The term 'Race Management' as a competitor can cover everything and nothing but for me it means making the right decisions before, during and after a race. This can be at a micro level - such as dipping a boat rather than taking a risk in trying to cross or massive decisions such as starting at the pin end when everyone else seems to be favouring the committee boat end, through to making sure any incidents on the water are talked through and smoothed over off the water with a beer (or soft drink) or if necessary in the protest room - but again a hand shake at the end no matter the outcome. For me though, the absolute key for a good race is the start, first beat and first downwind leg. If you can get these 3 right then invariably your race outcome will be as well as hoped.

 

For the start – it’s been covered previously but in general terms, a race officer will generally aim for about 5 degree pin bias so this is a good place to start. Have eyes everywhere as you jockey for the best position and use everything available at your disposal – this includes tiller, trim (fore and aft as well as windward-leeward), centreboard, mainsheet and boom using all to manoeuvre your boat. The best place to start might be the pin – giving you the opportunity if needed to bear away into gap for speed or my personal favourite, pinch up to slow the first few boats to windward into a lee-bow situation forcing them either to tack off or drop into your wind shadow to leeward which then gives you the chance earlier rather than later to bank your gains by tacking on the first header that comes down the course

 

Once the start is behind you, look for speed, clear air and have an eye on where the fleet is, what’s happening with them, and if the opportunity exists look further upwind at previous fleets to see if any sizeable shifts are coming down the course so as to get on the right side of them before they hit. As you approach the windward mark – all things being well – you are in the leading bunch which normally consists (in a National event) of circa 4-7 boats. Look to minimise tacks coming into the windward mark, don’t leak boat lengths by over-standing the w/ward mark and finally check the position of the next mark.

 

While the lead half dozen boats sail straight to the next mark the mid fleet mayhem has boats luffing each other – creating lots of wind shadow and in summary watching the lead sailors get further and further ahead. Even worse, when they round the leeward mark the lead sailors have split and both port and starboard tack boats from positions 10 onwards are in dirty air.

 

With the first lap under your belt it’s now fine tuning race management – watch the pack and consolidate – don’t get hung out on one side of the course while the fleet is on the other. Look for shifts coming down the course. Aim to pick up the odd position here and there as the hard work of getting in the top few has been completed. '