The Gust Is Coming — What Should You Do Before It Arrives?
Good sailors react to gusts. Better sailors are ready before the gust arrives.
One of the biggest changes that takes place as you become a more experienced sailor is surprisingly simple.
You begin doing things before they are necessary.
A beginner feels the boat heel and then moves their weight.
They feel the helm load up and then ease the mainsheet.
They discover that the boat is pointing in the wrong direction and then correct the course.
An experienced sailor may have done all three before the gust actually reaches the boat.
Why?
Because they saw it coming.
In the previous article, I discussed learning to read the surface of the water. Darker patches, ripples and gust lines can give surprisingly good warning that extra wind is on its way.
But spotting the gust is only half the skill.
The next question is:
What should you actually do in those few seconds before it arrives?
That small interval — perhaps five seconds, perhaps twenty — can make the difference between a smooth burst of extra speed and a frantic scramble to keep the boat upright.
And in a fast boat such as an A-Rater like Champagne, those seconds become particularly valuable.
A Gust Is Extra Energy Arriving at the Boat
It helps to think about what is happening physically.
A gust means that the apparent wind experienced by the sails is about to change.
Usually there will be an increase in wind speed. There may also be a change in wind direction.
That means the aerodynamic force produced by the sails changes.
Often quite dramatically.
The boat may:
- accelerate;
- heel;
- develop more weather helm;
- require a different sail trim;
- need the crew weight moved;
- and possibly experience a header or a lift at the same time.
None of those things is necessarily a problem.
In fact, extra wind can be extremely useful.
Handled well, a gust is an opportunity to accelerate.
Handled badly, the same gust can turn into excessive heel, a flapping sail, a large steering correction and a boat that ends up travelling more slowly than it was before the gust arrived.
The aim is not simply to survive the gust.
The aim is to use it.
The First Skill Is Seeing It Early Enough
Imagine sailing up the Thames in relatively gentle conditions.
Ahead and slightly to windward, the water suddenly looks different.
The water where you are sailing may still be relatively smooth, but perhaps twenty or thirty metres away you can see a darker patch.
You may see small ripples spreading across the surface.
Another boat ahead heels.
A burgee changes angle.
Leaves begin moving more strongly in the trees.
Those are all clues.
If you wait until Champagne heels suddenly beneath you, much of your opportunity has already gone.
Instead, you should already be thinking:
There is more pressure coming. What will I need to change?
This is where sailing begins to become much more about anticipation than reaction.
Don't Make a Huge Adjustment Too Early
There is an important qualification.
Seeing a gust approaching does not mean immediately dumping the mainsheet, sitting as far out as possible and turning the boat.
You are preparing for something that has not arrived yet.
Make too large an adjustment too early and you may actually slow the boat before the extra wind reaches you.
The skill is to become ready without disrupting what the boat is already doing.
That might mean:
- moving your body slightly;
- preparing to move further;
- taking up a better position;
- getting a hand ready on a control;
- alerting the crew;
- looking at where the gust is travelling;
- checking whether its leading edge suggests a wind shift.
Think of it as getting into a gust-ready position.
You haven't reacted yet.
You have simply removed the delay that would otherwise occur when the gust arrives.
Move the Weight Before the Boat Heels
For many sailors, this is the single easiest improvement to make.
Suppose you are sailing comfortably and can see a stronger gust approaching.
A beginner often waits.
The gust arrives.
The boat heels.
Then the crew moves out.
But by then the boat has already changed shape relative to the water, the rudder may be working harder and the sails may no longer be operating at their most effective angle.
Instead, start preparing your body position before the pressure arrives.
If appropriate, move slightly further out.
Get your feet secure.
Make sure you are able to hike or move your weight quickly.
If several people are aboard, they should be doing this together rather than one crew member suddenly discovering that everyone else has moved.
On Champagne that becomes especially obvious.
With several people aboard, crew weight is not a single control.
It is a team control.
Three people moving in harmony can make the boat feel remarkably settled.
Three people responding at different times can create almost as much disturbance as the gust itself.
Communication Should Happen Before the Gust Arrives
This is where a multi-crewed boat changes the problem.
The helm may have seen something that the crew have not.
The crew may be looking upwind and have spotted something the helm cannot easily see.
Someone therefore needs to say something.
It doesn't require a speech.
A simple:
"Gust coming."
may be enough.
Or:
"Pressure in five."
Or perhaps:
"Gust and header."
The exact terminology matters far less than having a language aboard the boat that everyone understands.
That short warning changes everything.
The person controlling the jib is ready.
The person controlling the mainsail is ready.
The helm is ready.
Weight movement can happen together.
And instead of three people discovering the gust independently, the boat behaves as one system.
This is something I particularly notice aboard Champagne.
There are more loads, more controls and more people involved than when sailing a simple training dinghy. That could make things more complicated.
But good communication actually has the opposite effect.
It makes the whole boat calmer.
Watch the Gust, Not Just the Boat
Once you have spotted the darker water, keep watching it.
A gust does not necessarily travel directly towards you.
Look at its leading edge.
Look at how other boats are affected.
Look at flags, burgees, leaves and the surface pattern.
You may begin to see not just how strong the gust is, but also where it is coming from.
That matters because a gust may arrive with a change in direction.
