Three Sneakily Powerful Words in Sailboat Racing
“I don’t know.” On the surface, those may seem to be three of the hardest words to say in sailboat racing.
You may feel like you’re not giving enough information, or that you’re not knowledgeable about something, or that you’re not helping… but you are. Having the confidence to say “I don’t know” while small boat racing can actually be really helpful. Let’s explore some situations where “I don’t know” is a powerful statement that can lead to both success and learning.
“Which way should we go?”
Tactics and conditions can be challenging for sure. Good sailors process and consider all sorts of observations, including wind speed and direction, current, geographical features that could affect the racecourse, weather and tide forecasts, and so much more. Put them all in a pot, shake them up, and oftentimes you’ll come up with an overall picture of the racecourse: Less wind and adverse current on the upwind leg on the left, so we should emphasize the right side of the course. But other times, the situation is, as the Magic 8 ball says, “reply hazy, try again.” Could be that better pressure but bad current cancel each other out, leading to “I don’t know.” And that’s a super reply for that scenario. That lets your driver know that there’s no clear-cut, must-do up the leg—they can focus on boat speed and boat-to-boat interactions instead.
“Are we crossing?”
Safety is a big one for “I don’t know.” That response should, in a bunch of situations, alert the driver to the fact that things could be dicey. Trying to get across on port, but your crew isn’t sure you’re making it? It might be better to duck to avoid a protest, damage, and/or injuries. Similar safety-related situations that elicit the same response—and thus, awareness of risk—include “How much water is there in front of us?;” “Is that tanker under way?;” and “Is that thunderstorm headed our way?”
“Do we have rights here?”
Can we all agree that sometimes (many times?) the Racing Rules of Sailing are complex, and it can be challenging in the heat of the moment to remember the nuances that can change who has rights and who doesn’t. If you’re unsure, it’s often prudent to assume that you don’t have rights and simply to let the other boat have a little extra space. Most rules situations don’t unfold slowly enough that you can pull out your phone to check (you do have the US Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing app on it, right?). Make a note of the situation and discuss it with your team back on shore so that you’re better prepared to answer the next time around. Speaking of being on shore…
“Do you know why that worked?”
On occasion, we get to work with coaches, so debriefs after a day of racing are a key part of the learning process. When working with a coach, you definitely don’t need to know all the answers! If they walk you through a scenario that you don’t understand, say so, and benefit from their explanation. If they ask why you were slow downwind and you had been trying everything you could to go faster and nothing was working, offer up that key “I don’t know.” You and your coach can walk through settings and techniques to get you up to speed. Being “coachable” by being humble and curious is one of the best ways to get faster and smarter on the racecourse.
While “I don’t know” on the surface may seem to be three of the hardest words to say in sailboat racing, they’re actually three of the most instructive. And the best sailors tend to be the quietest sailors—they observe, analyze, and come to decisions. They know that admitting uncertainty is not weakness; it’s awareness and the first step in using curiosity to find an answer.
Uncertainty is in a way the essence of sailboat racing: If we were all certain of what the wind was going to do, how our competitors would interact with each other, what our tactical decisions should be, and whether our spinnaker sets would go as planned, racing wouldn’t really be necessary. So, embrace the uncertainty, and offer your “I don’t knows” enthusiastically!
About the Author: Kim Couranz has earned several national and world titles in Laser Radials (ILCA 6), Snipes, and Lightnings. She has also raced J/22s, J/24s, and Ynglings on an international level.
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