Match Race YCC Surprise

In a conversation between the Guardian and champion sailor Anne Lush, Match Racing is described as "a big game of chicken", "a game of chess with decisions of risk versus reward". Other descriptors include "uncivilised", "devious", "aggressive".

This Saturday was my first attempt at Match Racing (YCC). I would agree with all of the above but would add "mastery of sailing rules".

The competition was made up of four boats skippered by Thierry, Andrea, David P. and myself. Our boat, Les Loups du Lac was crewed by Ariane M, Ricardo G, and Ben W.  Many thanks to Sanja and Rob for organizing and umpiring the event.

Thierry had generously allowed me to take Ben on board to equal out the numbers on the boats. His knowledge of the rules and how to use them was brilliant.

The morning was spent sitting on the boat drinking tea and looking at our reflections in the glass like water. The Round Robin started at 12 and by 6 pm we had made it to the final and beat David's boat 2-0 in a best of three.

Downwind leg, flying the spi - where else is a better place to be?

Four key moments

The key factor on Saturday was a team that worked well together, knowing the rules and a disposition to apply them aggressively against the other boat.

Here are four moments that allowed us to gain an advantage through using the rules (apologies for incomplete treatment of the subject).

1. Using starboard tack advantage at the start line

During the two minutes start period prior to the gun, the two boats jostle for position. One tactic is to "hunt" or follow another boat. (see Alinghi being chased by Team New Zealand) 

The hunted boat can only escape (ie turn and return to the start line) if the boat behind leaves enough room. If the hunted boat jibes and causes the boat behind to divert them he breaks a rule and will get a penalty. In two of our races we (Red Boat) were given sufficient room to jibe (see Fig 1) and could come back on a starboard beam reach and then fly into a start.

2. Knowing when you can be luffed

What if your are on the beam reach and the overlapping leeward competitor tries to luff you up (Rule 11). This happen to us in one race, but because they have overlapped us from astern (and not tacking into an overlap), they had no luffing rights. As the boat tried to luff us, Ben reminded them loudly that they had no luffing rights (understatement). 

Their next option was to hope that we over ran the port starting buoy and to screw up our start (see Fig.2). We slowed down and got to the line with a couple of seconds to spare before the gun.

If we had mistimed it we would have had to jibe and then start - game over. We had priority over the other boat, forcing it to to jibe and so giving us a 2-3 boat length advantage.

A case of Annie Lush's "risk versus reward" working in our favour.

3. Overlapping 2 boat lengths from the mark (Rule 18.2a)

In the next race, David was ahead at the upwind mark. Two boat lengths from the mark, we were overlapping (just). Again Ben fired off a broadside of the ISAF rule book and David gave us room. We were near straight into the wind having tack a boat length too early, but Ariane let out the jib with perfect timing and our momentum was enough to get us around. Again risk involved as we narrowly avoided touching the mark.

 

4. Going downwind, overtake leeward or you can be luffed.

If you are trailing in the downwind leg, the race is by no means over. You can use the spi to take out all the wind from the leading boat and then pass with your superior speed.

However, one rule worth knowing is the right to luff up a windward boat (Rule 11). As one competitor began his overlap whilst raising the spi, we luffed him up, again with aggressive reminders of the rule. If they had passed us to leeward we could not have luffed him (but maybe there wasn't room). So if you are the leading boat, make sure there is no room leeward to him to pass.

Happy sailors with a well earned beer! (pic: Haude)