How to Protest Effectively After a Race

(Without falling out with your sailing friends)

Most of us would rather be ashore with a mug of tea than filling in a protest form.
But protests are part of racing – and when done properly, they protect fair sailing rather than ruin the atmosphere.

The key word here is properly.

1. Decide if it’s actually protest-worthy

Before adrenaline does the talking, ask yourself:

• Was there a clear breach of the rules?

• Did it affect the outcome of the race?

• Could it be resolved by a quick word ashore instead?

On a river, things happen fast. Gusts, bends, moored boats, paddleboarders… not every incident needs a red flag moment.

💡 Rule of thumb: If you’re unsure which rule was broken, you’re probably not ready to protest yet.

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2. Protest on the water – calmly and clearly

If you are going to protest, do it correctly:

• Shout “Protest!” loudly and promptly

• Identify the boat (sail number or name)

• Display a red flag if required by your class rules

No commentary. No commentary with hand gestures. Just the facts.

This isn’t the time to argue the case – that comes later.

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3. Make notes immediately after finishing

As soon as you’re ashore:

• Sketch the incident

• Note wind direction, stream, relative positions

• Write down who was there (witnesses matter)

River racing protests are won and lost on position and timing, not volume.

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4. Fill in the form properly

A protest form isn’t a rant – it’s a report.

Keep it:

• Factual

• Short

• Focused on what happened, not what you felt happened

Avoid phrases like:
❌ “They were clearly in the wrong”
❌ “Everyone knows they always do this”

Stick to:
✅ “Boat A was on port tack. Boat B was on starboard tack. No avoiding action was taken.”

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5. In the protest room: less drama, more diagrams

When you get to the hearing:

• Let the diagram do the talking

• Answer the questions you’re asked

• Don’t interrupt (even when it’s painful)

Remember: the protest committee is there to establish facts, not crown a villain.

And yes – sometimes you will lose a protest even when you felt right. That’s racing.

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6. Keep club spirit intact

The real test of good protesting happens after the decision:

• Shake hands

• Thank the committee

• Go and make the tea

Good clubs survive because sailors can race hard and share a bar afterwards.

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Final thought

Protests aren’t about winning arguments – they’re about learning, fairness, and safer racing.
Handled well, they make everyone better sailors… and keep river racing enjoyable for all.

 Is it Better to Do Short Tacks or Long Tacks on a River When Racing?

If you read most sailing books, the answer to “short tacks or long tacks?” sounds wonderfully simple.
On a river, it absolutely isn’t.

River racing turns that neat theory on its head. Narrow courses, shifting winds, trees, bends, bridges, moored boats, and banks that seem determined to ruin your airflow all mean the “right” answer changes every few minutes.

So… let’s untangle it.

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What We Mean by Short and Long Tacks

• Long tacks
  Fewer manoeuvres, sailing for longer on each board before tacking.

• Short tacks
  Frequent tacks, often hopping from bank to bank to chase pressure, shifts, or favourable flow.

On open water, long tacks often win.
On a river, it’s… complicated.

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Why Rivers Are Different

River sailing adds three big complications:

1. The Wind Is Rarely Stable

The wind bends with the river, flicks around trees, and accelerates in narrow sections. What was a lifted tack ten seconds ago may already be a header.

2. The Banks Matter

One side is often:

• Less sheltered

• Better aligned with the wind

• Benefiting from a wind bend round a corner

Ignoring the banks is usually expensive.

3. The Stream Exists (Even When You Forget It Does)

Depending on the river and conditions:

• One side may have less adverse stream

• Eddies near the bank can help or hurt

• A “long” tack might quietly drag you backwards

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The Case for Long Tacks

Long tacks can be fast when conditions allow.

They work best when:

• The wind direction is reasonably steady

• One side of the river is clearly favoured

• You can hold clean air

• You’re confident your boat speed is good

Advantages

• Fewer tacks = fewer chances to lose speed

• Easier for newer crews

• Less disruption to trim and balance

Risks

• You may sail straight into a header

• You can miss pressure near the opposite bank

• If you guess wrong, you’re committed for longer

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The Case for Short Tacks

Short tacking is classic river racing — and exhausting.

It shines when:

• The wind is shifty and patchy

• Pressure bands are narrow

• The river bends sharply

• You’re racing boats with similar speed

Advantages

• You stay closer to the favoured bank

• You can respond instantly to shifts

• You avoid sailing deep into bad air

Risks

• Every tack costs speed

• Poor technique is brutally exposed

• Crew workload goes up fast

On rivers like the Thames, short tacks are often less about distance and more about damage limitation.

