Our recent post, Learn to Change Gears, focused on three upwind “gears:” footing, pointing, and max VMG. These gears rely
Seven Depowering Tools – Sail Controls, Rig Tuning, Boat Trim Read Post »
“Get your head out of the boat” and “Sail by Feel” are both great pieces of advice for racing sailors,
Get Your Head out of the Boat and Sail by Feel! Read Post »
[Lull response]: I fought my instinct to bear off, and instead, allowed the jib tales to stall while the boat
Sailing Lulls – What’s the Best Response? Read Post »
If Olympic sailors, coaches, and America’s Cup teams take the time to mark control settings, why shouldn’t the rest of
Mark Control Settings – Get Fast, Quicker Read Post »
Struggling with boat speed? Want to sail more by feel? Understanding and managing helm balance will help. In this post
Manage Upwind Helm Balance for Speed and Feel Read Post »
You will always be behind the curve if you’re reacting to changes in the wind, rather than anticipating them. Seeing
Seeing Wind on the Water – Improve Your Skills Read Post »
Here’s a drill to sharpen your puff response techniques. Most sailors know about “ease/hike/trim,” but many do not execute it
Try the “No-Hike Hands Drill” for Better Puff Response Read Post »
In this post, we’ll define leeway, show you how to become aware of your boat’s leeway, and share tips on
Understand Leeway to Improve Upwind Performance Read Post »
As a beginning sailor, your editor had to learn to sheet the mainsail hard enough to control the leech and
Ease for Speed – Vaughan Harrison: Sailing World Read Post »
Every battle is won before it is fought. Sun Tzu, Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher The above quote could
Pre-Race Routine: Get a Leg up on the Competition Read Post »
Thus far in our SailZing posts about puff response, we have consistently advocated “feather and ease, hike, and trim” as
Puff Response: Variations on Ease, Hike, Trim Read Post »
Bad starts happen. As we showed in Starting Performance Observations, it’s common to see half or more of the fleet
Bad Start? Four Recovery Options Read Post »
Crossing situations force you to evaluate options, sometimes rather quickly. Asking the right questions will help you make a better
Cross, Tack, or Duck? Ask the Right Questions Read Post »
Ever had your carefully planned approach ruined by last-minute wind shifts while starting? Wind shifts affect your time and distance
Wind Shifts While Starting: Impacts and Tips Read Post »
The beauty of solo practicing is that you can work on a wide range of techniques and abilities without having
Four Tips for Effective Solo Practicing 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 »
