Running pass
Mark Rushall explains how and when to bring out this big-guns move
Here’s the scenario. The left hand side paid on the first beat: there was much more pressure on the starboard layline. Having rounded the windward mark, the leaders have all straight-set for the downwind and are looking for similar gains on the run. A few hundred metres from the layline, the wind veers (starboard lift) and the leader sets up for a gybe. The second placed runner sees the move, and sails slightly low to set up for the downwind pass. The boats gybe simultaneously: the attacker is high and fast out of the gybe and is instantly a ecting the defender’s wind. With apparent wind on its side, the attacker slides down ahead and onto the defender’s line: a perfect set play?
The third boat kept sailing into the lift, found the extra pressure on the port downwind layline, and is clear ahead of the other two by the time they converge: far enough clear for a safe gybe drop around the right turn gate mark and a tidy rounding to extend the lead on the favoured left-hand side of the beat.
If you are looking to swap places with a particular boat on the run, the downwind pass can work for any boat that sails angles down the run. The execution and defence for an asymmetric spinnaker (or other apparent wind craft) is slightly di erent to that for symmetric classes, but the dilemma between sailing for a genuine strategic gain, or for a simple place change, is exactly the same. In this feature we’ll look at ways to resolve this dilemma, and the key aspects to executing and defending from the classic downwind pass.
When to go for it
If you are approaching the port layline of the run in a fleet race, the leeward mark is a port rounding (or your upwind strategy favours the turn left mark of a downwind gate), and there is a nice gap behind, the downwind pass is a nobrainer. There are no other strategic options, no ways to make gains on other boats in the race, no chance of the other boat returning the favour later on in the leg, and no chance of the boat behind doing the same to you. Even if you don’t exit clear ahead, you have the best chance of maintaining an inside overlap to the mark zone.
When not to go for it
You have just rounded the windward mark near the front of a large handicap fleet, there are lots of boats around, it is unclear which side of the run will be favoured, there is a boat close behind, and the one ahead is clearly setting up for an early gybe. This time the pass is unlikely to be a winning move: the gybe will take you straight into the dirty wind of the beating boats behind, you have no idea if the boat ahead is actually the one you are competing with on handicap, and in any case he’ll probably return the favour when it is time to gybe back. You don’t know if the boat behind will pull the same move on you, and there are likely much bigger gains on the whole fleet through keeping out of trouble, and looking to work the best bands of pressure or gybe on the shifts.
These two extreme examples highlight the considerations that will inform the decision well before you need to react to the actions of the boat ahead. It’s analogous to the ‘lee bow’ decision on the beat: is there a strategic reason for me to go that way, or is there a compelling reason to focus on gaining an advantage on one specific boat? If not, there is no point engaging.
With an asymmetric (fig1)
It’s not possible, when apparent wind sailing downwind, for a boat behind and on the same gybe to position itself on the wind of the boat ahead. What makes the pass so e ective is that at exactly the time the boat ahead is down on speed at the end of the gybe, its wind is coming from where you are! To build speed, they need to sail higher: they close the gap, giving you more opportunity from your wind shadow. Your focus is on positioning and timing to exit your gybe where this wind shadow will have most e ect.
As the layline approaches, use any pressure variations to close the gap. Keep the speed on in the lulls by sailing high: the boat ahead will be desperate to gain leeward separation so will likely be sailing lower than best VMG angles, but won’t want to gybe down-speed. Allow the apparent wind to build in the pu s, and once at maximum speed, soak below the boat ahead’s course: if they are not in the same pressure they will make things worse by doing the same. Time your gybe to exit right on the other boat’s wind: later if your pre-gybe line was below theirs, earlier if it was above. But focus on your gybe: if you don’t exit at full speed the leeward boat maybe able to sail high enough to pop out from to leeward. Once you can feel that you are moving forward, let the speed turn into ground to leeward to slide over the top until directly ahead.
The best defence is total avoidance. Gybe out early if it’s clear what the other boat is up to and there’s no strategic reason for hitting the layline. There is a good chance the other boat will keep going, and if the worst happens there is a chance to abort the gybe, or to return the favour on the next gybe. Otherwise, spot the danger early. Use the pressure gains to separate to leeward, keep preparation for the gybe to a minimum, and gybe without warning when you are in maximum pressure and the other boat is high, slow, or looking the other way (preferably all three!) Sail fast and high out of the gybe to pop free of the e ect as soon as possible.
With a symmetric (fig2)
Because we’re sailing smaller angles to the wind, most of the damage is on the approach to - rather than the exit from - the gybe. It’s often not possible to roll all the way through to a clear ahead position: once alongside and parallel there is no appreciable wind shadow e ect. Use the burgee as a guide to where to position for max damage, and make sure you are fully prepared for the gybe. Continue to assess the situation: will the downwind pass leave you on the controlling side for the leeward mark? Or is there any strategic gain that should persuade you to sail your own race?
If you are directly behind the other boat as they start to gybe, don’t delay: roll into your gybe as soon as they do (watch for the dummy gybe!) If you have separation to leeward, parallel their turn to minimise the chance of a defensive lu on the exit.
Extreme moves (fig 3)
If all that matters is beating the other boat to the next mark (or the finish), the most extreme version of the downwind pass involves sailing them past the layline so you can reach over their wind to a clear ahead position after the gybe. Read racing rule 17 first!
If on starboard gybe, you don’t even need an overlap to sail the other boat past the layline. Simply position yourself on a line to leeward of the other boat, close enough to prevent a gybe. Stay far enough astern that the other boat can’t create an overlap by bearing o before gybing. If you become overlapped from behind on the same gybe within two hull lengths of the other boat, rule 17 prevents you from sailing above your proper course: you can’t sail beyond the layline before gybing.
So long as you avoid gaining the overlap, you can keep pushing until the gybe gives you a fast angle to the next mark with no way out for the other boat.
If on port gybe, you need to be close enough to prevent the other boat gybing into a right of way starboard tack position. Avoid rule 17 limitations by being more then two hull lengths away when the overlap is created, or by gybing twice while overlapped.
To defend, with a traditional boat, gybe early if you see the danger coming, especially if the gybe lets you control the inside side for the rounding. If the following boat looks over-eager, try a dummy gybe or a double gybe to send them o the wrong way. In all cases, time your gybe to be in best pressure, while the other boat is in a light patch, sailing above your line, or focussed on something else. If they persist and the mark is close, lu to defend, and bear o as the mark zone approaches, to break the overlap.
At the right time, the downwind pass can be a race winner. But beware, you won’t gain time on the rest of the fleet, and may miss other strategic opportunities. So, practise the routine but don’t over-use it; best keep it for a special occasion!