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The Real Answer: Follow the Lift, Not the Habit

The biggest mistake is deciding in advance that you’re a “short tack sailor” or a “long tack sailor”.

Good river racers:

• Watch the burgee and the water

• Notice which boats are climbing to windward

• Change plan mid-leg without hesitation

A useful rule of thumb:

If the wind keeps lifting you, stay on the tack.
If it keeps heading you, tack early.

That sounds obvious — but on a river it means being ruthless and flexible.

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A Practical River Racing Strategy

Try this on your next beat:

1. Start with a medium tack
   Long enough to assess pressure and shifts, short enough to escape if it goes bad.

2. Protect the favoured side
   Don’t let the fleet pin you on the wrong bank.

3. Short tack only with purpose
   Don’t tack because others are — tack because you expect a gain.

4. Value boat speed over cleverness
   A slow tack every 20 seconds loses more than a slightly longer distance sailed fast.

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So… Short or Long Tacks?

On a river:

• ❌ There is no single correct answer

• ✅ The best sailors change their answer constantly

If you’re learning, long tacks help you stay tidy and fast.
As confidence grows, short tacks become a tactical weapon — not a reflex.

And sometimes, the fastest move of all…
is not tacking when everyone else does.

 

Learning to Cross the Line at the Exact Moment the Klaxon Goes

There’s something magical about a perfect start.
Not early (that sinking feeling).
Not late (watching everyone disappear up the beat).
But crossing the line at full speed, bang on the klaxon, with the flag just dropping.

On a river like the Thames, that moment is less about brute speed and more about timing, judgement, and calm nerves.

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Why the Start Matters So Much on a River

On open water you might claw it back. On a river? Not so much.

• The first beat is often short

• Wind bends and shifts near the banks

• Clear air is gold dust

Get the start wrong and you’re immediately fighting dirty wind and bad water.

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Step 1: Know Where the Line Really Is

The start line isn’t imaginary – but it is deceptive.

• Transit the line before the start using two fixed objects (tree + clubhouse, buoy + pontoon, etc.)

• Check it from both directions – rivers distort perspective

• Memorise what “on the line” looks like from the helm position, not standing up

If you’re guessing where the line is, you’re already late.

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Step 2: Time Your Run (Every Single Start)

This is the biggest upgrade most club sailors can make.

• Sail from a fixed point to the line on a close-hauled course

• Time how long it takes at normal starting speed

• Do it twice. Boats lie. Average doesn’t.

Now you know whether you’re a 60-second, 45-second, or 30-second sailor.

That number becomes your anchor under pressure.

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Step 3: Speed Control Beats Position

Being early is worse than being slightly back.

• Use gentle S-turns to burn time

• Luff briefly rather than stopping dead

• Keep the boat moving – stationary boats can’t accelerate on a river

A slow, controlled approach with options beats charging the line and panicking.

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Step 4: Use the Flag, Not Just the Sound

The klaxon is helpful. The flag is truth.

• Sound can echo or lag

• Flags don’t lie

• Train yourself to glance up in the final seconds

The goal: the bow crosses as the flag moves, not after you hear it.

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Step 5: Accept That Perfection Is Rare

Even very good sailors don’t nail it every time.

• If you’re late but fast → keep your lane and sail your race

• If you’re early → learn why, don’t beat yourself up

• If it all goes wrong → congratulations, you’re learning

Every start teaches you something, even the ugly ones.

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The Real Secret

The best starters aren’t aggressive.
They’re prepared.

They know:

• where the line is

• how long their boat takes

• how to control speed under pressure

Do that, and one day you’ll hear the klaxon, see the flag, and realise you’re already going exactly where you want to be.

That moment?
Worth every bad start that came before it. 

 

Sailing Term: Cunningham

What it is, what it does, and why river sailors really should care

f you sail a dinghy for more than five minutes, someone will eventually say:
“Put a bit more Cunningham on.”

You nod wisely.
You pull a rope.
You hope for the best.

But what is the Cunningham, and why does it matter—especially on a shifty river like the Thames?

So… what is the Cunningham?

The Cunningham is a sail control that adjusts the tension along the luff of the mainsail.
It’s usually a rope or purchase system that pulls the sail downwards at the tack, separate from the halyard.

