Description

Performance Racing Tactics
by Bill Gladstone
The most complete book on modern racing tactics, Performance Racing Tactics takes you all the way around the course.

The seventh edition covers tactics, rules, weather, and strategy in 180 information-packed pages. The fast moving, easy to follow format is accessible to all readers. Rules are covered the way you use them – (ie upwind rules as part of upwind tactics). The content offers complete information for neophytes and insights which grab the attention of the saltiest dog. Quizzes and skill building sections show how to develop a race winning approach.

An essential part of any racing sailors library.
Also available as a Kindle e.book.

Championship Tactics
Sailboat racing is complicated. Successful racing requires strategic planning, strong tactics, and a clear understanding of the rules (plus competitive boat speed). Performance Racing Tactics provides a framework to help make sense of the complex playing field on which we compete. We’ll help you and your team understand where to focus your attention to make the best decisions in an uncertain setting.

Section 1: Starting Strategy & Tactics
Starts can be chaos. We provide a structure to help you make order out of the frenzy so you’ll get consistently good starts: at speed, on time, near the favored end, going the right way. It begins with Pre-Race planning and observations. Once we have a sense of the wind and weather we devise a Starting Strategy and decide where on the line to start. We also explore the advantages and disadvantages of the full array of Starting Approaches.
In Starting Tactics we teach how to execute your approach, how to create and defend your space, and how to get off the line with speed. Full chapters on Staring Rules and Offwind Starts complete the section.

Section 2: Upwind Strategy & Tactics
You will learn the fundamentals of Upwind Strategy and how to predict and then take advantage of changing winds and wind shifts. We explore how to respond (on that rare occasion…) when you’re unsure of what the wind will do next. You’ll learn (surprising insights on) how to position yourself to take advantage of current. You’ll see the impact of wind shifts and how your positioning versus rivals can create opportunities to gain while minimizing potential losses. You’ll learn tactical positioning across the fleet, and how to attack and defend in one-on-one battles. You’ll see how the rules impact tactics and understand the risk/ reward ratios of tactical and strategic choices. You’ll also learn how to balance strategic and tactical considerations and how that balance changes up the beat and through the race. And hey, we’re not always in the lead: At North U we teach you how to catch up as well as how to stay ahead.

Section 3: Downwind Strategy & Tactics & Mark Roundings
In Section Three we turn downwind and explore reaching and running strategy and tactics. In the reaching segment you’ll learn proper strategy in various wind, wind shift, and current scenarios; and the tactical challenges of implementing strategy. We explore the tactical considerations of inside vs outside reaches as well as special considerations in mixed fleet and multiple fleet racing.
Then we explore Running Strategy and Tactics. We’ll show parallels to and critical differences from Upwind Strategy and Tactics. We’ll examine the dynamic changes to the size of our “playing field” and how to predict and take advantage of changing winds and wind shifts so you don’t end up “out of bounds.” We’ll learn nuanced techniques for finding elusive downwind wind shifts and also how to respond when you’re unsure of what the wind will do next. We’ll also explore (surprising insights on) how to position yourself to take advantage of current. In Section 3 you’ll also learn Leeward Mark Rounding and Gate Tactics and Rules as well as finishing tactics and rules.

An essential part of any racing sailors library. Available in print or as an e-book

Bill Gladstone
North U Director Bill Gladstone has been teaching sailing and racing for decades. The author of the North U Performance Racing Trim and Performance Racing Tactics books and creator of the North U Performance Racing Seminars, Webinars, and Clinics, graduates of Bill’s programs are racing and winning in fleets the world over.

Tactics Course Topics
Section 1: Starting Strategy, Tactics, and Rules

• Intro: Strategy & Tactics
• Get Ready to Race
• Starting Strategy</strong
• Where to Start
• Approaches
• Starting Tactics
• Time/ Speed/ Distance
• Positioning for Speed and Control
• Common Pitfalls
• Starting Rules

Section 2: Upwind Strategy & Tactics

• Upwind Strategy
• Wind, Wind Shifts, and Current
• Find More Wind
• Wind Shifts
• Wind Shifts: None, One, Many
• Wind Shifts: Find the Shifts
• Current
• Current: Uniform, Variable
• Upwind Tactics
• Upwind Tactics & Strategy
• Impacts of Shifts
• Positioning for Shifts
• Catching Up
• Staying Ahead
• Lead to the Shift
• Lead to the Middle
• Attack! Defend!

Section 3: Downwind Strategy & Tactics & Mark Rounding
Reaching Strategy & Tactics

• Wind
• Wind Shifts
• Current
• Its Just Tactics
• Tight vs Broad
• Outside vs Inside Reaches
• Defend Your Air
• Rule of Halves
• Passing Lane?
• Get Passed Lane?
• Defend the Inside
• The End Run
• Reach or Run?

Running Strategy & Tactics

• Wind, Wind, Wind Shifts
• Find More Wind
• Wind Shifts
• Jibe on the Lifts
• Find the Shifts
• Current
• Lead to the wind
• Lead to the middle
• Attack! Defend!

Mark Roundings, Finishing

• Mark Room Rules
• Leeward Marks & Gates
• Finishing Upwind
• Finishing Downwind
• Conclusion: Priorities in a complex endeavor