Fleet Race Playbook

Explore

Sections of the Course

First Beat

First beat is a drag race to the first mark, getting off the line and staying full speed are the top priority

Rule #1: Avoid the Middle

Play one side of the course without banging a corner (immediately sailing to the edge of the course and tacking on lay line)

3-4 tacks is the goal

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In Depth Details

The simpler the strategy, the better

Remember that wind does not come straight down the middle of the course, lefties and righties generally come from their respective sides

if you go up the middle you will get those shifts after the boats of the edges, they will be able to make more progress to the mark before you do

Leverage is the distance created between you and other boat(s)

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all boats on the same ladder rung with separation between them

as the wind shifts, so do the ladder rungs

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all 4 boats were on the same ladder rung, when the wind shifts the more leveraged the boat, the more distance created between them and the boat(s) on the correct side of the shift

Reducing leverage is low risk, medium reward sailing

When you sail to one side, only focus on the boats on your side, there is nothing you can do about boats on the other side of the course, you will come back together near the top

Crew Communications

Constant updates on the boats around you; what is your speed and angle compared to those immediately around you

Next puffs, when they will hit and ideas of where the ones are that are farther away to give your driver an idea of where they need to go

How much of the fleet is going right v. left?

Lay lines

How are boats coming together at the top mark?

How can you put more boats behind you?

Important Skills to Practice

Boat speed

Tacks

Holding a lane

Recognizing where puffs will be 30+ seconds away

Recognizing when you can put 3 boats in your zone

Drills

Hold your lane

Regular practice start, at Go there is no tacking, you must attempt to keep the lane you have until called back. If you lose your lane and fall into bad air, practice ways to keep your speed up and get out of bad air ASAP without tacking

Power Ball

Full length course, focusing on last half of first beat, downwind, and second beats

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To start, boats will circle the center mark (the power ball)

1 whistle

Immediately turn upwind, round the top mark and offset, sail entire downwind to the gates, finish by rounding the power ball

2 whistles

Immediately turn downwind, round the gates, sail entire second beat, round and finish by rounding the power ball

This drill works on sailing an actual course by being dropped into the middle in a random spot but still close to other boats

Split Beat Rabbits

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Fleet will be split in half, with one boat from each pack being the rabbits- the rabbits will duck their respective marks towards the middle

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once the rabbit tacks everyone should be on the same ladder rung with each half of the fleet going in opposite directions to simulate a first beat with a pack tacking to the right

everyone races to the windward mark

This drill is to practice drag racing and holding your lane off the line while also using tactics to manage your side of the course

Fence Drill

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Regular sized upwind leg with two marks in the middle acting as fence. You cannot cross those two marks.

A rabbit will start at the bottom mark forcing everyone to go one way or the other, racing to the top mark

As you get to the top there will be a gap between the top mark and the windward fence mark to have a high representation of crossing at the top during a race

The goal of this drill is to practice holding a lane toward on side of the other, having to play one side, and using tactics to pass the boats close to you

Videos

Steph Roble and Maggie Shea go through all details of sailing upwind: overall strategy and smaller tactics to covering boats

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Winning Upwind Tactics with Roble / Shea Sailing⁠

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First Beat Analysis of 2022 Open ACCs 1B Race 8B

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2022 Coed ACC Quals Race 8B Analysis⁠

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