By Clay Johnson
You’re sailing downwind to the leeward gate, and you have an important decision coming up. Do you take a “right turn” and head to the course left side or do you take a “left turn” and head to the course right side? There are a lot of factors at play, and keeping your options in mind as you make your way downwind is important.
Here are some things that I think about as I approach the leeward marks:
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What side of the course was favored last time? Often times if one side of the course was favored on the first beat, the same can be true for the next beat.
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Where is the next (weather) mark? Is it skewed to one side or is it pretty square to the course?
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Which leeward gate mark is further upwind (closer)? This is an important one because if one gate mark is a full boat length upwind, the extra distance sailed to get to the other gate mark is actually more than two boat lengths - one more boat length down and then more than one boat length to get back up to the same ladder rung as the other gate. You can gain a lot of distance by choosing the correct gate mark.
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Where is the best breeze on the course right now and where will the best breeze be right after I round?
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If I’m winning, are my nearest competitors following me or are they setting up to go to the other mark? If my competitors follow me, it’s a lot easier to cover and maintain my lead. If they split, one shift can cost me my lead.
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Conversely, if I’m near the front do I look for an opportunity to split? Or is one gate so much better that I need to take that and look for other opportunities to pass later?
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If I’m in the middle of the fleet surrounded by other boats, does one gate mark provide clearer air and more options? Sometimes you come down to a gate in a pack, and you may have the chance to round first at one mark or fourth at the other mark. All things being even, it’s probably better to be the first one around a mark and have more options to pass.
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Are there any factors beyond wind that would influence my decision? Does current play a role? Is there another fleet racing nearby that may effect my wind? Is there an Armada of coach boats creating wake near one gate mark in light air conditions?
As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider as you approach the leeward mark. I generally race the first 50% of the run without worrying about my gate choice; I’m solely focused on speed. But as I get about 50-75% of the way down the leg, I start to consider my options and run through this checklist in my head.
I think it’s also important to communicate any decisions you’ve made to your crew as early as possible. Deciding on a plan early and communicating which gate to take will only set your boat up for success.
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