More and more races are being sailed on windward-leeward courses, and with good reason. Tactically, running legs are much more interesting than reaching legs. Running legs offer trailing boats a real chance to attack; runs are the only legs where fleets tend to compress. By comparison, reaches often turn into parades, with the fleet stretching out (Fig. 1).

Running strategy and tactics bears little resemblance to reaching. In fact, much of running is like upwind strategy and tactics turned on its head, with several interesting variations and exceptions.

Before we look at running strategy, we must first understand a little about running performance. We will introduce these performance concepts here in order to establish parameters for our strategy. Performance Racing Trim offers a much more detailed discussion of these performance issues.

Downwind performance can be divided in three segments based on wind strength: Light air, for winds from 3 to 10 knots; moderate air for winds from 10 to 14 knots; and heavy air for winds over 14 knots (Fig. 2). Boat performance changes from one segment to the next, and our strategy options change as performance changes.

In winds from 3 to 10 knots, sailing angles are very wide. That is, for best performance we do not sail directly downwind, but 40° above a dead downwind course. Boat speed changes dramatically as the wind fluctuates between 3 and 10 knots, but the correct sailing angle changes hardly at all. In these conditions, we will jibing through about 80°‹which is only slightly narrower than our tacking angles upwind (Fig. 2a).

In these light air conditions the off in the puffs, up in the lulls adage we advocated for reaching does not apply. Our sailing angle remains steady through puffs and lulls in light air running.

In moderate winds sailing angle, not boat speed, is the dynamic variable. The correct sailing angle changes dramatically‹by about 5° for every knot of wind speed‹from 145° in 10 knots of wind to 165° in 14 knots of wind. Boat speeds do increase slightly, but it is the ability to carry speed at lower and lower angles which characterizes the moderate wind segment of the performance spectrum (Fig. 2b). Off in the puffs, up in the lulls is very much a part of moderate air running.

In winds of 15 knots or greater, we can sail almost directly downwind‹or straight to the mark. The preferred sailing angle is influenced by waves along with strategic and tactical considerations (Fig. 2c).

With this understanding of downwind performance, we can now look at downwind strategy and tactics. Obviously, these performance parameters will dictate changes in strategy for each segment of the performance spectrum. Two additional comments: These wind speeds and angles are nearly universal for all keel boats (sailing with spinnakers). For more details, see Performance Racing Trim. Also, for wind speeds under 3 knots, nobody is really sure what is happening. I suggest you keep your head down, use a smooth swing, and follow through toward the green. Good luck!

As always, strategic variables are wind, wind shifts, and current. If we look at the performance cones for each sector of downwind sailing, we can see that in light air the cone is as wide as the upwind cone. For moderate and heavy air sailing, the cones are narrower. The reality is that most (too much) of our racing is done in winds of 10 knots or less. In these conditions our strategic choices are wide. The narrower performance cones of stronger winds narrow our strategic field.

As with upwind sailing, we are looking for better wind, and more favorable or less adverse current. We are also trying to take advantage of wind shifts. Downwind wind shifts are a major factor, as with upwind, but also differ from upwind in some interesting ways, as we shall see.

Downwind differences in wind strength have a more pronounced impact on performance than they do upwind. It always pays to find more wind. If there was a favored side upwind due to stronger winds, then sail to the same side downwind (Fig. 3a). An advantage upwind due to current will be realized on the opposite side downwind (Fig. 3b). Note: the right and left sides of the course are named looking upwind. The right side upwind and the right side downwind are the same water.

With a wide cone, but a narrow choice of sailing angles, light air running most closely resembles upwind strategy. Your goals should be to find more wind, advantageous current, and to play the wind shifts. Keep clear air by looking ahead and behind for open lanes.

As winds fluctuate in the moderate range, you will need room to roam up and down to maintain top performance. Position yourself in front of the puffs and with room to work them to advantage. Jibes cost very little distance in moderate conditions. Don¹t hesitate to jibe in search of maneuvering room and better wind.

Whereas in moderate air you must work up and down as the wind fluctuates, in heavy air you have a choice of wind angles. You can sail a little higher and a little faster or a little lower and a little slower with little change in downwind performance (VMG). The correct choice depends on strategic issues of wind, shifts, and current; tactical concerns involving traffic, clear air, and mark rounding position; and performance considerations like surfing and control.

