Upwind Strategy & Tactics

 Bad Air zones around a boat

 Clear air – trouble spots around the
course
 Ways to keep clear air
 When (and how) to keep going in bad air
 What does Tactics mean?
 Strategy is the big picture when there
are no other boats around
 Tactics is when other boats come into
play, boat on boat stuff
Bad Air zones around a boat
Blanket Zone - to leward &
several boat lengths

Backwind Zone –
windward & behind,
large area and creates a
header

Bubble or Dome zone –

air rises as it approches
the boat and falls
behind
Second Row – large
blanket & backwind zone
Green will continue to lose
ground

Pack of boats(especially
light air) rising & falling air
effect everyone
-starting line
-upwind leg & mark

Boats in the middle

have less wind
Bad Air Situations
Holding a lane
Which boat can sail in
clear air for the longest
time?

A & B have lanes

C has clear air but

can easily lose it

D is not in clear air

Windward Mark
Who will make the
most gains at the
mark?

A & C are in clear

air
B, D & E are not
clear
C will sail faster
than B, D & E
If C can tack
inside D & E she
will gain
Windward leg – keep a clear lane

Find a lane you can hold

If yellow wants to go right, where

should she tack?

Best lane
Watch for port boats if you want to
stay on starboard.

What should B do?

A may
leebow B
Who is safer if Green tacks?

Blue is acting as a block,

stopping Green from tacking
in front of Red.
Red tacks on Blue – leebow
What are Blue options?

Stay put

Tack away

Choice depends
on your strategy

Foot off Pinch up

Reasons not to tack
Why might Yellow want
to keep going?

Going the right way

Air is not too bad –

stronger wind, not
loosing too much.

Short lived

THINK AHEAD
Summary
 Upwind boats generate bad air zones
Blanket zone
Backwind zone
Dome of rising & falling air
 Plan ahead for difficult situations
Starting line options – tack away
Clear lane
 Consider strategy when choosing options
Stay Put
Tack away, Pinch or Foot