Upwind tactics in big fleets

Dave Dellenbaugh, member of the 2025 Class of the National Sailing Hall of Fame, discusses big fleet upwind tactics in WindCheck magazine:

The bigger your fleet, the more boats there are to get in the way of your strategic gameplan. In order to stay on track, therefore, you need good boat-on-boat tactical moves.

In a small fleet, you may choose to maneuver tactically against one or two other boats, even early in a race. These moves let you follow your strategy, but they also help you beat those boats. With a big fleet, however, you can’t afford to mess with individual boats (unless it’s late in a race or series). You have to keep the big picture firmly in mind, and your tactics should be geared toward groups of boats, not just one or two.

For example, in a big fleet you should almost never tack on one other boat just to give them bad air. Instead, tack in the place that’s best for you relative to all the rest of your competitors. – Full report