The Publisher
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Nov 25, 2009, 6:51 AM
Post #2 of 3
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Re: [usa1971] Match Racing - Port Reversal
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Peter Isler is on holiday travel, but asked if I would post this for him:
Back in the days before the "dial up" became the standard opening move (unless port can cross starboard by getting farther downwind or upwind when the boats first converge from their assigned ends) in the match race pre-start, the "reversal" was the second most common opening move for the starboard entry boat. The most common was simply luffing up and tacking... commencing the clockwise circling. Here's how it worked:
Imagine two boats beam reaching at each other with the port tack boat on a slightly higher "lane" than starboard. Instead of luffing up and going into a tack to initiate the circling, the starboard boat could also do a sharp jibe (starting when starboard's bow is about at port's shrouds or before). That move could sometimes allow "starboard entry" to get so close behind "port entry" (with both now sailing on port tack) that the latter could be initially pinned and prevented from jibing or tacking.
Nowadays the reversal is less commonly employed because any time the boats are close enough in gauge to do a dial up, starboard entry will usually take that opportunity (because of the possibility of getting even a stronger "pin" on the port entry competitor). But you do see the reversal sometimes employed during circling... its effect is less powerful than at the initial entry, but it can still shake things up and surprise your competitor.
- Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt
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