In plain English:
👉 it controls where the draft (the deepest part of the sail) sits.

What does pulling the Cunningham actually do?

• More Cunningham on

  • Pulls the draft forward

  • Flattens the sail

  • Opens the leech

  • Reduces power

  • Great when it’s windy or gusty

• Less Cunningham (or off completely)

  • Allows draft to move aft

  • Creates a fuller sail

  • Adds power

  • Ideal in light winds

On rivers, where the wind changes its mind every 30 seconds, this matters more than you might think.

Cunningham vs Halyard – why not just pull harder?

Good question—and one many beginners ask.

• The halyard gets the sail up

• The Cunningham fine-tunes how the sail works

Once the sail is hoisted properly, the Cunningham lets you adjust sail shape on the fly, without re-hoisting or disturbing other controls.

Why the Cunningham matters on rivers

River sailing is all about:

• Short beats

• Sudden gusts

• Tree-induced chaos

• Boats going from under-powered to over-powered in seconds

A quick tweak of the Cunningham:

• Depowers the sail without dumping the sheet

• Keeps the boat flatter

• Maintains flow over the sail

• Makes tacks smoother and less frantic

In other words: it’s a thinking sailor’s control.

Beginner tip

If you’re new to sail controls:

• Set it light to start with

• Watch the wrinkles near the luff

• Smooth wrinkles = too tight

• A few vertical creases = about right in light airs

And remember: if in doubt, ease it.

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Read the full explanation (with diagrams)

👉 https://pmrsailing.uk/sailing-lessons/sailing-terms-list/Cunningham.html

Knot of the Week: Round Turn and Two Half Hitches

 

Knot of the Week: Round Turn and Two Half Hitches

If there’s one knot that quietly does a lot of heavy lifting on boats, it’s this one. The round turn and two half hitches is strong, tidy, adjustable, and kind to ropes and cleats. It’s my go-to for tying a dinghy up to a pontoon, ring, or post on the Thames.

Simple to tie. Hard to get wrong. Exactly what you want when the wind’s up and spectators are watching.

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What is it good for?

• Tying a boat to a ring, post, or pontoon

• Mooring where you want security but easy release

• Situations where the rope might be under load

The magic is in the round turn — those first wraps take most of the strain, leaving the half hitches just to keep things neat and secure.

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How to tie it: simple stages

Stage 1: Make the round turn

Pass the rope around the post or ring twice (or even three times if things are lively).
These turns take the load and stop the rope slipping.

👉 Tip: If you stop here, you can already hold the boat safely while you finish the knot.

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Stage 2: First half hitch

Take the free end:

1. Pass it over and around the standing part

2. Feed it back through the loop

3. Pull it snug

That’s your first half hitch.

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Stage 3: Second half hitch

Repeat the same move:

• Another half hitch

• Sitting neatly next to the first

• Pull tight

  

Done. Strong, secure, and easy to undo later.

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Why sailors love this knot

• ✅ Very secure under load

• ✅ Easy to untie (even after a long sail)

• ✅ Doesn’t jam or damage the rope

• ✅ Works brilliantly with wet hands

On a river like the Thames, where stream and wind love to have opinions, this knot just gets on with the job.

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Common mistakes to avoid

• ❌ Too few turns at the start (the round turn matters!)

• ❌ Half hitches tied the wrong way so they don’t lock neatly

• ❌ Leaving everything loose instead of snug and tidy

 

Getting the Boat Into and Out of the Water

(or: why launching is where most drama happens)

Sailing books spend pages talking about points of sail, wind shifts, and race tactics.
They devote very little time to the moment when most mishaps actually happen:

Getting the boat into – and out of – the water.

On a river like the Thames, with narrow slipways, variable stream, slippery algae, and boats that always seem heavier than last week, launching and recovery deserve proper respect.

This is the unglamorous bit of sailing.
It’s also the bit that decides whether the day starts with a smile… or a soggy shoe and a bruised ego.

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Before You Launch: Preparation Saves Embarrassment

Most launching problems start before the boat even reaches the slipway.

Do these checks away from the water:

• Bung in (yes, really – check it again)

• Rudder and tiller ready but not dragging

• Painter attached and long enough

• Sails sorted so nothing can escape mid-launch

• Trolley wheels rolling freely (they won’t improve once wet)

If you’re using a trailer or winch system, this is also the moment to:

• Check straps are off

• Make sure the boat can actually slide

• Confirm nobody is standing behind it “just in case” (boats do not stop politely)

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Launching: Slow Is Smooth, Smooth Is Fast

Slipways are rarely flat, clean, or forgiving.

