Photo courtesy Jim Evans

The first reach is no time to sit back and down a few cold ones, especially if a sailing machine like this one is on your tail.

Many sailors view the first reach of a triangle course as a time to relax and recover from the stress and effort of the start and windward leg. There are usually not many changes in positions and the sailing is relatively easy. They could not be more wrong. The first reach is a critical part of the race, when the fleet stretches out, the leaders move ahead, and the rest fall behind. If your strategy is to sail consistently throughout a regatta and to remain in touch with the front pack, you cannot afford to drop out of the game by relaxing. While passing boats on a reach is not easy, your goal should be to narrow the gap between yourself and the boats ahead, and extend the gap between you and the boats behind. It’s not as difficult as it sounds. Just as for the start and windward leg, you need a strategy for the first offwind leg. Many of the same factors that you looked for at the start of the race will apply. Is the wind oscillating or changing in strength? Is there current? What is the geometry of the course and how tightly packed is the fleet? All of these issues will come into play as soon as you round the windward mark.

Downwind chess, anyone? The decision to sail high, sail the rhumbline, or sail low. Each has their merits when applied correctly.

This early in the race the fleet is usually still tightly packed, making it difficult for the boats in the lead to protect their clean air. While you can use this to your advantage you need to be careful about the boats coming up from behind. You are sailing a double-edged sword. The best course to sail between the windward mark and the gybe mark is the rhumbline course, the shortest distance between the two marks. It’s not always possible. There are many factors that encourage you sail above the rhumbline, including the boats behind attempting to overtake. If you are in the front of a fleet without too many boats around try to stick to the rhumbline. Those behind that make gains by sailing high will have to give those gains away later in the leg when they come down for the mark. First, try to discourage the boats from behind from sailing high. Stick to your strategy and sail as low as you dare while still protecting your wind. If you immediately defend yourself aggressively against the would-be overtaking boats, you will all sail too much extra distance giving those in the second pack an ideal opportunity to gain ground and perhaps overtake. If you find yourself in that second pack, watch the boats ahead, keep an eye out for just such an opportunity to present itself. You may even be able to sail low off the rhumbline to keep clean air and arrive at the gybe mark with speed and an inside berth, both factors that put you in a position of strength.

While a rhumbline course is the most ideal course, it’s often impractical or impossible to sail directly for the mark and there are times when in fact deliberately sailing high or low is a smart tactical move. Let’s first look at sailing high. In a building breeze it’s often a good decision to sail high. Boat speed increases by sailing closer to the wind in the light breeze early in the leg, and once more pressure builds, it’s best to bear off and head directly for the mark without sacrificing speed. The same applies if the wind is trending to the left (assuming you are sailing a standard course with port mark roundings). A rule of thumb on reaches is to sail high if you are in a lift and low if you are in a header. If the wind is shifting to the left you will be sailing in a relative header as you get further down the leg and the angle will not compromise your boat speed. There are some other reasons for sailing high: if the wind angle is quite broad you may need to sail high to keep to your optimal VMG angles. If the reach is quite tight and the breeze is building you may want to put a little “in the bank” so that you can make the leeward mark with a decent angle. In many cases you may just have to sail high to protect yourself from those behind bringing up a fresh wind. If sailing high is part of your strategy be proactive about it. Aim high immediately after rounding the mark to make your intentions clear. Perhaps hold off setting your spinnaker in order to discourage boats behind from trying to roll you. Don’t sail any higher than you have to so that you don't add distance while still maintaining clear air and a strong defensive position. Don’t forget to use your wind shadow to slow other boats and take every opportunity to get back down again by bearing away in puffs, surfing waves and bearing off in headers.

Just as with sailing high, there are some occasions when sailing low is a good option and should be considered even if it does not fit into your strategy. Remember that your overall strategy should be a work in progress; sometimes it’s simply not feasible to do what you had planned. Usually fewer boats choose the low option which is precisely why it may be a good strategy for you. Basic rules of thumb for sailing low are opposite of those for sailing high. If the wind is dying you may want to consider using what pressure remains to get you below the rhumbline so that you can sail a closer angle toward the end of the leg when there is less breeze. Same applies to a shifting wind. If it’s trending to the right bear off and sail low at the beginning of the leg while you are still on a relative header. It’s easier to sail low when there is a gap between you and the boats astern and there is no threat of anyone stealing your wind. Keeping a safe distance between yourself and the wind shadow cast by your competition is key. Bad air and disturbed water can quickly kill any tactical advantage. Just as with a decision to sail high, if you choose to sail low head low as soon as possible after the windward mark in order to establish some separation. Set your spinnaker early and bear off in any puff or catch any wave that might take you below the rhumbline. A final point to remember is that you should stay low for as long as possible. If you come up too early you run the risk of getting blanketed by the bad air created by the boats working their way down to the mark. Your inside position at the gybe mark will be key to jumping a few places so be sure that you have enough speed to allow you to get an inside overlap.

Sail handling snafus like a collapsing chute can present a ripe opportunity for passing.

While the opportunity to pass another boat does not present itself very often on a reach, there are times when you can overtake a slower boat or one that has sail troubles like a collapsing spinnaker. There is a certain art to passing on a reach and like just about everything to do with tactical sailing, it’s best not to wait until the last moment to act. Decide early if you are going to pass to windward or leeward; both have their advantages and drawbacks. If you plan to pass to leeward you need to start working down as early as possible so that there is good separation between yourself and the wind shadow being cast by the boat you are trying to overtake. Remember in light winds the shadow extends further than in a stiff breeze. Try and time it so that you make your deliberate move to overtake when there is a puff of wind to carry you through the lee. Passing to windward requires the same early action to establish some separation between you and the boat you are overtaking. If you are too close the boat will simply luff you and block you from overtaking. If you have managed to establish some distance you may well sneak past on a surf or puff of wind. Be deliberate and use your wind shadow to gas the boat you are overtaking. In all cases keep an eye on the big picture; don’t go out of your way to overtake and let half the fleet slip through your lee while you myopically focus on one boat.

The first reach may be a less stressful time than the start and first windward leg, but it’s no less important. The tactics you employ can allow you to slip by a number of boats at the gybe mark and position you perfectly for the next leg of the race.