Newbie on board but let me seek your advice and guidance, if I may,
folks.

When going upwind, what tacking method wins races and why? One long
tack or several short tacks? For the sake of my understanding, let's
talk in terms of the windward mark being dead upwind of the start line
and a constant wind speed and direction.

Best wishes
Steve

Stephen,

If:

1. the wind is perfectly steady in speed and direction,
2. the wind is perfectly uniform across the course,
3. there is no current,
4. there are no other boats nearby,

then a single tack will generally be fastest. Tacking is usually slower
than traveling in a straight line.

If any of these conditions are not met, then multiple tacks may be
preferable. Learning when and how to make these decisions is what racing
is all about. Many books have been written on this topic, and it is
impossible to summarize all of the details.

One of the most basic strategies, however, is to take advantage of wind
shifts by tacking when it allows you to point closer to the direction of
the mark.

Regards,
Gene Fuller

Stephen Page wrote:
Newbie on board but let me seek your advice and guidance, if I may,
folks.

When going upwind, what tacking method wins races and why? One long
tack or several short tacks? For the sake of my understanding, let's
talk in terms of the windward mark being dead upwind of the start line
and a constant wind speed and direction.

Best wishes
Steve

Gene Fuller writes:

One of the most basic strategies, however, is to take advantage of
wind shifts by tacking when it allows you to point closer to the
direction of the mark.

Another important thing is to stay where the pressur is up.
For really quick boats this is more impartant than pointing
close tp the target all the time.

--
Martin Schöön "Problems worthy of attack
show their worth by hitting back."
Piet Hein

Stephen,

Any tack costs speed and they should be avoided when not required.

Three reasons to tack:
1- You must to make the mark (your VMG-WCV has gone to zero)
2- You are about to run out of water/wind if you continue
3- Tactical requires that you cover the competion

Yes, it really is just that simple.

Matt Colie
Lifelong Waterman, Licnsed Mariner and Pathological Sailor


Stephen Page wrote:

Newbie on board but let me seek your advice and guidance, if I may,
folks.

When going upwind, what tacking method wins races and why? One long
tack or several short tacks? For the sake of my understanding, let's
talk in terms of the windward mark being dead upwind of the start line
and a constant wind speed and direction.

Best wishes
Steve

Hi Steve,
as others said, this topic is a long discussion trigger on winward
tactics.
The main problem is the combination of two big ideas:
- Short term tactic.
- Macro - long term tactic.

The first one will be the logical structure of all your decisions at a
short time, thinking in the small fleet that is sailing near your area
and the influence of this other boats and how you will keep on first
place of this sub-fleet.
The second one is a strategic view of the course area (all the winward
leg, imagine an aerial view) and all the logical influence factors at
long time, like current, other side fleet position, persistent
windshift, etc.

The key is understand when one is more important than the other, and
take the decisions with a balance keeping in mind the two visions.

If you have a constant wind speed and direction, I assume an ideal
situation with no change of pressure in the course area, etc. the boat
speed takes a very important place together with the start and the
position that you gain in the fleet as a consecuence.

Hope that helps

best regards

Diego.


Stephen Page wrote:
Newbie on board but let me seek your advice and guidance, if I may,
folks.

When going upwind, what tacking method wins races and why? One long
tack or several short tacks? For the sake of my understanding, let's
talk in terms of the windward mark being dead upwind of the start line
and a constant wind speed and direction.

Best wishes
Steve

Thank you one and all for the guidance on tacking. What's the best to
read up some more? Also is tacking on a wind shift the thing I need to
get nailed down first and foremost? If so, how do you read a
wind-shift?

Best wishes
Steve

Steve,

Wind is always shifting, unless you in the trades well away from land.

Most places that people sail the wind oscillates. 10-15d is not
uncommon. When fighting to weather, watch the you compass. You will
see this variation, then watch for a swing that is bigger and hangs
longer than the rest. I am not sure how to tell you mor without using a
boat (I've never successfully taught sailing.)

Go get a book, Look up the Bill Gladstone books and when you have
digested those, keep looking and sailing. Go out sailing when you don't
want to, like those days with light wind - but stay away from
thunderstorms if you want to ever be an old sailor.

Matt Colie A.Sloop "Bonne Ide'e" S2-7.9 #1
Lifelong Waterman, Licnesed Mariner and Congenital Sailor


Stephen Page wrote:

Thank you one and all for the guidance on tacking. What's the best to
read up some more? Also is tacking on a wind shift the thing I need to
get nailed down first and foremost? If so, how do you read a
wind-shift?

Best wishes
Steve

In article .com,
"Stephen Page" wrote:

Thank you one and all for the guidance on tacking. What's the best to
read up some more? Also is tacking on a wind shift the thing I need to
get nailed down first and foremost? If so, how do you read a
wind-shift?

Best wishes
Steve

Steve, I like use a compass designed to assist with this.

From the TackTick website (a FAQ that addresses your question
(http://www.tacktick.com/support/faq.asp?FID=32):

Your Tacktick compass has three primary functions:

To aid in the detection of wind shifts
To indicate the direction of the next mark
To help establish bias in the starting line

Establishing the mean wind direction
Launch in good time and allow at least half an hour to determine the
mean wind direction, as there may be an oscillating wind-stream with a
period of 30 minutes or more. Establish the wind direction by sailing
close hauled and noting compass headings, then split the difference
between the average port and starboard headings. Alternatively set your
Tacktick into its wind-shift mode and keeping an eye on the accuracy of
your set-up, adjusting as required until you are satisfied you have the
mean direction.
The more time you spend at this stage, the more accurately you will
establish the size and frequency of the wind¹s directional shifts.

