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Subtle gear changing is what truly separates = those with=20 just adequate boatspeed from those who always seem to be a click quicker = and=20 higher. While most of the fleet starts the race with a similar setup, = created=20 with the help of a tuning guide or by following standard principles, the = fast=20 boats are constantly making additional adjustments. When conditions = suddenly=20 change=97a puff hits, or powerboat waves arrive=97these sailors shift = gears=20 smoothly. Before we dive into the subtleties of their sail adjustments, = let=92s=20 take a look at how you might create a basic pre-race = setup.

Step 1:=20 Set the depth
Try to memorize the depth that feels about right in = 10=20 knots of breeze. Then set your mast bend and headstay sag to replicate = that=20 shape, using it as your starting point in other velocities. Another = method is to=20 increase mast bend until you just begin to see slight wrinkles (called = inversion=20 wrinkles) running from the clew of the mainsail to the lower quarter of = the=20 mast. For the jib, decrease headstay sag until you are just able to make = the=20 telltales on both sides of the sail fly easily. Any tighter, and the = steering=20 groove will become too narrow.

Step 2: Set the draft=20 position
For most boats, the main draft should be positioned = nearly=20 halfway back. Pulling the cunningham tighter pulls the draft forward, = while=20 easing it allows the draft to move aft. Use the jib halyard or jib = cunningham to=20 position the fullness in the jib. The draft should be slightly farther = forward=20 than in the main, usually about 35 percent, or roughly one-third, of the = way=20 back.

Step 3: Set the twist
To set the leech tension = for the=20 main, sight from under the boom and set the sheet so that the chord of = the top=20 batten is parallel to the boom. For the jib leech, set the sheet so that = the=20 last 6 inches of the middle of the leech (a mid-leech batten helps here) = are=20 parallel to the centerline of the boat. Easing the sheets allows the = outboard=20 end of the battens to fall away, increasing twist. Trimming the sheets = does the=20 opposite, decreasing twist.

Step 4: Set the angle of = attack
If=20 you drop the tiller, the boat should continue to track straight, or = slowly head=20 up into the wind. Any more helm than that means excessive rudder drag. = If the=20 boat has excessive windward helm, ease the traveler to until the helm is = balanced. This four-step process for setting your sails is only a = starting=20 point. It=92s still a great idea to line up with someone you know is = fast before=20 the race to see if you are "on the money." If you=92re faster, great! If = you=92re=20 off the pace, just ask your crew, "Are we lacking speed or pointing=20 ability?"

Solving Pointing Problems
An inability to = hold a lane=20 or position close to other boats can really destroy a tactical game = plan.=20 Pointing problems are not so much indicated by the angle that the boat = seems to=20 be sailing relative to the boats around us, but more by the fact that = the boat=20 is actually sliding to leeward.

Trying to pinch to maintain = height can be=20 the crux of the problem. The old adage, "foot, then point," says a lot. = A boat=20 needs to go fast before the underwater foils can develop enough lift to = hold=20 their position in the water. To regain pointing ability, ease the sails = out,=20 bear off slightly, and get back up to speed. Once up to top speed, = re-trim to=20 your starting point trim and reevaluate your pointing problem. If the = problem=20 persists, check your sail trim.

When sail trim is the cause of = the=20 problem, it=92s usually the main, not the jib. The upper leech of the = main=20 provides most of your pointing ability. Be sure to trim the main so the = upper=20 batten is at least parallel to the boom. If you need more pointing = ability, try=20 trimming the main tighter. You can hook the upper batten as much as 15 = degrees=20 to weather for short periods. Avoid the temptation to overtrim the jib = to help=20 pointing ability. Hooking the jib leech will choke the slot between the = main and=20 jib, stalling the entire sailplan. The jib should never have less twist = than=20 described in the "basic setup."

Only after you=92ve decided to = trim the=20 main harder should you try to pinch the boat. In this mode, the weather=20 telltales on the jib will be stalled. In big puffs, the luff of the jib = can=20 break as much as 8 inches back. This "super pinch" mode can only be held = for=20 short bursts and in flat water. Once the boat starts to slow down, be = sure to=20 ease the sails out, regain your speed, then start the process=20 again.

While it may seem natural to let the boat heel more when = trying to=20 point, fight the urge. Keeping the boat flat will help maintain a = balanced helm=20 and maximize the efficiency of your underwater foils. Still not = pointing? Either=20 your rig is too loose, resulting in too much headstay sag (i.e., the jib = is too=20 full) and sometimes too much mast bend, which makes the leech too open, = or the=20 luff tension on either sail is too tight (the draft is too far=20 forward).

Solving Footing Problems
What if your = pointing is=20 fine, but your straight-line speed is lacking? The simplest fix is = easing the=20 sails. More open leeches on both sails will help the boat sail lower and = faster=20 in a straight line. Sometimes, however, this results in a pointing = problem. If=20 so, first check your helm balance. Weather helm can seriousIy hinder the = boat=92s=20 ability to go fast. Instead of easing sheets, it=92s often better to = find a way to=20 ease helm. First, try to sail the boat more level. If you can=92t keep = the boat=20 flat, induce more mast bend to flatten the main. The next step is to = ease the=20 traveler until the helm is balanced. Finally, tighten the outhaul, = tension the=20 cunningham/jib halyard to pull the draft forward and open the leeches of = both=20 sails.

Gear Shifting: Puff On!
We=92ve got you going = with good=20 speed and good height. Then what happens? The wind velocity changes and = it=92s=20 time to shift gears. First, let=92s look at some of the automatic = trimming change=20 that should happen as soon as a puff hits. 1. Ease the main, and = sometimes the=20 jib 2. Steer up to "feather" the boat 3. Re-trim sails.

Since a = puff=20 typically lifts you, due to a change in the apparent windspeed, you need = to ease=20 sheets and head up as it hits. Be sure to let the boat climb up into the = wind=20 and steer toward the upper end of your groove with the jib luff actually = breaking. In flat water, all that may be required is a quick ease of the = mainsheet. But in chop, it may be necessary to ease the jib as = well.

If=20 the puff packs some real velocity, more adjustment may be necessary. If = you=20 can=92t hold the boat down, and there=92s still too much helm, try the = following,=20 one at a time, until the helm is balanced. 1. Ease the traveler 2. Bend = the mast=20 (vang tension, backstay tension, etc.) 3. Tension the cunningham on both = main=20 and jib.

Gear Shift: Into a Lull
For the same reason = that puffs=20 are lifts, lulls usually appear as headers. In a lull, it=92s important = that you=20 bear off as smoothly as possible. Make sure the boat remains flat and = resist the=20 temptation to add heel to maintain "feel" in the helm.

Ease the = main so=20 the top batten angles outboard from parallel to the boom. Leave the jib = trimmed=20 initially until the bow is pulled down to the lower end of your groove = with both=20 telltales streaming aft. At that point, the jib should be eased so the = leeward=20 telltale doesn=92t stall.

Here=92s how to maintain speed in a = lull. 1. Ease=20 the main 2. Allow the boat to heel to weather, creating lee helm, to = steer the=20 boat down 3. Ease the jib 4. Level the boat 5. Pull the traveler up (if = the boom=20 is below centerline).

If the lull is long-lived, you may need to = take=20 additional steps to maintain speed. 1. Straighten the mast and induce = luff sag=20 in the jib 2.) Ease main and jib cunninghams to maintain correct draft = position.=20 The smoother you shift gears the faster you=92ll be, so practice until = it=92s=20 automatic. Heck, manual transmissions went out years = ago!