5 ways to determine the favored end of the line. Without the use of instruments.
The start is a very important part of any race and in order to develop your plan for starting you must know which end of the line is favored and by how much. The favored end of the line is the line that is more upwind. A boat that starts at the favored end will start the race more upwind than those that don’t. There are many factors that contribute to where exactly to start. Things like current on the course, density of the fleet, anticipated windshifts after the start, etcetera, but regardless of those you must know which end is favored to the wind direction. The following short article will give you 5 mostly solid ways you can determine which end is favored.
Please note all these methods are totally analog. No instruments (except for a compass which need not be digital) required. I highly recommend that you master these methods first before using the instruments (aka “pinging” using Expedition etc.)
The five methods are:
Head to wind, middle of line, on the line.
Head to wind, middle of line, below the line.
Head to wind, at end of the line, on the line.
Taking a compass bearing of line, compared to head to wind.
Sheet and cleat.
All five of these methods will work for determining the favored end for both an upwind and a downwind start. The end that is more upwind will be favored for upwind starts and the end more downwind will be favored for downwind starts. The methods can also be used to figure out which gate mark is more upwind. Pro tip: if the gates are set above the line before your start check them prior to starting.
For each method a few pros and cons of using it are included. Also included is a diagram to help you understand how each one works.
Head to wind, middle of line, on the line:
This is likely the most common method of determining line bias and likely the one you were taught when you first started racing. Starting at one end (I always suggest the right hand end or starboard end since you will be on starboard tack and have right of way), sail down the line towards the pin parallel and 1-2 lengths below the line. Once you get to the middle of line, turn your boat up into the wind so it is pointing directly into the wind. Looking to port and to starboard see which end your boat is pointing closer to. If your boat has some feature (often the aft end of the cabin) that is ninety degrees to the centerline, you can sometimes use that to help gauge which end is favored. Extending this line out port and starboard look for which end of the line is further back, that will be your favored and upwind end.
Pros: Easy and straightforward.
Cons: Difficult to tell which end is favored on a long line or a line that is only slightly biased.
Head to wind, middle of line, below the line:
This is a variation on our first method. Instead of ending up head to wind on the starting line, this one has you head to wind with your bow 3-6 lengths below the line. Start by sailing parallel to the line on starboard, away from the starboard end. Your boat should be 6-8 lengths below the line (increase if the line is longer). Turn up head to wind once you reach the middle of the line. Done properly your boat will end up 3-4 lengths below the middle of the line and head to wind. From this vantage point you can more easily see which end your boat is pointing to, which is the more upwind, or favored end.
Pros: More clearly and easily shows the favored end.
Cons: Because you are below the line easier to get caught in traffic and/or have a boat blanketing your wind when you are head to wind leading to a false reading.
Head to wind, at end of the line, on the line:
It is important to know by how much one end of the line is favored over the other. If one end is hugely favored in many cases you are almost forced to try and start at that end. But if the line is only favored by 1-2 boatlengths at one end then a more conservative move is to start near but not at the favored end. Use this method to help you gauge by how much one end is favored over another.
To gauge the distance one end is favored go head to wind just beyond one end of the line (the leeward end is easier). Once head to wind extend a line from the transom of your boat to the middle of the line and past the opposite end of the line. By looking carefully you can estimate how far above or below the opposite end your extended line is. Then translate this into to boatlengths and you will have a good idea of how advantaged one end is over the other.
If you are going head to wind just beyond the pin (port) end of the line, if your line extends above the committee boat the port end is favored. If you line extends below the committee boat the starboard end is favored.
Pros:
Best way to gauge how favored one end is favored.
Head to wind can often be in clear air
Cons:
Hard to use on a very long line, committee boat may be hard to see or blocked
Compass Bearing method:
If your boat is equipped with a compass this technique is a must have skill for determining line bias. You start by taking an accurate bearing of the compass angle of the line and then compare that to your head to wind compass bearing.
Start by sailing close hauled on starboard on the layline to the committee boat end. Once your boat is on the line, bear off to a course that points your boat directly toward the pin end of the line or parallel to the line. The helmsman should look both forward and back to ensure that the course of the boat is exactly parallel to the line. This is often not that easy as the boat gets moved by waves. As the helmsman, when I think the boat is exactly parallel, will call out and say “Mark,” each time I am confident I am parallel to the line. This indicates to my tactician (and crew) to note the compass heading at that moment. Once I have the line bearing number I write that down. Perhaps near my starboard and port upwind readings.
Now take that number and add 90 degrees to it. This simplest way I find to do the math is add 100 and subtract 10. I can do that faster than the arithmetic of adding 90. So if the line bears 250 degrees we are looking at 250+100=350 less 10 or 340 degrees for the line bearing. If I go head to wind and the bearing is 340 degrees I now know that the line is perfectly square to the wind. If the number is less say 333 degrees, then the left or port end of the line is favored by 7 degrees. If the number higher say 355 degrees then the starboard end of the line is favored by 15 degrees.
One of the best things about this method is that once you have established the line bearing, you can go head to wind anywhere and know which end is favored. That is good because you can stay out of the chopped up air and water in the middle of the line and get really accurate head to wind reading.
Pros:
Once line bearing is established can go HTW anywhere and know bias.
The most accurate in determining bias in degrees.
Cons:
Must have good line bearing.
Crew must know the system in order to be most accurate.
Sheet and cleat:
Sometimes when it is windy and very choppy it is difficult to keep your boat head to wind long enough the either get a good look at both ends of the line or the HTW compass bearing. The sheet and cleat method works well in these conditions. It is also a good way to determine line bias if you boat does not have a compass. Some boats, Laser, Optis, Stars for example are practically impossible to keep head to wind once the sea comes up. These and similar boats should use this method for determining which end is favored.
Start by approaching the committee boat end closehauled and on the layline. Once on the starting line bear off and sail directly toward the pin. Once on a parallel course ease your sails until they just start barely luffing. Either cleat the sheets or note their exact trim. When you are near the pin end of the line either tack or gybe onto the reciprocal course, again exactly parallel to the line, DO NOT ADJUST SHEETS. Once you are on the other tack if your sails are more fully luffing you know that you are sailing closer to the wind back to the committee boat and that end is favored. If you have to ease sheets to make them luff slightly you now know that you were sailing closer to the wind on starboard and the pin end is favored and more upwind.
Pros:
Good for determining bias in lighter boats that get stopped quickly going HTW.
Good for boats that do not have a compass
Cons:
Difficult to determine a very small line bias.
Has to be done while sailing up or down the line.
Consider these five methods as tools in your starting toolbox. You will need to use different ones for different boats and different scenarios. Top sailors will usually use two or more of these checking line before a single start. Good luck and sail smart!
Here is a good rule of thumb to keep in the back of your head when checking the bias of the line:
For every 5 degrees of upwind bias to one end, that end will be UPWIND by a distance equal to about 1/8th of the length of the line. For example on a line biased by 5 degrees to the committee boat end that is 100 meters long, the committee boat end will be upwind by 12.5 meters. If the bias was 10 degrees it would be twice that or 25 meters. Similarly, if the line is longer the amount of bias in real distance increases.