Starting
The start line may not be set at exactly 90° to the mean wind direction.
The crew who position their boat at the favoured end of the line will
have an advantage. The digital precision of your Tacktick compass will
help you to establish which end is favoured. Consult your user guide to
understand how to work with your Tacktick at the start line.
Note that a last minute wind shift may appear to favour one end of the
line, but watch out! It may still be that the line is square to the mean
wind and it will then pay you to start at the apparently unfavoured end,
where the line will be less densely populated.

General hints on shifting winds
Discounting extreme meteorological conditions such as thunderstorms,
there are four main types of windshift:
1. A periodic shift in an oscillating wind-stream. In this case, success
depends on estimating the mean direction correctly, and it is usually
best to sail on the lifted tack. Note that it is possible to sail
through a small header and still be lifted in relation to the mean wind
- at this point you will pass a crew who simply tack on headers. Shifts
of this type are often experienced in a variable north-wester in UK and
continental waters. Small cumulus clouds are a trade mark of this type
of wind-stream.
2. A shift in the mean wind direction due to do changes in the overall
pressure system. The weather forecast and weather maps may warn of this;
which is why it is all important to be armed with an up-to-date local
forecast before going afloat.
3. A Œbent¹wind due to shore effects.A Championship course is supposed
to be laid well away from land, but if the wind is blowing diagonally
offshore it nearly always pays to work a little way inshore early in the
beat as the opportunity allows. Should it then become apparent that the
inshore course is favoured, you are in a good position to take advantage
of it. Beware of going in too far too soon, or against an oscillating
shift.
4. Sea breeze.This may arrive as a reversal of the wind direction, or
the wind may swing towards the direction of the sea breeze. Try to
ascertain in advance what is the usual sea breeze direction. The basic
requirement for a sea breeze is sunshine: as the land is heated the air
above it rises, and the colder air is drawn in from the sea. A strong
offshore component in the prevailing wind - usually about 15 knots -
will nullify the sea breeze. There may be local signs to give a clue as
to the arrival of a sea breeze - ask around, but a good rough guide is
that for about 20 minutes before hand, the wind will slowly die. Once
the sea breeze is filling in, don¹t look for oscillating shifts. As it
strengthens it will more closely approach is usual direction and later
in the afternoon, the process will tend to reverse. The sea breeze will
try to flow smoothly inshore and, being a rather shallow air movement
will tend to flow around obstructions such as cliffs, rather than over
them.

Using the shifts
The basic action required in an oscillating wind system is the opposite
to that when meeting major weather system shifts, bent winds or when the
sea breeze effect swings the wind-stream.
In the first case, it is necessary to tack on headers, in the other
cases it is usually best to sail on further when headed: the further you
sail the more the effect is likely to increase and the greater will be
the benefit when you finally tack for the weather mark.

And understanding them
If you are working an oscillating system and one of the other types of
shift appears - perhaps without warning - be prepared to cut your losses
and sail across to the better side of the beat. If for example, you tack
on a header and are then freed more and more, identifiably more than for
previous shifts, then you should suspect this is happening.
Serious winners are most likely to be those who appreciate the art of
this subject, and react rapidly to it.

The benefits of a Tacktick precision digital compass
Tacktick compasses are precise, lightweight, and easy to read, so you
can spend less time looking at the compass, and more time thinking
through the tactics. They are also portable and straightforward to
install, so you can take your Tacktick from boat to boat, and rapidly
set up for tactical racing.

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

Stephen Page wrote:
What's the best to read up some more?

I really like Jobson's 'Championship Sailing'. But I'd also say that you
can spend too much time reading and not enough time on the water practicing.

Also is tacking on a wind shift the thing I need to get nailed down
first and foremost?

I wouldn't worry about the shifts and just work on the fundamentals of
tacking. Hitting the shift just right is nice, but not losing several
boatlengths in a tack is a lot nicer. It's really all about maintaining
and maximizing boat speed. (I'll also happily argue with whoever said
that not tacking is guaranteed to be faster than tacking. Lots of boats
can gain with a good roll tack; 42.2.e is there for a reason.)

andrew m. boardman wrote:
Stephen Page wrote:
What's the best to read up some more?

I really like Jobson's 'Championship Sailing'. But I'd also say that you
can spend too much time reading and not enough time on the water practicing.

Also is tacking on a wind shift the thing I need to get nailed down
first and foremost?

I wouldn't worry about the shifts and just work on the fundamentals of
tacking. Hitting the shift just right is nice, but not losing several
boatlengths in a tack is a lot nicer. It's really all about maintaining
and maximizing boat speed. (I'll also happily argue with whoever said
that not tacking is guaranteed to be faster than tacking. Lots of boats
can gain with a good roll tack; 42.2.e is there for a reason.)


Andrew,

Literacy is such a growing problem today.

On June 7 I said,

". . . then a single tack will generally be fastest."

It appears you may have confused "generally" with "guaranteed". Given
the nature of the original question I made the silly assumption that the
questioner was not an expert at roll tacking.

Regards,
Gene Fuller