Wing on Wing or Reach?

[Jackdaw]

But, DO separate from the competition behind and beside as they will screw with your wind!

Indeed. I always tell people that these are TACTICS, to be used as part of a STRATEGY to get around fastest. What you would do in the absence of other boats often changes when they are RIGHT THERE.

To that point, there are a dozen reasons why I will ignore the compass and sail right into a knock. You have to think big picture.

 

[smokey73]

But, DO separate from the competition behind and beside as they will screw with your wind!

Dumb question from me? In Jackdaw's example, if you are doing within 1 knot of your hull speed DDW despite being in air disturbed by the other boats, what is the gain from going to a reach at 25 degrees off the course mark? If you are going within 1 knot of "as fast as you can go" (I realize that's not exactly what hull seed is!) regardless of the disturbance from the other boats, it would seem you are still going to lose the time Jackdaw notes if you go to a reach? What's the gain to clearing in that situation (except for clearing for a possible tack into clean air later when rounding the mark). I assume in the case noted we are on the final leg DDW to the finish. Just asking?

 

[Jackdaw]

Dumb question from me? In Jackdaw's example, if you are doing within 1 knot of your hull speed DDW despite being in air disturbed by the other boats, what is the gain from going to a reach at 25 degrees off the course mark? If you are going within 1 knot of "as fast as you can go" (I realize that's not exactly what hull seed is!) regardless of the disturbance from the other boats, it would seem you are still going to lose the time Jackdaw notes if you go to a reach? What's the gain to clearing in that situation (except for clearing for a possible tack into clean air later when rounding the mark). I assume in the case noted we are on the final leg DDW to the finish. Just asking?

For sure, your options can get real limited when your best angle to the mark is DDW and there are boats behind you. You WILL get slowed by their wind shadow, and there is not much you can do. Sometimes reaching over for 30 seconds might 'clear your baffles' and stop the bleeding. But did that cost you more than you recover? That's the game!

And the other boat will see you do that anyway, and depending on the situation might stay on top of you. It can be painful. Spin boats that like hotter angles have more options for sure.

 

[JRacer]

You can often get clear without a radical change in course. Just work the boat in small increments in the direction you want to go to get clear. No need for a 15-25 degree alteration. Ride those puffs and waves toward your clear air. Of course, a very short leg may require that you make a more prominent change so you can get clear in a hurry. Also, think about that before you get to the weather mark. Plan where you want to be in relation to the traffic and make your rounding accordingly. Maybe that means bearing off on the rounding and not turning straight down immediately, holding high for a boat length or two to insure your relative position. Or, maybe it means turn down and jibe away right off the bat.

 

[markwbird]

The assumption is that you are not going hull speed. Also, In big wind such as what we have on SF bay in the summer you can do some surfing especially if you have waves to get up on. As with all things sailing it’s more complicated than just one thing.

 

[markwbird]

Also, going to a reach is not faster. I did not mean to imply that. You have to go too far up to fill the sails on a reach. I meant go wing on wing but not DDW. A little off the wind for speed but not so high that you are loosing vmg.

 

[thinwater]

Rules of thumb and examples can lead you all over the place. Test it instead, which takes only a few minutes. You need to sail for a few minutes both DDW and reaching. Your VMG reaching is = sin(total jibe angle/2) x speed. You don't need a computer, this is on you cell phone, if you don't know common angles in your head.

For example, if your jibe angle is 90 degrees, your VMG = 71% of boat speed. Yesterday I was sailing my F-24--a fast boat on a reach--and my reaching speed was 8.5-9 knots and my wing-and-wing speed was 6-6.5 knots. By the time you add the multiplier, too close to call. In lighter winds reach might be faster. It also depends on waves and when surfing starts. Finally, it depends on weather you can really spread the genoa; trimarans with a barber hauler have a built-in whisker pole.
I most often sail wing and wing when...

• There is a very short distance to a turning point and it is DDW.
• Down channels and winding rivers where constant jibing would be crazy. A slight turn requires jibing only one sail.
• I feel like a calmer ride. Reaching in a multihull can be a little live, but DDW, even in a blow, is calm.
• Not flying the reacher.

 

[JRacer]

You don't need a computer, this is on you cell phone, ...

Good post, but I found this part to be quite funny!