Commit to the Persistent Shift
When the wind keeps rotating one way, drive out to that side early and stay — a persistent shift gains for the whole leg, so committing beats tacking up the middle.
A persistent shift keeps marching one direction the entire leg, so the boat that gets to the side the wind is going toward gains the whole way up. Confirm the trend with several headings in a row before you commit — one reading can fool you. Then go to that side early and resist the urge to tack back toward the fleet, because every tack back gives away the gain. Plan to reach the mark on the long, headed tack last; here green commits left, rides the backing breeze, and leaves the middle-tacking ghost behind.
Opens the animation on the boat-length grid — run it well, then brief it from the same picture. Free, no account needed.
What to call out
- Read several headings in a row to confirm a one-way trend, because a single reading can fool you into committing the wrong way.
- Get to the side the wind is shifting toward and stay, because a persistent shift keeps gaining for the entire leg.
- Resist tacking back to the fleet too soon, because persistent shifts reward staying committed.
- Approach the mark on the long, headed tack last, because that sets up the best, lowest-risk final approach.