DOWNWIND - PART 8: PASSING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RUN
at 1.04.2012
(c) 2012 Doug Peckover
You've worked really hard to catch and pass boats going downwind and are now approaching the leeward mark. You're green and have secured the inside position on red and have room at the mark. So far so good. As the green boat, you have a choice: would you rather be ahead of red or behind, as shown in positions A and B?
The competitive nature of most sailors would choose A, but this means that A has to make a seaworthy rounding. In most cases, A will round wide enough for red to sneak in:
As a result, A loses its controlling position, cannot tack, and might even get rolled. And if there are more boats behind, A is in trouble tactically with few options except continuing to the right side of the course until red tacks. Not at all good!
For me the correct answer is always B as shown in this next diagram:
This time, B is in a much better position:
- Red has to stay on the outside, give room for B jibing, and has to sail a further distance.
- B does not give up control.
- B can tack if needed.
- B is blanketing red who is going slower.
- If there are boats behind, it's now red that is in trouble tactically.
To get in this position approaching the mark, B might actually have to slow down. This is permitted outside the three boat circle. Inside that, green has to make a seaworthy rounding and cannot slow down.
So, passing near the bottom mark is completely different and is not a good idea. As you approach, you do not want to complete your pass because the other boat can get behind you, take your wind, and then get room from you at the mark. Or at the mark, as we have seen, it can get inside during the rounding.
Things can happen quickly at the mark especially in a fleet, so I like to tell the other boat “I’ve got room coming up.” This is more than just a courtesy – it gives the other boat “room and opportunity” so that it has no excuse for not giving you enough room.
There are ways that red can defend against all of this. We’ll look at these in the next article.
1/14/2012 10:53 PM
I thought if A had the right of way when reaching the 3 boat lenght circle he could make a tactical rounding (passing lateral to the mark and close to leeward of the mark)and close the door on red. Without the right of way he would have to make a seaman like rounding close to the mark and sliding away leaving an opening for red which would be different.
1/14/2012 11:26 PM
First sentence comment: very few sailors can make that tight a rounding and close the door. In most cases, red will have room to get inside. Worst case, red will be able to tack away and then green will have lost its strong position.
Second sentence: sorry, I do not understand. All boats with other boats in the area are require to make a seaworthy rounding.