I was sailing my Laser in my club's Sunday afternoon races and after the start of the first race, I managed to get a small lead on the sailor next to me. He tacked away, for a minute, then tacked back. When he got within a few boat lengths of me, I tacked to cover him. He expressed some outrage and after the race explained. This guy usually sails a Thistle and said that in that fleet, a person doesn't tack and cover in the first leg--that it is bad form. He claimed it would be the same in large Laser fleets. Is this the case?
On the other hand, unless you are in a points situation where you are essentially match racing another boat, there is not a lot to be gained by covering a boat so early in a race.
Sorry but the guy who was giving the mouth shout learn to chill, it is racing.
True. It's ok to be upset, but keep it to yourself unless a rule is broken. He could have handled it better w/a post race shoreside conversation, (which he did, but after he'd already run his mouth).
BTW, I was a bit unnerved at first by being yelled at (with swearing), but took it in stride. The guy and his girlfriend are my buddies.
BTW, I was a bit unnerved at first by being yelled at (with swearing), but took it in stride. The guy and his girlfriend are my buddies.
I must say I am a bit puzzled by some of the replies.
I am never annoyed by people trying to cover me. It is surely part of the skill of racing to be able to deal with a covering boat by counter tactics. There will be plenty of opportunities to shake them during the course of a race.
It is a lot harder, if not impossible, to pass a covering boat on the last beat, but by then you are beaten anyway.
I must say I am a bit puzzled by some of the replies.
I am never annoyed by people trying to cover me. It is surely part of the skill of racing to be able to deal with a covering boat by counter tactics. There will be plenty of opportunities to shake them during the course of a race.
It is a lot harder, if not impossible, to pass a covering boat on the last beat, but by then you are beaten anyway.
I feel your suffering SailNJ but if this guy is close covering you he cannot be much better than you can he. It sound like you sail against him often so use him as a training opportunity to develop ways to pass him.
Cover him with your sail on a run and time your move for the inside mark rounding.
Sail him into a bunch of starboard tack boats to clear him away from you.
Improve your starting techniques to gain a windward position etc etc..
Thank him for giving you so much practice.
There are many aspects to covering somebody and so much depends on the situation of each of the boats (both within the series and on the race course). For example, maybe you are the last race of a series and to win you need only beat one particular boat - in which case you will be covering him all the time, sailing both yourself and him/her wherever because it does not matter if you are last but one and he is last because that is all you need to do to win. Or maybe it is your discard but if other boat comes in the top e.g. 10 they win but 11th or lower and you win, etc. Under such circumstances covering is the only way to go (IMHO). You do it to somebody else and were the situation the other way round they would be doing it to you. Similarly, you are ahead but with a narrow lead on the guy/gal behind - so baring just daft decisions by them you cover to make sure you get the same wind/holes in the wind, same tide, etc. - you want to stay ahead and 2 yds is as goos and 300 yds (so why risk everything to extend to 300 yds but maybe lose if you end up with less wind). etc., etc. Why duck somebodies stern and lose a lot to windward when the wind has just shifted anyway so you tack, get the good wind and they either stay in foul air or tack off to the worse wind direction and you have taken a place, etc.
What do America's Cup boats do - get angry because one is covering the other on the 1st beat !!
It is racing and a large part of racing is tactics and a lot of that is dealing with other boats. I ended up getting covered on the last beat this evening. I broke it but too late - I feel no irritation whatsoever because had our positions been the other way round I would have done the same.
Ian
So the people covered you one beat of the race. He covered me every beat of every race in the regatta and even went out of his way to cover me. I don't feel like arguing over this so I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. If not, I understand where your coming from and I too cover other boats if I need to. I guess we can just agree to disagree.
My comment was a general one about the discussion - not related to your own experience (so no aspect to agree/disagree or argue about it). Your posting your experience does not mean every subsequent post is about you.
Ian
So the people covered you one beat of the race. He covered me every beat of every race in the regatta and even went out of his way to cover me. I don't feel like arguing over this so I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. If not, I understand where your coming from and I too cover other boats if I need to. I guess we can just agree to disagree.
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What do America's Cup boats do - get angry because one is covering the other on the 1st beat !!
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Agreed!Normally I would use the fact that they are covering me to my advantage.
I consistently find that if I am consciously trying to "race" one person close by, that I am slower than when I am just racing myself and concentrating on what I am doing.
BTW, I was a bit unnerved at first by being yelled at (with swearing)
Actually, this is a fairly common tactic BUT is likely a violation of Rule 2 (Fair Sailing). Appeals Case 47 specifically addresses this. In that case, a fairly extreme example, an experienced sailor unfairly influenced a less experienced Junior with erroneous verbal comments, and was "tossed" even without a flag/formal protest, etc.
Al