In puffy conditions, look back to find the puffs and position yourself downwind of them. You can see them as darker patches moving across the water, and as they influence the performance of boats behind you. Pay attention to close-hauled boats as well as those on the run. Puffs are easier to read on beating boats than running boats. The proper response to a puff depends on which segment of the performance curve you are in. Remember, off in the puffs is wrong in light air.

Puffs and lulls are often accompanied by wind shifts. For example, puffs come with shifts from the right and lulls come with shifts from the left. It is critical to get in phase with the shifts as well as playing the puffs. We¹ll cover wind shifts in more detail below.

In a dying breeze, work for a position which will keep you in clear air and clear of crowds. Pay careful attention to performance, and be sure to sail fast angles as the wind gets light. In a building breeze, focus on getting to the new wind first; then match your performance to the conditions. Great boat speed is always a powerful tactic.

Wind shifts don¹t stop when you round the windward mark. You need to make the most of wind shifts downwind, just as you do upwind. The trouble is that downwind shifts are trickier than upwind shifts, for a number of reasons. The upside is that if you can figure them out, it will give you a big strategic advantage.

Wind shift strategy downwind is like upwind shift strategy stood on its head. Instead of sailing the lifted tack, as you do upwind, the objective is to sail on the headed tack‹allowing you to sail more of a reach, rather than a run, to the leeward mark. In oscillating winds this means jibing on the lifts downwind, the reverse of tacking on the headers upwind. In persistent shifts this means sailing away from the shift in order to jibe onto the headed tack later in the leg‹the inverse of sailing into the shift and tacking onto the lifted tack upwind. So far so good, but there is more. For starters let¹s take a closer look at downwind strategy in oscillating and persistent shift conditions.

Oscillating winds are winds which are shifting back and forth, oscillating like a pendulum. In oscillating conditions your goal is to sail the headed tack downwind. Once you are on the headed tack, watch for a lift. When you are lifted, jibe to sail headed on the new tack. When you are lifted, jibe again (Fig. 6).

The first step is to get in phase as you round from the windward leg. The best way to do this is to note the headed tack as you approach the windward mark, and then get onto this headed tack at the first opportunity downwind (Fig 7). Even when you start the leg in phase with the shifts, it is easy to get out of phase or lose track‹wind shifts are difficult to detect when you are sailing downwind. If all else fails, sail the jibe which carries you closest to the mark.

Later we¹ll discuss techniques for detecting shifts‹it can be tricky.

A persistent shift is a gradual shift in one direction, either veering consistently clockwise, or backing counterclockwise. In persistent shifts sail away from the shift downwind rather than sailing into the shift as you do upwind. By sailing away from the shift you can jibe to a closer reaching angle. Sailing toward the shift would leave you in a position more upwind of the mark, requiring a broader sailing angle to the mark (Fig. 8).

This persistent shift strategy fails in a building and shifting wind. In that case it is best to sail to the new wind‹wind strength is a more important factor than wind shifts (Fig 9).

There are a couple of things which make wind shifts more difficult downwind than upwind. One is that they are more difficult to detect. There are several techniques for detecting the shifts, which we discuss more below. The second difficulty is that there are fewer shifts downwind than upwind.

It¹s true. It¹s similar to the Doppler Effect. As you sail upwind, you are moving toward the shifts. As you sail downwind, you are running away from the shifts. There are about twice as many shifts upwind as downwind. If you want the numbers read on; if not skip to ahead to Oscillating vs Persistent, below.

Imagine, first of all, a Race Committee at anchor in a 10-knot wind. As they prepare to set a course, they record the wind speed and wind direction. They find oscillating wind shifts every six minutes. With a wind speed of ten knots, a six-minute interval places the shifts one mile apart.

The race starts and the fleet heads upwind. Sailing at about six knots of boat speed* their upwind speed (Velocity Made Good, VMG) is four knots. The fleet is now sailing toward the wind shifts and the closing speed is fourteen knots (10 knots of wind speed plus 4 knots VMG). The frequency of shifts the fleet experiences increases to a shift every 4 minutes 17 seconds.

As the fleet turns downwind, they sail away from the shifts. Instead of ³meeting them half way² as they were upwind, the fleet is now ³running away² from the shifts. With a VMG downwind of about four knots, the closing speed of the shifts is reduced to six knots. (10 knots of wind speed less 4 knots VMG.) Downwind, the boats experience shifts once every 10 minutes, less than half the frequency of shifts they experienced upwind (Fig 10a, c).

