Starting Line Strategy: Winning the First 30 Seconds

The first 30 seconds set the race

A great start puts you in clear air, at full speed, at the favored end of the line. A poor start puts you in dirty air, slow, in the second row. The first 30 seconds of a race usually decide the next 30 minutes.

Pick the favored end

The line is almost never perpendicular to the wind. The end further upwind is favored — boats starting there are closer to the windward mark. Determine which end is favored by sailing the line both ways before the start and comparing compass headings.

Hold a hole

A "hole" is the open space below your boat at the start, giving you room to accelerate. Boats that crowd the line with no hole have nowhere to go when the gun fires. Two boat lengths to leeward is usually enough.

Accelerate cleanly

Trim sails fully about 10 seconds before the gun, head off slightly to build speed, and time your acceleration so you cross the line at full speed exactly on the gun. Sailors who are sitting still on the line get rolled by every boat that arrived moving.

Don't get pinned

A boat tight to windward of you can prevent you from heading up and force you into bad position. Leave space to windward early in the sequence and don't let competitors set up tight on top of you.

Time the line

Count down out loud. Sync your watch to the 5-minute signal. Most starting mistakes are simple time-management errors.

Takeaways

• Favored end + clear air + speed = a great start.
• Hold a leeward hole so you can accelerate.
• Trim early, sheet on the gun.
• Time the start with your own watch, not by guessing.