Shawn Marshall wrote:

I have often heard the phrase "Tack On Headers" and supposedly this
tactic is used to help you recognise a shift.

I think you have it backwards. First you have to recognize a shift and
*then* tack, if appropriate. If you're really good, you'll see the
header coming and tack before it gets to you.


What I dont understand is how much of a header is a HEADER ?
I often notice when I'm being knocked and if I sail on a little
longer I may be lifted again so ask myself was that a header I
should've tacked on ?

Wind shifts are often temporary with the wind immediately shifting back
to where it was a moment ago. These short shifts aren't usually worth
tacking on, unless they're of a long enough duration and you're good
enough to tack twice and come out ahead.

What you really don't want to do is sail through a header, then tack
just as the wind is shifting back so that you tack from header to
header.


I often wait till I'm
nocked persistently e.g. compass heading changes so that I'm sailing a
persistently lower coarse and then tack but I feel like I've missed
the lift by this time. Should I just tack as soon as I notice the
header or wait a little to see how it plays out ? I would really
appreciate your opinions on this one.

Look upwind, try to figure out what's coming and act accordingly. If
it's a short oscilation, ride it out. If it looks like it will last
long enough to be worth tacking, tack as it arrives or before. Note
that this isn't as easy as it sounds.


--
//-Walt
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