TERRY’S PLAYBOOK

RECOVERING FROM AN OCS

When you find yourself heading back to the line to restart, don’t despair, there’s a whole racecourse ahead to get back in the race.

Quickly acknowledge the mistake, take a deep breath, and keep these tips in mind. STICK TO THE GAME PLAN: The frustration of being OCS often causes teams to completely abandon their prestart game plan. Instead, try to find a way to utilize your pre- race research.

WORK TO GET A CLEAR LANE: For example, your best opportunity might be to get to the left to clear yourself around the pin and tack back to starboard. You’ll be second row — or worse — but the separation from the boats that started properly may allow you to still execute your plan. GET OUT OF PHASE: If neither side is favored, look to find clean air by going against the grain. Remember, groups of boats always tend to slow one another down. MINIMIZE TACKS: Hitting a corner is one way to reduce the number of tacks. But, it’s a risky call. If you decide to be more conservative, make sure to limit your tacks. BOATSPEED: It’s easy to get discouraged or distracted when looking at so many transoms. Redouble your efforts to maintain boatspeed. FOCUS ON SHORT-TERM GOALS: Look one mark ahead and identify boats that can be picked off or closed in on. Maintain a constant dialogue about your progress and keep the team’s frame of mind as positive as possible. LEARN MORE Read the full article in the Resources and Expertise section on Quantumsails.com.