You've done a season. You understand port-starboard and you know which end of the boat the spinnaker comes out of. Now it's time to start thinking tactically — about starts, shifts, mark room, and the whole arc of a race.
Why position at the gun sets up the entire first beat — biased ends, timing the approach, the barging rule, port tack starts, and how to escape a bad start with minimum damage.
The compass tells you when to tack. Understanding persistent vs. oscillating shifts, the layline trap, covering a competitor, and choosing which side of the course to commit to.
The zone rule, establishing the overlap before three boat lengths, tight rounding technique, spinnaker set timing, jibe marks, and how to approach the finish line.
Race-level thinking: pre-race analysis, risk vs. reward as a function of fleet position, current and its strategic effects, and the psychological side of defending a lead.
New to racing? Start with the Racing fundamentals section — rules basics, getting started as crew, and offshore preparation.