The ratio of wind shifts experienced upwind and downwind changes with the wind speed‹but not very much. In lighter air the differences are exaggerated to the point where the fleet experiences only one-third as many shifts downwind as upwind. In heavier winds the ratio remains about two-to-one.

Only when the wind is very strong does the frequency of shifts upwind and downwind converge significantly. By then you can stop looking for shifts downwind‹just hang on, hoot and holler.

There are a couple of interesting consequences to the reduced frequency of wind shifts downwind. One is the challenge of finding these infrequent shifts (which we will get to, momentarily, I promise). The second consequence is that oscillating shifts upwind may become persistent shifts downwind, at least for the duration of the leg.

There will be times when you will have oscillating shifts upwind and persistent shifts downwind. By persistent shifts, we mean that there is only one shift for the duration of the leg‹consequently your strategy is persistent shift strategy. This can occur any time the downwind shift frequency is more than half the sailing time of the leg, which means upwind you would experience three or four shifts (Fig. 10b).

The main point remains to sail away from the shift, and then jibe to sail headed, regardless of the frequency of shifts. Just be aware that there may not be very many shifts to hunt. One further insight: Don¹t be deceived by the change to persistent shifts downwind. When you turn upwind, the oscillations will return.

As we said above, one of the tricks to downwind strategy is detecting wind shifts. One way to take the mystery out of downwind shifts is properly calibrated true wind instruments. With integrated instruments, the shifts are much easier to find. It is almost like cheating. Careful calibration is a must. Otherwise it is ³garbage in, garbage out.² Here¹s how to find the shift if you are sailing without integrated instruments. (And of course, even if you have high-tech instruments, you should use them as adjuncts to methods we¹ll describe, not in lieu of them.) First, after rounding the windward mark settle onto the correct tack‹the headed tack you noted at the end of the beat, and the proper performance angle and speed‹as described in Downwind Performance above, and in Performance Racing Trim. Once you settle note your wind angle, boat speed, and compass course. To find the shifts, you must look for changes in this base line performance.

If the apparent wind speed drops, you are either in a lift or a lull (or a wind shadow or you have changed course). In a lull the apparent wind angle will initially shift forward. Your boat speed will drop. If you head up to try to accelerate you will have to re-trim to the new wind. (This is not the correct response to a lull in light air, but is correct in moderate winds.)

In a lift, the apparent wind will shift aft. You can hold your course and bring the pole back‹your speed will drop, or head up to keep the original boat speed and apparent wind‹at a higher compass course. The correct response is neither of those‹the correct response is a jibe!

The spinnaker trimmer and helmsman must pay close attention to find the lifts. It is more difficult than detecting headers upwind, which you can read in the jib and compass, and where you can easily feel the lulls and puffs. Downwind the apparent wind angle and apparent wind speed are much more volatile. Careful study is needed to tell if a change in apparent wind is due to a change in the true wind speed, true wind direction, or in sailing angle. The spinnaker trimmer must feel changes in the tug on the sheet and in spinnaker trim, and the helmsman must feel the helm and note the course in order to differentiate lulls from lifts (Fig. 11).

Another important tool in finding the shifts is observing other boats. When you feel a change on your boat, see if it shows on other boats. It is particularly valuable to compare your performance to the performance of boats on the opposite jibe. If performance on all the nearby boats is suffering, then you are in a lull. If boats on the opposite jibe seem to be sailing lower angles while carrying speed, that would suggest you have been lifted and ought to jibe. Also, watch performance of boats which are sailing upwind; be cognizant of the shift pattern you noted upwind‹are the puffs all starboard tack lifts?

Finally, don¹t forget to look at the water. You can see puffs on the water surface. If your course changes with no discernible change in true wind speed, you are in a shift (Fig 12).

In light winds (up to 10 knots) the impact of shifts downwind is enormous, comparable to the impact of shifts upwind. In a 10° shift, the headed boat will gain 22% versus a boat which is sailing lifted. A boat working the shifts will gain 10% versus a boat which ignores the shifts. Over a two-mile leg, that means three minutes for boat speeds of 6 knots (Fig. 13). At slower speeds, the time difference is even greater!

In moderate winds, the impact is somewhat diminished, though still significant. In heavy air, there is little room to play the shifts since the fastest course is straight to the mark.