The golden rules:

• Keep control of the boat at all times

• Keep feet clear of wheels

• Never rush because someone is watching

If the slipway is steep or slippery:

• One person controls the boat

• One person controls the trolley

• Nobody improvises heroics

On rivers, the stream will often grab the bow before you’re ready.
That’s what the painter is for. Use it.

Once the boat is floating:

• Hold it head-to-stream or head-to-wind

• Remove the trolley calmly

• Only then climb aboard

Launching should feel boringly controlled.
If it doesn’t, something is wrong.

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Coming Ashore: Where Fatigue Bites

Recovering the boat is harder than launching:

• You’re tired

• The boat feels heavier

• The slipway hasn’t improved since this morning

Key recovery tips:

• Approach slowly, preferably into wind or stream

• Step out before the boat touches hard objects

• Get the trolley under the boat before lifting

• Lift together, not heroically

If the boat stops half-on, half-off:

• Pause

• Re-position

• Try again

Most damage happens in the final metre.

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Trailers, Winches, and Gravity

Heavier boats (and aging sailors) benefit hugely from:

• Winches

• Electric slipway lifts

• Letting physics do the work

Gravity is free.
Backs are not replaceable.

If you can winch the boat gently instead of hauling it, do so.
Your future self will thank you.

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The Real Lesson

Launching and recovery aren’t the boring bits between sailing.

They’re core skills.

Done well:

• The day starts smoothly

• The boat stays undamaged

• Everyone stays dry (mostly)

Done badly:

• The sailing is remembered only as “that bit between disasters”.

 Learning to Gain the Advantage in a Dinghy Sailing Race

When I first started racing a dinghy, I assumed the advantage went to whoever sailed fastest.
Experience (and a growing collection of bruised egos) has taught me otherwise.

In dinghy racing—especially on a river—the real advantage often comes from thinking, not hiking.

1. The Biggest Advantage: Starting Cleanly

You don’t win a race at the start, but you can absolutely lose it there.

On a river start line:

• The wind is rarely even

• The stream is always doing something unhelpful

• One end of the line is almost always better than the other

Advantage tip:
Get to the favoured end early, even if it means starting slightly slower. A clear lane beats perfect speed every time.

2. Sail the Wind You’ve Got, Not the Wind You Want

River sailing teaches humility quickly. Gusts arrive sideways, disappear behind trees, then reappear just as you commit to a tack.

Advantage tip:

• Watch the water, not just your sails

• Tack into pressure, not away from it

• If you’re lifting, keep going—don’t tack just because others do

The boat that tacks least often (while still going the right way) usually gains.

3. Height Is a Weapon (Used Carefully)

Pointing high feels slow. Until you look behind you.

Advantage tip:
Use height tactically:

• To escape dirty air

• To control boats to leeward

• To force others into bad water or awkward tacks

On a narrow river, height can be more valuable than raw speed.

4. Boats Are Obstacles… and Opportunities

Every nearby boat affects your wind—and theirs.

Advantage tip:

• Don’t sail in bad air unless you choose to

• If you’re faster, pass decisively

• If you’re slower, sit in clear air and wait for a mistake

Half of racing is simply not being where the problems are.

5. Mark Rounding: Free Places for the Prepared

Most overtakes don’t happen on the beat. They happen at marks.

Advantage tip:

• Plan your approach early

• Give yourself room to manoeuvre

• Think two legs ahead, not one

A tidy, controlled rounding often gains you places without any shouting at all.

6. Use the River

Unlike lakes or the sea, rivers fight back.

Advantage tip:

• Less stream near the banks (usually)

• Eddies can help or hurt

• Sometimes sailing further is actually quicker

The river rewards those who look up and think.

7. Race the Course, Not the Fleet

It’s tempting to fixate on that one boat you must beat.

Advantage tip:
Sail your own race.
Stick to your plan.
Let others make the mistakes.

The advantage often comes from being quietly consistent while others unravel.

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Final Thought

Racing isn’t about being aggressive—it’s about being deliberate.

The best advantage you can gain in a dinghy race is simple:

Be calm, be observant, and be ready to change your mind.

And yes… occasionally that means tacking when nobody else does.