Sailboat Cruising Tips - Windward Sailing Tacking Secrets

Have you ever been in a situation where your destination lies dead upwind? And the forecast calls for a wind shift in the early afternoon?

This video will show you how to take advantage of an anticipated wind shift and get to your windward destination faster than ever before!

1. Use this strategy only if your destination lies dead upwind. If it lies to one side of dead upwind, use the strategy described in the "Related Articles" link below.

2. Listen to the marine sailing wind forecast. Place an arrow on your chart that shows the current sailing wind and another that shows the anticipated sailing wind shift direction (see illustration below).

3. Start out on the tack where you expect to be headed after the wind shifts. A header means a wind that shifts toward your bow (unlike a lift, which means a wind that shifts toward your stern).

4. Sail the course and wait for the wind to shift to the anticipated direction.

5. Tack as soon as you determine that the wind has shifted as expected. This will shorten the distance and time it takes you to get to your windward goal.

Make faster, shorter passages to windward when you expect the wind to shift to a new direction. Start out on the tack where you expect to later be headed (the wind to shift toward your bow). Note that when the northeast wind shifts to the east, it shifts toward the red-hulled sailboat's bow. She tacks--saving time and effort to the upwind destination.