More and more race committees are running windward leeward courses instead of conventional triangles. Part of the reason is the additional tactical challenge of running legs. To succeed, you need to use the same aggressive approach to wind shifts downwind that you use upwind. You stand to gain or lose hundreds of yards in the shifts downwind, just as upwind. Because it is harder to do downwind, the differences across the fleet can be even greater than on a beat. Don¹t miss the opportunity. Get in phase by paying attention to conditions at the end of the windward leg, search for the rare and elusive shifts downwind, and jibe on the lifts!

Strong current can become the singular strategic concern. If there was a favored side to the course on the beat, and the advantage was current driven, then sail the opposite side on the run. (See fig. 3b.)

If the current is uniform over the length of the leg, then it will skew the course and shorten or lengthen the sailing time on the leg. When the current is running across the course determine the Course Over the Ground‹COG (or Course Made Good‹CMG) when sailing at the proper wind angle. Use this information to determine laylines to the leeward mark. Depending on whether you approach the mark from the up current or down current side, it is easy to over- or understand the mark (Fig. 14).

When the current is against you, the biggest impact is on the approach to the leeward mark. Boats will jibe onto what appears to be a proper angle, only to have the current push them up and force them to sail a lower, and slower angle in order to avoid more jibes. As they slow down, the impact of the current is greater, and the problem is compounded. Avoid this error by determining your COG and then use that bearing to call your layline (Fig. 15). Furthermore, if you find you have not compensated sufficiently jibe again. (Your crew can handle it‹you¹ve practiced.) Current from astern shortens the leg. The danger here is overstanding the leeward mark. You need to establish your COG to call the layline. When in doubt, jibe early and let the current carry you down. You can get away with cheating the layline here, unlike when you are against the current. Also, warn your crew. The mark will sneak up on you before you expect it. Get the jib ready early (Fig. 16).

When the current is crossing the course and it is stronger in the beginning or end of the leg, your current strategy is to minimize the distance sailed through the water. As you might have guessed, you should seek a position where you can let the current help you when it is strongest.

If the current will be stronger later in the leg, then position yourself up current while the current is weak and let the current sweep you down to the mark. In doing this you will get the added benefit of a sailing wind header during the current portion of the leg. If you sail to the down current side initially, then you will end up fighting the current later on. Your troubles would be compounded by a less favorable wind angle as well (Fig. 17).

If the current is stronger early, don¹t fight it. Let it sweep you down and correct for it later. Sail the jibe which is headed by the current until you run out of current, and sail the other jibe later.

With our strategic game plan set based on expected wind, wind shifts, and current; we will use tactics to put our plan into place.

As you round, get onto the favored jibe (either the headed jibe in shifting winds or the jibe which will take you to the favored side of the course) as quickly as possible. A decisive tactical move can allow you to break away at the rounding while others are still sorting out their options (Fig. 19).

If the right is favored, a jibe set is the quickest way to hit that side. Beware on a port broad reach you must stay clear of boats sailing upwind. [Author¹s note: As you master the skills presented in this book, you no doubt will find that you often round in front of your fleet. Consequently, you will frequently be sailing back through them as you start down the run. Such are the burdens of leadership.]

In a big fleet, use a bear-away set to a fast reaching angle to break out of the wind shadow at the top of the leg. Once clear of the crowd, jibe or carry on, as strategy dictates.

Running legs give trailing boats the chance to attack leaders. Early in the leg, you can get in position for an attack later on. Chase the boat(s) you want to attack as they sail to the sides of the course, then jibe inside them as they come back. If you try to get on their air as they sail to the outside, you leave them an escape route. It is better to be patient, and attack while sailing toward the middle (Fig. 20a).

To make your attack work, you should jibe inside and sail down on your victim, cutting off the escape route. Sail a little low and slow, until the rival is aligned with your windex. If you are within three or four mast heights you will have an impact. Watch to see his spinnaker curl as he enters your shadow and look back to be sure no one is doing the same to you (Fig. 20b).

The closer you get, the greater your effect. If the leader jibes back out, you do the same. Get into position to strike again when he jibes in.

