Overstanding the Layline

About overstanding the layline

This post is about how much you should overstand the layline on final. Basically you need to balance the loss due to overstanding with the possible loss due to tacking onto the layline too early and having to pinch, or worse, do a couple of short tacks.

There is plenty of uncertainty involved – wind shifts, incorrect placement of the mark, competition etc., but you can make a decision armed with the knowledge you do know.

Tacking short of the layline will cause loss because:

• At first, you will try to pinch to make it.
• If you really blow it, after pinching you will have to execute two underspeed tacks amongst your enemies. Both underspeed tacking and giving way will cost much more than a standard tack set.

Overstanding will also cost you because you are footing off the upwind target angle. This distance lost depends on how long and how much you foot, and the shape of the polar. However footing a given amount is quite a bit faster than pinching the same amount.

Parameters that affect your decision

• How long will you be on final approach
• How much is the wind shifting, and where are you in the shift cycle.