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    Yacht Racing - Reaching

    This is the most exciting part about yacht racing. It’s adrenaline-pumping and fast. And yet, it is not unusual to find people who only practice reaching as a last resort! Clearly, there is something wrong with these people’s sense of priorities. Don’t make the same mistake and get your priorities straight.

    Reaching is where you get to the downwind. It is that part of the race where everything is going for you – you have boat speed, you have water, and you have the wind right behind you, spurring you on. It is literally smooth-sailing! But provided you get down a few factors right.

    Here are some tips:

    Go for the rumbline.

    All racers are familiar with the rumbline. It is the course between any two marks in a straight line. There two reasons why you should sail the rumbline when you are downwind. First, because it is the shortest course. And second, it is the fastest.

    The Lulls, the Puffs and the Mark

    For the avid sailor, these three (the lulls, the puffs and the mark) are facts of life. As things that you are bound to encounter while out there in the high seas, these things have their own countermeasures set up by sailors from long before. Thus, remember the rules: sail higher in the lulls and sail lower in the puffs.

    And when you are about to round a mark, be sure to get your adjustments beforehand because you do not get to play with those once you’re there. The only time you are able to make some more adjustments is after you have settled into the groove of your next leg of reaching.

    Look around you.

    Remember that this is a race you are in, not some one-man mission (although it is at one point). However, never lose sight of the fact that you are doing this because you have a goal and that goal is the finish line.

    So protect your clear air when necessary, but look for the next mark. Check your sail trim constantly, and look behind, around and beside you to see what the other racers are doing.

    The last one has a double purpose: you check to see how the competition is doing while also keeping in mind the behavior of the tide. You never know whether you are still sailing the same course as the rest of the fleet if you don’t look every once in a while.

    Think ahead.

    Well, this one needs no saying, and for experienced sailors, it’s a no-brainer. But sometimes, people do forget – to check for weed, for instance or remember to watch for waves and use them to your advantage.

    And when you get with the others and decide to overtake, do it with the element of surprise on your side. Do it suddenly. Do it without warning, but remember to calculate. As much as possible, avoid big luffing matches. Instead, do it when the other racer is not paying attention.

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