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.
What We Mean by Short and Long Tacks
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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.
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:
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Less sheltered
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Better aligned with the wind
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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:
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One side may have less adverse stream
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Eddies near the bank can help or hurt
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A “long” tack might quietly drag you backwards
The Case for Long Tacks
Long tacks can be fast when conditions allow.
They work best when:
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The wind direction is reasonably steady
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One side of the river is clearly favoured
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You can hold clean air
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You’re confident your boat speed is good
Advantages
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Fewer tacks = fewer chances to lose speed
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Easier for newer crews
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Less disruption to trim and balance
Risks
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You may sail straight into a header
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You can miss pressure near the opposite bank
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If you guess wrong, you’re committed for longer
The Case for Short Tacks
Short tacking is classic river racing — and exhausting.
It shines when:
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The wind is shifty and patchy
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Pressure bands are narrow
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The river bends sharply
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You’re racing boats with similar speed
Advantages
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You stay closer to the favoured bank
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You can respond instantly to shifts
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You avoid sailing deep into bad air
Risks
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Every tack costs speed
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Poor technique is brutally exposed
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Crew workload goes up fast
On rivers like the Thames, short tacks are often less about distance and more about damage limitation.
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:
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Watch the burgee and the water
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Notice which boats are climbing to windward
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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.
A Practical River Racing Strategy
Try this on your next beat:
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Start with a medium tack
Long enough to assess pressure and shifts, short enough to escape if it goes bad. -
Protect the favoured side
Don’t let the fleet pin you on the wrong bank. -
Short tack only with purpose
Don’t tack because others are — tack because you expect a gain. -
Value boat speed over cleverness
A slow tack every 20 seconds loses more than a slightly longer distance sailed fast.
So… Short or Long Tacks?
On a river:
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❌ There is no single correct answer
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✅ 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.
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