Upwind Sailing: The Duck and the Lee Bow

Lets look at the two maneuvers available to you if you cannot cross a starboard tacker(s) , the factors that go into to deciding which maneuver and how best to execute them. In deciding on which maneuver to execute we have found it critical to anticipate our strategic needs -- i.e., are we headed or lifted ? Are we sailing toward good velocity and how far are we from the laylines? It helps to verbalize to the whole team the big picture -- "more breeze on the right" for example, so that the whole team is on the same page and thus more able to anticipate the move. Lets first look at the duck:

Why duck?
Fundamentally you duck a starboard tacker because they have the right of way and you cannot legally cross them without fouling them.
Tactically however, you duck them so that you free yourself tactically to keep sailing fast and to the correct side of the course. When it is very choppy or the wind is light a duck will be very effective and give you lots of speed if correctly done. A tack in those conditions would be a speed killer and you would risk being rolled and forced to tack again.
If you want to go fast then a duck will be the way to go as it frees you up to make the boat go. If you lee bow then you will be essentially engaging the boat you have just lee bowed and both of you will slow down and limited tactically. a duck is also a more conservative move that avoids committing a foul of "tacking too close," (racing rule #13).
If there is three starboard tackers coming bow to bow then you may elect to tack as this would be too much of a duck.
A great move is to duck a starboard tacker who is close to the weather mark, (2 to 3 minutes sailing time) and then tack to windward of them and use them as a blocker. Other port tackers will have to engage him before they get to you and this can help keep your lane clean and your air clear.

Executing the duck:

There are two types of duck that you can execute depending on your tactical needs The first one is the 'tactical duck" -- this is when you bear away early to a beam/close reach, about two lengths away, ease the main and Genoa, aim at the corner of the transom of the other boat and then bear and then head up smoothly to close hauled as you pass there transom.
When the skipper bears away it is critical that the main and Genoa are eased to take pressure off the rudder and to maintain speed. When it is windy we will actually blow the vang off to help dump the wind off the main and make the rudder more effective. The Genoa trimmer should trim the Genoa perfectly to the tell tales to maintain speed -- don't "banjo" it in as this disrupts the flow on the sail -- instead use the winch handle to smoothly bring it in as you harden up to close hauled.
As you pass the transom of the boat that you ducked you will get a bonus of some lift off the leeches of there sails which will enable you to point a little higher. A great time to duck another boat is when they are not quite making the layline for the mark-you duck them and then tack when on layline and then meet them when you are on starboard tack -- the tables have been turned in your favor and very often they will have to tack and duck you as they are not making the mark! This is called "the duck and pin ! " Another essential time to duck is after a bad start -- you want to duck anyone you meet so that you can break out to clear air and work on your speed.

"The lock in or late duck."
This type of duck prevents you from being tacked on or "slam Dunked' by the boat you are ducking. As you approach the weather mark your team should be more aware that other teams may tack on you as you approach the layline. To help prevent this your team can choose to duck a little later when approaching the starboard tacker -- this will cost you some speed but since the tacking boat has to fulfill there obligations under rule #13 (while tacking) they cannot tack too close to you without the possibility of committing a "tacking too close foul." Again easing the main out a lot is critical and trimming the Genoa to every point of sail is very important to maintain speed and control.

The Lee Bow:

Why lee bow?
A lee bow is when you cannot cross legally and your team executes a tack ahead and to leeward of the on coming boat.
Good reasons to lee bow someone include:
1) When the other boats are overstood on the layline.
2) You want to protect the favored side of the course -- i.e., there has been gains on the left, (possibly more velocity) so you lee bow to force the other boat away so that you can continue left.
4) You are headed or sailing away from the velocity.
3) When it would be way too big of a duck or too many ducks.
4) When the starboard tacker is on the layline and you cannot cross them.
5) In flat water.
6) To preserve a lane of clear air because if you ducked you would have to sail a long way to find a lane of clear air in which to tack in. This very much applies in bigger fleets.

Bad times to lee bow!
1) In light air -- you lose speed and get rolled!
2) In chop -- you lose a lot of speed and again risk being rolled.
3) When you are on a lift !
4) When you are close to the port layline -- if you lee bow somebody you will be pinned by them until you either force them to tack or they tack.
5) When you are not up to speed from a previous tack.
6) When you want to go fast a lee bow will tend to slow both boats down which is a net loss to the rest of the fleet.
7) When later in the series you do not want to risk any chance of a foul.

Executing The lee bow:

The Best way to lee bow someone is basically just about be able to cross them. As a tacking boat you have to keep clear of a boat on a tack , (racing rule #13). You have to be on the new close hauled course before the boat on a tack has to alter course at all.
The Boat on a tack with right of way is bound by rule # 16 - changing course -- she has to give the tacking boat room to keep clear and both boats are bound by rule #14 avoiding contact and causing serious damage.
Your goal is to finish your tack so that once you are up to speed you are "bow out" on the other boat and can slowly squeeze them off. Once you have legally completed your tack, (assumed a close hauled course) without them having to alter course to avoid, you will acquire right of way as a leeward boat, (rule # 11) and be entitled to luff the windward yacht, ( as long as you give room to keep clear) as the yachts overlap going to windward.

When you are lee bowing make sure the boat is totally up to speed and that you tack in a flat spot and not in chop. Also - look over your shoulder and make sure you are not going to tack into bad air! The forward and middle crew should be looking for lanes , (gaps) of clear air and flatter water in which to tack into.

Beware of tacking in the two length zone!
This is a classic way to lose a regatta in a protest! If you are tacking from port to starboard in the two length zone remember you are bound by rule # 18 . 3 A and B. You must fulfill your obligations under rule #13 (while tacking) plus you must not cause the other boat to sail above a close hauled course and if they overlap to leeward you must give them room to pass the mark. By tacking in the two length zone you are essentially limiting your rights.

It is smarter to lee bow outside the two length zone and thus you will retain luffing rights to make it around the mark by going head to wind if necessary.

Avoid the crash tack or panic duck ! !
Keep looking under the boom and through the Genoa and mainsail window, (if you have one) to see boats coming early and remember the big picture of where you want to go on the course. The key thing when lee bowing or ducking another boat is not to get tunnel visioned trying to beat that one boat! Remember you have a fleet to race against and so pinching somebody off may be a net loss in speed to 30 other boats! Lee bow for strategic and tactical reasons..... and if in doubt -- duck!

Team communication:
Get together with your team and go over tactical situations that would require a lee bow or duck and look at the rules (some have been mentioned) that apply. The key thing is for your team to anticipate and have a communication dialogue that keeps you all on the same page and going fast.

Best of luck on the race course and have fun.

Quick Kerr Bio !  Co owner with Chris Winnard of  3 time S20 National Champion "Disaster Area"  , North U Seminars speaker and coach, J World sailing Schools rep and staff trainer, "Sailing World " contributor, 2000 J24 National champion, 3rd- 2000 J24 World Championships.