Current Affairs

The rise and fall of the sea is one of those phenomena that occur as a constant. The waxing and waning of the moon have always had a bearing on our lives. This pattern repeats itself at incredibly regular intervals and as we know it waits for no man. King Canute once famously tried to order the tide to stay back to prove his supremacy which was a spectacular failure. But in fairness to old Canute it must be said it was probably to prove the folly of human self-significance to others.

Tide has always played a role in waterborne transport harking back to the birth of civilization in

the Nile delta.  One thing we know is that seafarers who used the tide to their advantage in war or commerce have always had a healthy edge over their rivals. This is also the case with yacht racing; there are those who embrace it and succeed and those who are intimidated by it and fail.

Knowledge- We needs to understand how the tide works on a certain area in order to be able to utilise it. The answer is to go sailing, whilst it is always imperative to get adjusted to a new race course and its vagaries; it is paramount in a place where strong tides or currents abound.

A lot of enclosed waterways like bays and larger rivers will have times where the current runs in different directions at the same time. These can be hard to comprehend initially but there is a pattern to them. I always like to find a high vantage point to view a new area, look for tidelines in the water and rougher or smoother water either side of them. Rougher choppier water is more pronounced when current and wind are against each other, alternatively wind and water in the same direction will always appear smoother and flatter. So the desire is to sail upwind on the course side that has choppier water and downwind in the flatter water. It can be a simple as that!

While you are actually on the water the sightline of your bow on the shore can give you an idea of how you are going in regards to current movement. The other really beneficial drill is to team up with another boat and sail on opposite sides of the course and compare performance.

A lot of larger waterways and open seas will have a strong tidal stream one way or the other over the entire course; this is known as the famous “moving carpet” syndrome.

So once we can understand our tide and current how can we use it and what are the pitfalls, let’s look at a few scenarios on a typical Olympic course.

A  When tide is running up course toward top mark.

Starting- The major point is the boat will be moving across the ground when you are sitting stalled. The only way to get back behind line will be to sail downwind, so set up further back.

It will be very difficult to get a good start at the boat end of the line, the tide pushing you up to the start boat all the time will make you very vulnerable to finding yourself in a barging position, be wary. The pin end of the line is relatively safe in that the tide will always be carrying you up into mark so you can lay up from a long way below the line with current assistance.

Top mark, it will be very easy to overlay the top mark so try and avoid getting into the starboard tack procession early. A port tack approach to the mark will give you good options.

Tacking under the pack will work well most of the time as you will be able to shoot the mark from a long way down with tide assist.

Reaches- you will need to sail low as the tide will be carrying you up off the lay-line and you need to work hard to get the preferred inside position at the wing mark.

Bottom mark, approach will be slow so set up for a later drop, and be very wary of hitting the mark. As soon as you turn the boat, the foils will cop the brunt of the tide and take you sideways toward mark.

B When tide is running down course from top mark.

Starting- The tide will be pushing your boat back off the line so you will need to be making forward motion to hold your position on the line.

Be a bit careful at the pin end of the line as the tide will be pushing your boat down and will be easy to find yourself below the lay-line. If this happens bail out early and reset up.

The boat end is safer and quite often a big gap will appear as the boats get pushed down off the line as they rack up.

Top mark, it will be very easy to underlay the top mark and many boats will be flopping onto port close to mark as they get dragged down and can’t make it on starboard. Once again a port tack approach to the mark will give you good options if the fleet set up allows this.

Note- You will not be able to pinch or shoot the mark against a strong tide

Reaches- you will need to sail high as the tide will be carrying you down below mark .

Bottom mark, the mark will come up very fast so be ready for an early drop. The fleet will spread out downwind with the tide and bunch up again at the mark so be ready.

C When tide is running from left to right.

Starting- The starboard tack will be very slow and naturally the port tack much faster,  if you are on port tack you will be carried quickly along the line toward the boat and much slower to come back on starboard. Be aware! The pin end is likely to be fairly open and boat end congested because of this.

Beats, you will spend a lot more time on starboard tack (up to 70% in a big tide race) into the tide than you will on port. So be alert and don’t get lost on race track.

Top mark, on the starboard approach the tide will be pushing you up so you can underlay and use tide to squeeze up as per A.

Reaches- the first reach will be quite slow and the second much faster.   On the first reach the current will also be pushing the bow below the lay-line and on the second lifting you above it. So be prepared for the difference.

Square run/ Bottom mark, starboard gybe will be favoured as the fleet run down with tide taking them across the course. There is a strong likelihood that there will be a raft up at bottom mark as the fleet is carried onto mark, particularly in light air.

D When tide is running from right to left

Starting- as you would imagine the opposite of above. The port tack will be very slow and naturally the starboard tack much faster, so be wary of running out of room at the pin end as the tide carries you down the line. Boat end is likely to be fairly open as a result.

Beats, you will spend a lot more time on port tack into the tide than you will on starboard. So again be aware and don’t get lost on race track. Watch you don’t overlay when coming in from the left corner.

Top mark, on the starboard approach the tide will be pushing you down onto the mark so a pinching tight lay-line can cause issues.

Reaches- once again opposite the first reach will be fast and the second slow so be prepared for the difference in dropping the spinnaker with a later, slower approach to the mark.

Square run/ Bottom mark, port gybe will be favoured as the fleet run down with tide taking them across the course

Wind Factors.

The first indicator of the severity of these factors is the tidal and wind strength, the stronger the tide and the lighter the wind the more influence the tide will have on the race. Also the fleet setup and positioning of other boats has a big impact on being reactive to them and how you approach each mark or leg of the course.

Good Sailing.