Sailboat Racing Tips: Defending Your Starting Line Hole

Professional sailor and coach Mike Ingham delves into the art of making and defending your position on the starting line.

[@martygingras8683]

Mike's the best coach on KZbin.

[@chroniclesofstuntbucket3522]

Really great share. The layer of the tactics you talked about in terms of interboat "signaling" by clear verbage or the counting out loud raises the starting game. I am thinking in terms of one-person boats where there isn't any crew exchange. I think of the Proper Course before the start gun as all (legal) maneuvering necessary to get the best position and speed as you hit the line.

[@sailawayteam]

Thanks! Now it would be good to hear tips in perspective of the blue and yellow boat, what to do in those situations.

[@sailingworld]

Great suggestion!

[@DougallMcCorkle]

Why is important to defend the hole if the hole is to your lee?

[@jbd214i5]

Because you want to use that space to accelerate before pointing.

[@richardcrawford267]

if they scoop you with speed they luff hard and put you in their dirty wind sitting just under lee bow and dont give you any space to accelerate prior to start