What if...
By
Rick White

What if you have the lead over you most formidable competitor...

Basically, this is the same question as last month.
You have the lead around the leeward mark and are heading for the “A” or windward mark again. There is only one boat you need to beat to hold your overall position. Should you head out to the right corner of the course, tack to the left corner of the course, or sail up the middle?
Well, the first tenet to follow is stay between your most formidable competitor and the next mark, so perhaps none of those are the answers. You must first determine what that competitor is going to do

Last month we had you tack at the leeward mark and then when your competitor rounds the leeward mark and doesn’t tack, you tack back to stay between him and your next mark. However, with this scenario, he tacks on to starboard as well.
Well, that is just great and a no-brainer for you. You are ahead and upwind of that competitor. (See Diagram A). The same goes for going around the weather mark. (See Diagram B).