I struggle with upwind strategy skills more than any other element of sailing. Smart upwind sailing requires managing the trade-offs between sailing the lifted tack, sailing in more wind, picking a side, and sailing conservatively.

For this post, we decided to put all the upwind strategy skills in one place. This might give you a big picture reference to evaluate and improve your upwind sailing.

We gathered these skills from all the major sources, including the following:

• Positioning: The Logic of Sailboat Racing, Stuart Walker
• Winning in One Designs, Dave Perry
• Championship Tactics, Gary Jobson and Tom Whidden
• Performance Racing Tactics, North U.
• Numerous on-line videos and articles
• Previous SailZing posts on Upwind Strategy

Sail the Lifted Tack

• Be able to recognize the lifted tack to within 5 degrees, regardless of position on course; use compass if necessary
• Keep track of changing wind patterns throughout the race:
  • average wind direction
  • approximate frequency of shifts
• In oscillating winds, stay on lifted tack and tack only when headed below the average
• Sail the lifted side of expanding puffs

Sail to the Advantage

• Recognize when one side or portion of the course will be advantaged:
  • Light air
  • Dying breeze
  • New wind
  • Persistent or single shift
  • Geographic shift
  • Medium or shorter length courses on lakes
  • Near shore on lakes
  • Crowded course
• Sail toward advantage until it is reached
  • Sail headed tack if necessary
  • Use small lifts and headers to work your way to the advantage
  • Pinch or foot as needed
  • Be patient until the advantage is reached

Sail in Clear Air

• Recognize the bad air zones around a boat or group of boats
  • blanket zone
  • backwind zone
  • starting line (bow behind neighboring boats)
  • packs of boats
  • unsustainable lane
  • approaching boat on opposite tack
  • windward and leeward marks
• Use best option to clear your air
  • tack away
  • foot off
  • sail in high mode
• Recognize when it is preferable to keep going in bad air
  • going the right way
  • stronger winds
  • temporary condition

Manage Course Position

• Know position of mark and laylines
• Avoid the laylines early
• To seek an advantage while remaining conservative, move to a side early in the beat and then use smaller shifts to move back toward center later in the beat

Manage Fleet Position

• Stay with the top sailors and the majority of the fleet
• Recognize when you are ahead/behind and losing/gaining
• Avoid being furthest to one side unless certain of advantage
• Don’t let boats on opposite tacks cross unless:
  • heading to an advantage
  • on the lifted tack
• Cross other boats when advantage gained; don’t be greedy
• Position conservatively
  • Inside and to windward of other boats when sailing away from the rhumb line
  • Inside and to leeward of other boats when sailing toward the rhumb line
  • Between the next mark and the boats behind to maintain a lead

Make Good Decisions

• Think ahead and anticipate upcoming situations
• Be flexible and ready to adapt by combining strategy elements
• Recognize priorities
  • light/medium air or unstable air: seek more wind
  • more stable: shifting slowly and less variation in velocity: seek the lifted tack
  • heavy air: seek speed and control
  • big fleet: seek clear air, manage fleet position
• Use all clues
  • Boats ahead and behind
  • Wind on water
  • Flags
  • Smoke
  • Clouds
  • Weather forecast
• Use sound decision-making principles
  • Maintain the big picture; don’t let temporary tactical situations override your strategy
  • When relatively certain, have patience and courage
  • When relatively uncertain, make high percentage decisions
  • Make high risk decisions only when large gain needed that is not possible with fundamentals