Sailing Faster: Go-Fast Tips

A gust of wind hits a beginner’s boat and the boat speeds up, but then the puff goes away and the boat slows down again. Keeping your boat fast and getting the most speed out of the conditions requires practice. The following list includes many of the ways to get any boat zooming along and keep it sailing fast:

More wind = more speed. Wind is like boat speed — more is better, but only to a point. Each boat is different, but most boats benefit from increased velocity up to about 15 knots. At that wind speed, beginning sailors should head back to the dock. Going downwind, most boats respond favorably as the wind picks up to 20 knots, but with more wind than that, control becomes a concern.

In light air, sail for the puffs. Look for the dark water, where the ripples and other signs of more wind are.Sailing on a reach is fastest. If you had a particular destination in mind and could make the wind blow from any direction, you’d make your course a reach. By sailing on a reach, you can sail on your boat’s fastest point of sail and steer a direct course.

Sailing to a point straight upwind takes longer than it looks. Because you have to zigzag your way back and forth to reach a destination directly upwind, you end up sailing extra distance.

Waves matter. Waves slow you down when sailing toward them and can speed you up when sailing with them.

Wind shifts matter.

Some boats are faster. Lots of components determine a boat’s speed. As a general rule, a longer boat with more sail area is usually faster, but catamarans and other boats that can plane (skim along) are the exceptions to this rule.

Adjust your sail shape for changes in wind speed and direction.