As a lead boat, the challenge is it to keep clear air while implementing your strategy. Work the shifts or favored side and look for lanes which will allow you to sail the middle in clear air. If you are threatened by a pack of trailing boats chasing you to the outside of the leg you may need to jibe early and reach up to break across their wind shadow. Remember, good jibes cost very little. Be a moving target. Don¹t let attackers set up on you. As you work toward the favored side, a quick jibe and jibe back can throw off an attacker; or give you a position for a later jibe which will allow you to break through to the inside. If you find your air threatened, reach up to break through or jibe away immediately. Don¹t delay (Fig. 21).

Sailing down the middle of the leg can be difficult in the middle or forward sections of a large fleet. Look for lanes of clear air and try to find a position inside a pack of potential attackers. Anticipate their jibes to keep out of their shadows (Fig. 22).

Of course, as difficult as it may be to sail the middle, it is recommended. Sail to the corners only when there is a clear and definite strategic advantage. As with upwind sailing, it is usually best to Avoid the Corners As upwind, the corner leaves us strategically spent, unable to take advantage of changing winds, vulnerable to attack, and devoid of tactical options (Fig. 23).

The corners are easy to reach if the run is skewed‹so that you will spend substantially more time on one tack than the other. It is generally best to sail the long tack first‹just as we do upwind. The danger in sailing the short tack first is that we quickly may find ourselves in the corner (Fig. 24). Of course, if the run is so heavily skewed that no jibe will be required, then it is no longer a run but a reach, and reaching tactics apply.

As the fleet converges at a leeward mark rounding, your weapons are: speed, positioning, and right of way. To achieve speed, work through a proper reaching angle into the mark. Avoid the trap of forcing the boat too low to avoid jibes late in leg. With proper crew work, extra jibes at the end of the leg will not mess up your spinnaker take down and rounding. (See Performance Racing Trim for Boat Handling details!)

Inside position and right of way often go hand in hand. A starboard tack approach into the mark gives you both. The rounding, from a starboard broad reach to port tack close hauled is not as difficult as you might imagine, though it might be worth practicing once or twice before you try it in competition. Incidentally, it is surprising how often inside position at the end of the leg can be traced back to a jibe set or early positioning to that side early in the leg (Fig. 25).

If you find yourself on the outside of a pack in the later stages of a run, make a bold move to the inside. There is little at risk and much to be gained. Even if you can¹t pick off the entire pack at the rounding, you may get room from a bunch of them; and if not then you round behind, just as you would have from the outside (Fig. 26).

Have I mentioned the role of good boat handling in tactical success? Tactical ideas are only as good as the boat handling and boat speed they accompany. Great boat handling will make you a wizard at end game tactics on a run.

If you are racing non-spinnaker, with just jib and main, then tactics change in several ways.

The performance guidelines described at the beginning of this chapter do not apply. For best downwind performance under jib and main; sail wing and wing, directly at the mark, and slightly by the lee, with windward heel (Fig. 27a). (See Performance Racing Trim for more trim details.)

Sometimes the course to the mark is on the cusp between carrying wing and wing and sailing a jib reach. If you will have to sail part of the leg running wing and wing, and part broad reaching with the jib to leeward, then you can use standard strategic criteria to decide when to reach and when to run. Wind strategy calls for running off in puffs, and reaching up in lulls. Current positioning is more critical than with spinnakers as boats are relatively slower. In shifts, try a direct course, altering trim as winds oscillate. You will experience more shifts than under spinnaker, as you will not be running away from them as fast, but you will still experience fewer shifts downwind than upwind. A run which is sailed entirely on starboard resembles an outside reach, while a port tack run resembles an inside reach, as described in the previous chapter.

Since the performance cone is narrow, defending boats have a difficult time escaping an attack. As an attacker, put your wind shadow on the bow of the lead boat and reel them in. On a skewed leg you can attack leaders by sailing over their air on a broach reach before settling on their air wing and wing. If you are in the lead, do most of your reaching first, across the windward edge of the cone. If you run first, you may find yourself reaching in bad air later on. Try to save some of your reaching for the final segment of the leg, as the extra speed and maneuverability gives you an advantage as boats converge at the mark (Fig. 27b).

Downwind legs present all the strategic and tactical challenge of upwind sailing with the added challenge of spinnaker handling and trim. While most racers are attuned to upwind strategy and tactics, many mistakenly treat runs like reaches‹creating real opportunity for those who appreciate the difference. Sail fast, hit the shifts if you can find them, and keep clear air. Our next topics are downwind mark roundings, finishes and rules.

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