MARK ROUNDING TRICKS
“Keep your endgame in mind: if you were intending a high exit, it may be counterproductive to reach down to the layline too early”
As the windward mark approaches, it’s nearly time to to rest those burning thighs, reach for the drinks and bars, and give the aching brain a rest. It is not quite time to relax yet though: whether club racing, competing in a fleet championship or something in between, there are plenty of opportunities here to gain time, places and set yourself up for a successful downwind leg.
BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND
If you have a clear set of priorities for the next leg, you can work on manipulating your windward mark-rounding to enable you to act on those priorities straight away. How did your beat work out: did you set the right strategic priorities? If yes, will they be the same for the offwind leg? If not, what is different and how will this affect your downwind strategy?
If wind speed (pressure) is variable, sailing to the pressure is always likely to be a higher priority than it was upwind, especially in an apparent wind boat. But traditional boats also sail faster and soak lower in
