SHORT BEAT TO THE FINISH......

1) Set outhaul and Cunningham up for the beat before coming into the excitement of the mark rounding. Centerboard can wait till the last. Vang after rounded and sheeted in.

2) Think about the last wind shift. Is it from your right looking down wind? Then port tack after rounding will probably still be the lifted tack. If a big shift from the left then think about a tack to starboard as soon as reasonable after leeward mark rounding. Starboard tack close hauled will have right of way over all those coming down wind, but the wind may be all cut up and collisions don’t make you go fast.

3) Try not to round outside. Slow up to get behind, if on the outside. S turns, trim sail in, move to back of boat to drag stern. If you get behind, try to make it more than just a few inches. You don’t want to have to go below the boat ahead to keep from hitting him/her.

4) Consider if you are close enough to those ahead to be able to pass someone or are you better served to hold your position and stay ahead of those behind. Are those behind close enough to challenge? What is your position in the series?

5a) Make a good rounding and if challenging those a head, split tacks as soon as reasonable. It will be hard to pass following behind.
Hit the shifts.
Tack on the first lay line to finish. Sail up to the lay line junction and judge which end is downwind (closest) and go for it. If there is a big shift from the right then the pin end will be it and if from the left then the boat end.
Sail to the down wind end and shoot the line.(Head straight into the wind the last ½ boat length. Shoot the line for practice even if no one is near. It will get you an extra place occasionally. You can’t do it in the middle of the line, because you can’t tell just where the line is.

5b) Make a good rounding and if covering those close behind, stay on port tack as long as they will follow you. If they tack, then you need to tack to cover. Go to the downwind end of the line as in 5b. Don’t get in a tacking duel with the first boat and let another close behind beat you both.

5c) No one close behind or ahead, sail the shifts and finish as 5a.