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If the pin is favored, many sailors will jockey = for the=20 perfect pin start. The ability to leg out on starboard below the fleet = or to=20 tack and cross the competition is an advantage worth fighting for. Of = course,=20 you may have to battle for it; rarely will a good fleet give you the pin = end at=20 the start. The trick to winning the pin is to control the situation and = take=20 charge of your own destiny. There are two match-racing moves that can = help you=20 win the pin, but you must make one critical decision: Do you lead the = pack to=20 the pin, or do you push them?

Leading to the pin

This = maneuver is=20 best executed with a port-tack approach to the line. In a typical = starting=20 scenario, the flow of boats will move counterclockwise between the race=20 committee boat and the pin. If you want to lead the pack to the pin on=20 starboard, it=92s best to be the last boat on port and tack closely to = leeward of=20 the boat nearest to the pin. A port-tack approach allows you to see any=20 available holes and how others are positioning for the start. Tacking = tightly=20 below the boat closest to the pin allows you to control the situation. = From this=20 position, you can prevent the boat above from moving towards the pin, = and you=20 can herd the pack in a windward position while protecting your hole to = leeward.=20 A critical element in making this work is the concept of "time and=20 distance."

In order to accurately position yourself to win the = pin, you=20 need to gauge how far away you are from that sweet spot, and exactly how = long it=20 will take you to get there. It=92s important to spend some time in your = pre-race=20 preparation gathering this information. Being one or two seconds early = can ruin=20 your start, forcing you to jibe around into traffic. To properly execute = this=20 start, you must know three things: 1. How long it takes you to sail the = length=20 of the line. 2. How long it takes you to get from any stationary object = in the=20 water, a lobster pot or anchored spectator boat, back to the pin. 3. How = long it=20 takes you to tack and accelerate. The time to sail a given distance will = vary=20 with your sailing angle=97reaching is faster than running or beating. = And don=92t=20 forget to consider current set.

Once you=92re in a lee bow = "leading"=20 position, your time and distance homework should pay off as you pick the = moment=20 to put your bow down towards the buoy, accelerate, and win the pin = start. The=20 biggest risk is a rogue boat coming in from astern attempting to snatch = your=20 hole while you=92re herding the pack above. Keep a wary eye astern, and = to=20 discourage a rogue boat, put your bow down, ease your boom out, and = close the=20 distance with the pin layline. Make it obvious that the rogue will not = be able=20 to sail to leeward of you and still fetch the pin. In fighting off the = rogue,=20 however, make sure you don=92t underestimate the time and distance = required to=20 reach the pin. In other words, don=92t run out of room yourself.



	Joe Comeau

	1. To lead to the = pin,=20 approach on port and tack to leeward of the crowd 2. To push to = the pin,=20 get on the tail of the lead boat. Your goal is to overlap to = leeward and=20 luff them, or make them early.

The best times to lead = back to the pin=20 are: 1. In light air, because tacking angles are wider and you can = accelerate=20 more easily with no one under your bow. 2. When you have a large runway=20 available to the pin. 3. If a pack of boats is crowding toward the pin. = With=20 everyone overlapped, it=92s much easier to control the = group.

Pushing to=20 the pin

Pushing an opponent is another way to win the pin, but it = requires a keener sense of time, distance, and layline position. Before = the=20 start, test the layline to get a feel for its position, and then sight = through=20 the pin for a marker on land=97a shore sight. Check this layline = reference several=20 times to ensure that it=92s accurate=97wind shifts will cause it to=20 change.

Pushing is most effective when you=92re vying with one = other boat=20 for the pin. It=92s more effective in stronger wind because it=92s = easier to=20 accelerate and the ability of the lead boat to slow and stop is reduced. = Pushing=20 requires using the match racing technique of tailing another boat = closely. The=20 goal is to force the lead boat to use up its runway to the pin, forcing = it to=20 luff and slow prematurely. This should allow you to establish a leeward=20 controlling position, or to pressure the lead boat into being early and = jibing=20 out.

When pushing the lead boat toward the pin, match their sail = trim=20 and angles in order to stay on their transom without gaining a weather = overlap.=20 As you push, the lead boat will probably fishtail back and forth, trying = to slow=20 its rate of progress toward the pin and attempting to "hook" your bow = into a=20 weather overlap. If you become trapped to windward, the lead boat has = won. With=20 luffing rights, the lead boat can control the action, slow its approach = to the=20 pin, and create a hole to leeward.

As the lead boat tries to hook = you,=20 your move is to bear away, cross their transom and overlap them to = leeward with=20 speed. If you can establish a substantial overlap to leeward early in = this=20 dance, you can then luff and stop the lead boat and control the approach = to the=20 pin. If the lead boat bears away before you get a solid overlap, = you=92ll soon=20 fall astern in their dirty air.

Once astern, you have two = choices: the=20 first is to aim for the pin and continue sailing fast, forcing the lead = boat to=20 match your course to stay ahead. Alternatively, you can luff sharply if = you=92re=20 running out of time or if the lead boat has sailed past the pin=20 layline.

As the pusher, keep in mind that if you establish a = leeward=20 position from clear astern, you are required to assume your proper = course after=20 the start. If you have erred on time and distance, misjudged the layline = to the=20 pin, or trapped your bow to leeward with mere seconds to go, you=92re in = big=20 trouble. At best, you=92ll have a second row start; at worst, you may = not fetch=20 the pin.

Having a great start almost ensures that you=92ll be in = the top=20 pack up the first beat. Confidence in your ability to handle the boat in = tight=20 quarters, hold position, generate and protect a hole below your bow, and = accelerate at the proper time are vital to winning the pin. One match = racing=20 technique that helps is backing the jib hard to windward to swing the = bow down=20 and accelerate without a lot of rudder movement.

There is = nothing more=20 satisfying than winning the pin and having all the options open to you. = Try=20 these aggressive moves in smaller, less competitive fleets at first. = Then try=20 them against a more competitive pack. Slowly, your timing, boat = handling, and=20 confidence will improve. The pin will be yours whenever you want=20 it.