Think ahead about the first beat

Dave Dellenbaugh, member of the 2025 Class of the National Sailing Hall of Fame, discusses first beat tactics in WindCheck magazine:

The best way to start a comeback is by finding a lane of clear air going up the first beat. This is a very valuable resource when there are lots of boats ahead of you. The leaders can go almost anywhere they want, but if you’re stuck in the middle or back of the pack, you have to work much harder at getting and keeping clear air. There seem to be certain places on the course where this is easier than others.

A. Avoid the middle. It’s usually difficult to catch up by playing the middle of the course, especially in lighter air. The wind and water are very disturbed here and you often end up ping-ponging back and forth to avoid bad air from boats that tack on you. One time when this might work is on a windy day with oscillating shifts; otherwise try to pick the right or left before you get too far up the beat. – Full report