By: Clay Johnson
We don’t reach as much these days as we used to. Courses tend to be Windward-Leeward, and in practice we either work on going upwind or going downwind. But there are some reasons to practice your reaching skills: for any classes sailing trapezoids, there can be up to two reach legs. And for asymmetrical boats, it’s important to know how to sail hotter angles. Reaching is a bit of a lost art, and I wanted to share some thoughts on it:
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First of all, I think there is a huge opportunity to make gains compared to your competitors if you practice reaching. Nobody does it. If you dedicated time to refining your skills I think you will instantly see some improvement.
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Being fast on the reaches is important for a few reasons. If you’re faster you can pass boats. If you’re in the lead, you can extend your lead, which in turn, makes the subsequent downwind leg easier because you have clearer air. Or if you’re well behind some boats, you can close the gap and give yourself and opportunity to pass on the subsequent downwind. Even if you maintain your same position in the race, there can be big gains to be had.
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Setting up your sail correctly is key. Every boat is different, but typically when it’s windy you want a flatter sail. This can be counterintuitive to someone who’s been told “tighter controls upwind and looser controls downwind.” While I may ease my vang a little, I generally leave my cunningham and outhaul tight. A flatter sail cuts through the wind faster, where a fuller sail creates more drag and actually slows you down. In lighter air or broader reaches, you can get away with looser settings.
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Making sure your board is at the proper height is important too. Pulling your board up enough reduces drag in the water. Too much board up and you’ll slide sideways. Leave the board all the way down and you’ll go slower. But just the right amount of board to continue going straight while being connected to the water yet reducing drag is what you should strive for.
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I can’t think of any instance where you want to heel to windward on a reach. Heeling to leeward the right amount will reduce your water-line and keep the sail powered up. It might only be a few degrees, but maintaining that heel angle is important. Don’t let the boat go flat!
Tips for passing:
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When you round the weather mark, it’s important to asses what kind of your lane you’re in. Typically defending the high road is important. Adjust your controls quickly and smoothly and get going as fast as you can. If you need to go up to get in the high lane and defend your spot, you should do that immediately, then get to work.
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Sometimes you’ll tack in at the weather mark and be on the inside of a big group of boats. Getting up to the high lane might not be an easy option, in which case you may need to make the low road work. Maintaining separation is key in this case. Stay low and try not to creep up into the boats above you. You may not recognize any gains until the very end when you’re going fast into the mark and the fleet has to sail lower and slower, but trust that it’s happening and be patient.
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If you’re going for a pass on the reach it’s important to give the boat in front of you some space. If you sail right up to the stern of the boat in front of you and then go for a pass, it will be easier for them to defend. But if you recognize that you can pass and get up early, by the time the lead boat realizes you’re a threat they can’t get up to you.
Lastly, communicating with your crew is important. Have the conversation where you formulate your plan for the leg and stick to it. Sometimes I’ll whisper our intentions to my crew so that the other boats don’t know if we’re going to try to pass or if we’re not. But being on the same page allows for quick responses and faster sailing!
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