By Ariwaves writer Mike Ingham                                                                               Volume I, Issue 1

Sail1Design is pleased to announce two new additions to Airwaves team, Joe Morris and Mike Ingham. Joe is currently pursuing an Olympic campaign in the 49er class with Thomas Barrows, and Joe is a high school sailing national champion, and a collegiate 4-time All-American at Yale. Joe wrote a thoughtful piece for Airwaves, on the path to Olympic Sailing (re-printed below), and we are looking forward to his regular contributions going forward. Look for his article profiling Richmond Yacht Club. You can reach Joe at joe@sail1design.com, and check out his Olympic campaign here:

http://www.barrowsmorris49er.com/#!joe-bio/cnee

Mike Ingham, a Cornell graduate, is a long time one-design sailor and multi-class champion. We are lucky to have his wealth of knowledge to share with our readers. Please see Mike’s first piece on top-mark tactics printed in Airwaves today! You can reach Mike at: mike@sail1design.com  

*Sail1Design incorrectly reported that Mike graduated from Yale. In fact, he is a Cornell alum! Sorry!!!*

The downwind tactics stage is set by that first move at the weather mark. Here are some rules of thumb that will get you 80% of the way to stardom.  The last 20% will take you a lifetime, but you can easily get to that 80% mark if you systematically follow this routine.

1. 1.As you approach the windward mark decide if you are going to gybe or continue.
   1. a.Talk about it somewhere in the last ¼ of the beat, but don’t wait until you right near the mark because there will likely be too many things to think about in that final approach.
   2. 2.To decide if you are going to gybe or continue
      1. a.Ask your team these questions:
         1. i.What is the long gybe downwind?
            1. 1.Is that gybe radically the long gybe, or just a little?
      2. ii.What shift am I on?
         1. 1.Is it big or a little shift?
      3. iii.Where is the most pressure?
         1. 1.Is it just a little, or is there much more to one side or another
2. b.If it is light wind
   1. i.All you care about is the answer to iii above –you need to head toward pressure
      1. 1.Because a in light wind a little pressure will make you go MUCH faster –more than making up for any shift
3. c.If it is heavy wind
   1. i.Always take the long tack
      1. 1.Because your angles are so deep the long tack will let you lay the mark, any distance sailed on the short tack will make you overstand and is wasted.
4. d.If it is medium air
   1. i.If in doubt, take the long tack because that leaves you options
      1. 1.Because if you first sail the short tack, you soon will run out of options or overstand
      2. ii.But both shift and pressure are important, so judge how big the shift and/ or pressure is and make a judgment call
         1. 1.The bigger the shift, the more important it is to get in phase on the headed jybe right away
         2. 2.The bigger the pressure difference is, the more important it is to head that way
         3. 3.The longer the long tack is, the more important it is to get on that tack soon
         4. 4.Often the headed shift and the long tack are the same, simplifying that trade off.
         5. 3.Then set yourself up to execute on that plan
            1. a.If the plan is to continue on starboard
               1. i.Then make sure you are not hooked with someone above you at the windward mark/
                  1. 1.It may even pay to overstand a little, go a little high on the offset
                  2. 2.Or even slow down and let someone roll you to windward at the mark so you can get established in your high lane
5. b.If the plan is to gybe to
   1. i.Make sure you are not hooked with someone to leeward at the windward/ offset marks
      1. 1.Do what it takes to ensure this: stay inside people
      2. 2.And if you are hooked slow down, let them pass so you can do what you want
      3. ii.If it is a very large fleet, beware of gybing too soon into a vacuum under the fleet that is still approaching the weather mark/ offset
         1. 1.Rate how important it is to gybe and contrast that with how big a vacuum
            1. a.For example, if you want to gybe onto port, but don’t feel it is urgent and the fleet is big, you may want to hold off
               1. i.In this case, don’t set up too high because you will be pinned, so soak a little low after rounding and let others fight for that starboard high lane
               2. b.Or if you feel you have to gybe because you can lay the mark (long gybe by far) or there is much more pressure to a side, then even if the fleet is big, you may choose to sail through that vacuum anyway
               3. 4.Then Execute to plan
                  1. a.Whatever you choose, do it boldly, this is no time to be wishy-washy: indecision is the worst of all options
                  2. b.Have perfect boat handling so you are set up and sailing at your full capacity instantly
                     1. i.This is where a few feet gained may open a tactical move, a few feet lost may pin you out and close your options
6. c.And most of all, be heads up
   1. i.This transition is key, you need to see change and adjust quickly
      1. 1.For example, you need to immediately position your boat either above or below other spins so you keep your air clear
      2. 2.Or seize that opportunity to roll someone with problems, gybe for a clear lane, etc…