Why Is Tacking So Important When River Racing?

On open water, sailing upwind is about angles, boat speed, and holding a steady course. On a river, it’s an entirely different game. When racing on a confined stretch like the River Thames, tacking isn’t just a manoeuvre – it’s the race strategy itself.

Here’s why tacking matters so much when river racing.

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1. Rivers Don’t Run Straight

Unlike a lake or the sea, rivers bend, narrow, widen, and twist. If you try to hold one long tack, you’ll often sail yourself straight into:

• A bank

• Shallow water

• Slower flow

• Dead air behind trees or buildings

Frequent, well-timed tacks let you follow the shape of the river, staying in navigable water and keeping the boat moving efficiently upwind.

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2. Wind Is Fragmented and Unpredictable

On rivers, the wind:

• Bends around trees and buildings

• Accelerates through gaps

• Shuts off entirely behind high banks

Tacking allows you to hunt for pressure. A short tack into a gust on one side of the river can gain more ground than staying stubbornly on a dying breeze mid-stream.

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3. Stream and Current Matter (A Lot)

In river racing, you’re sailing in moving water. Often:

• The strongest stream is mid-river

• Slower water is near the banks

Smart tacking lets you:

• Use slower water when heading upstream

• Cross faster flow quickly rather than fighting it

• Avoid being swept sideways while slow

Sometimes the best tack is the one that feels wrong until you look at your track over the ground.

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4. Laylines Are Short and Constantly Changing

On open water, laylines are long and predictable. On a river:

• The next mark might be only a few boat lengths away

• Wind shifts every bend

• Banks redefine the “edge” of the course

This means micro-laylines. Tacking becomes a series of small, deliberate decisions rather than one big commitment.

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5. River Racing Rewards Decision-Making Over Muscle

Because river courses are short and tactical:

• One bad tack can lose multiple places

• One smart tack can leapfrog half the fleet

Boat handling still matters, but knowing when to tack often beats raw boat speed. Crews who communicate well and tack cleanly gain disproportionately large advantages.

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6. You’re Racing the River as Much as the Fleet

In river racing you’re not just racing other boats:

• You’re racing geography

• You’re racing wind shadows

• You’re racing the current itself

Tacking is how you negotiate with the river rather than fighting it.

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In Short

Tacking is vital in river racing because it allows you to:

• Follow the river’s shape

• Find and keep pressure

• Minimise the effect of current

• React instantly to changing conditions

• Turn local knowledge into race wins

On a river, the boat that tacks best rarely sails the longest distance – but almost always sails the fastest route.