J24 Blog

“Of all the different boats we race, one thing holds true: racing them downwind in light air can really suck.”

Last Tuesday we got schooled downwind. We actually beat a group of pretty fast boats to the windward mark, and were hanging tough after the set. But inevitably we got rolled and left for dead.

Just in time, there is a good article by Tony Rey on the Sailing World website focusing on downwind strategy and boatspeed in light air. Here are Tony’s 7 Light-air Tips:

1. When in doubt, heat it up slightly to keep the speed.
2. Keep the spinnaker pole tip lower than you think.
3. Communicate to the helmsman about the pressure in the sheet.
4. Keep the crew weight low and forward (dogs down in the house).
5. Keep it snug (foreguy, topping lift, and just enough backstay to keep the rig stable).
6. Trim both sails equally (don’t ignore the mainsail!)
7. Stay focused at the end of the run to ensure your rounding sets you up well for first few minutes of the beat.

Full article here.