Hey everybody,
I feel like sailing but im forcing myself to stay “clean” for a while. Ive been doing plenty of sailing instructing and private coaching which involves being out on the water and watching my training partners going hard while i sit high above the water on my coachboat.
Some may think this is a horrible fate but I quite like watching them sail too. I was coaching Alex South while setting courses for the big boys yesterday and it was a great example of why a bit of observation is great for the tactical mind.
Yesterday I began a discussion about “critical point” sailing with Alex. Basically critical point sailing is a point in a race when a decision a sailor makes can create a huge difference in their results. I estimate this happens on average between 2-3 times a race. Basically it involves a risk oriented decision making process that could lead to may different outcomes.
A prime example of critical point sailing was a top mark rounding I observed yesterday. Alex started on pin end and the breeze went steadily left. Her windward boat, Mike Leigh tacked off about 25m short of the left layline after the other two boats broke off onto port behind him. Alex left it a bit late to tack and waited for the layline before tacking. She came in with great speed but was confronted by an inexorable problem in front of her. When Mike Leigh tacked back, would she make it in front of him? Consequently, if she couldnt make it in front of him would her ducking lead to her being locked out by Kevin Lim who was following less then 1 boat length behind? or then Victor Vasternas 2 boat length behind Kevin?
What unravelled was a prime example of critical point sailing. In the end Mike was too fast to tack in front or to leeward of and so Alex had to choose between the risk oriented tactic of crash tacking in front or to leeward of Kev vs the conservative tactic of ducking Kev for a clear lane behind him to tack into 3rd position.
Alex being a young reckless sailor took the risky route and went for it and tacked to leeward of Kev who was already on the right layline. She completed her tack, forced Kevin above close hauled in the 2 boat length zone, hit the mark breaking two rules and ruining her race by being forced to do penalties while the fleet went by her quickly (losing many places, a capsize while doing turns). The risky route failed, forced her to do things she didnt need to do and also damaged her confidence leading to a poor race.
Now we look at her second option which was to duck Kev and tack cleanly infront of Victor for 3rd. This option was the simple route which contained much less risk and would allow her a jumping off stage to attack the boats in front of her once she was securely 3rd.
Thus this is a fine example of critical point sailing. In Alex’s case, a decision to be made litterally in seconds that went wrong because her risk analysis and possible outcome scenarios were not sharpened enough. These prediction and scenario creations can be built only by practicing critical point sailing. Thus playing the percentages in Alex’s case, 1 boat gain\10 boat loss (on failure of risky tactic) vs. 1 boat certain loss\secure 3rd position (Conservative). I know which one I would choose!!!
Regards,
Ash
