This category develops your ability to sail smart, focusing on racing strategy and tactics. Subcategories include strategy principles, tactical principles, and specific strategies and tactics for starting, upwind, downwind, reaching, marks and finishes.
Many sailors spend time sailing the windward leg as part of their pre-race routine. Bill Draheim has a different approach: […]
Observe Other Boats in Your Pre-Race Routine: Bill’s Q School Read Post »
Race 1 of the 2020 MC Midwinters at Lake Eustis Sailing Club was sailed with 60 boats in very light
Light Air, Big Fleet: Race Course Notes Read Post »
How’s your sense of geometry on the race course? Can you make quick and accurate judgments about laylines, who’s ahead,
Simplified Tacking Lines for Better Judgments Read Post »
It’s ten minutes before the start and you’re formulating strategy. Should you pick a favored side, or just sail the
Favored Side of the Course: Make Better Decisions Read Post »
How good is your technique at the windward mark rounding? Video evidence suggests that even some top sailors are not
Windward Mark Rounding – Make Gains with Technique Read Post »
Drone video helps us to capture scenarios showing decisions being made and clearly show the result. In this case, we
Wind Flows – Leeward Mark Rounding Read Post »
Given the importance of a good start, you’d think that everyone would work very hard to master the techniques. But
Starting Performance Observations: Race Course Notes Read Post »
One of our readers told us he sees lots of sailors losing ground because they don’t realize the importance of
Windward Mark Laylines: Get them Right Read Post »
Ducking another boat is something you don’t want to do often. As Stuart Walker says, “Don’t let ’em cross.” But
Ducking: Decide and Execute Read Post »
To continue our series on keeping your lead, we turn to covering tactics on the beat. We reviewed several books
Keeping Your Lead, Part 2: Covering Tactics on the Beat Read Post »
SailZing.com is presenting a series of “Tactical IQ” sessions to help you think through common race situations. For this session,
Leeward Gate Tactics: 8 Tactical IQ Scenarios Read Post »
For many readers, including your editor, losing boats on the last leg is all too common. In this series of
Keeping Your Lead, Part 1: Covering Tactics at the Leeward Mark Read Post »
Will Haeger, from Lake Beulah Yacht Club, won the 2019 ILYA C Scow Championship with crew Brad Roble. Will and
ILYA Champion Interview – Will Haeger Read Post »
Natalie Sinn, from Minnetonka Yacht Club, won the 2019 ILYA MC Scow Championship with crew Paige Packard. She is the
ILYA Champion Interview – Natalie Sinn Read Post »
What factors do you consider when choosing the leeward gate? Furthest upwind Favored side of the course for next beat
Choosing the Leeward Gate: Race Course Notes Read Post »
As the 2019 summer racing season gets underway, your SailZing editors have been gathering race experiences to help drive home
Downwind Strategy Mistakes: Four Ways to Get Passed Read Post »
