closest gate 

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Stay with better boats 
Queen’s Cup: A Great Lakes
Loose cover when protecting a lead 
Racing Adventure

Finally, keep a notebook in which you record the conditions of and observations on every race. The
notebooks of skilled tacticians are detailed and include: 
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Wind speeds, wave heights, sail choice  VIEW ALL (/RESOURCES-AND-

Sail settings, target speeds sailed, rig tune  EXPERTISE/ARTICLES)

Current effect and directions 

Land effect and timing 

 Notes on how to get better results 
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For more articles, videos, and the System Sailing Playbook (/QuantumSails/media/Tips-and-
Tricks-Photos-and-Files/System-Sailing-Playbook-Master-V1.pdf), check out the full System Sailing ARTICLES
Collection (/en/resources-and-expertise/collections/system-sailing). Contact Wally Cross
(mailto:wcross@quantumsails.com) with any additional questions. The Invisible Sail Killer: UV Rays

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