As discussed in the earlier article on headers and lifts, the same change in wind direction can lift one tack and head the other.
So the question becomes more interesting than:
"Is the wind getting stronger?"
It becomes:
"Is the wind getting stronger, and is it also changing direction?"
That information can affect what the helm does next.
Upwind: Use the Gust Rather Than Fighting It
Sailing close-hauled is perhaps where gust anticipation becomes most obvious.
Suppose you are already sailing near the limit of what is comfortable.
The gust arrives.
More wind means more force from the sails.
If nothing changes, the boat heels.
As it heels, the underwater shape changes, the rudder loads up and the boat may want to turn into the wind.
The instinctive reaction can then become quite dramatic:
Ease the sheet.
Move out.
Turn the boat.
Pull the sheet back in.
Correct the steering.
Several large corrections happen one after another.
There is a better way.
Before the gust reaches you:
- prepare to move your weight out;
- make sure you can ease the mainsheet instantly if needed;
- look at whether the gust contains a shift;
- and be ready to allow the boat to come slightly closer to the wind if necessary.
When the extra pressure arrives, a small movement of weight combined with a small sheet adjustment may be enough.
The boat accelerates rather than lurches.
That distinction is important.
The objective is not to remove the extra power. It is to convert as much of it as possible into speed.
Sometimes the Best Response Is to Sail Slightly Higher
If you are sailing close-hauled and a stronger gust hits, you may sometimes be able to feather the boat slightly towards the wind.
This reduces some of the force trying to heel the boat while allowing you to keep much of the extra forward drive.
But, again, timing matters.
Turn too early and you simply pinch.
Turn too far and the sails start to lose drive.
Do nothing and the boat may heel excessively.
The best correction can be tiny.
That is another characteristic of better sailing.
The movements often become smaller, not larger.
Experience does not necessarily mean doing more.
Often it means recognising the situation early enough that you only need to do a little.
But Was It a Lift or a Header?
Now add another complication.
The gust changes direction as it arrives.
You may suddenly discover that you can point higher while maintaining sail trim.
You have been lifted.
Alternatively, the sails may begin to complain even though you have not changed course.
You may have been headed.
This is why watching a gust approaching is so valuable.
If you can see how it affects a boat ahead, you may get advance warning.
Imagine another boat fifty metres to windward.
The gust reaches them first.
They suddenly point higher without slowing.
That tells you something.
A few seconds later, the same change may reach you.
Conversely, if they suddenly have to bear away or tack, that tells you something else.
Other boats are not merely competitors.
They are floating weather stations.
Reaching: Be Ready for Acceleration
A gust on a reach often produces one of the most enjoyable sensations in dinghy sailing.
The boat suddenly accelerates.
But again, the best acceleration happens when the boat remains balanced.
As the gust approaches:
prepare your weight position, keep the boat under control and be ready for the increase in load on the sheets.
Depending on the boat and the precise point of sail, the sail trim may need adjusting as the apparent wind changes.
The important thing is not to allow the first second of extra power to turn into unnecessary heel.
A flat or appropriately balanced boat generally converts more of that energy into useful forward motion.
This is when sailing begins to feel almost predictive.
You see the patch.
You prepare.
It arrives.
The boat surges forward.
And nothing dramatic happens.
That apparently uneventful moment is often evidence of very good sailing.
Downwind: Gusts Still Need Anticipation
Beginners sometimes associate gust management primarily with sailing upwind.
But gusts matter downwind as well.
Indeed, downwind sailing can introduce different risks because the boom may be further out and the boat can become less laterally stable.
A change in wind direction may also increase the danger of an unexpected gybe.
So before the gust arrives, consider:
Where is the boom?
What course am I sailing relative to the new pressure?
Is the wind shifting?
Is the crew prepared?
Is the boat likely to accelerate?
Do I have enough room around me?
This links directly back to the principle that good sailing involves looking beyond the boat itself.
The water, wind, shore, other boats and your own crew are all part of the picture.
The Narrow River Makes Gust Reading Particularly Interesting
Inland sailing adds another layer.
On open water, wind can sometimes be comparatively consistent across a large area.
On a river such as the Thames, trees, buildings, banks and bends all affect the airflow.
Wind may spill over trees.
It may accelerate through a gap.
It may become turbulent behind an obstruction.
One part of the river can be almost calm while another contains noticeably stronger pressure.
That means the darker patch approaching Champagne may not simply be a stronger version of the wind we already have.
It can represent a slightly different airflow altogether.
This is one reason I find sailing on the river so interesting.
The boat may travel only a relatively short geographical distance, yet the wind can change continually.
Learning to see those changes before they reach the boat becomes a major part of the challenge.
Don't Forget What the Trees Are Telling You
The water is an excellent indicator, but it isn't the only one.
When sailing inland I frequently find myself looking beyond the river itself.
Look at:
trees moving on one bank but not the other;
flags suddenly standing out;
reeds beginning to move;
other boats heeling;
smoke or vapour changing direction;
ripples appearing beneath an otherwise sheltered bank.
You are gradually building a mental picture of what the air is doing.
The better that picture becomes, the less often the wind takes you by surprise.
Crew Roles Make Anticipation Even More Powerful
Aboard a multi-crewed boat, nobody needs to observe everything.
That is one of the strengths of having several people aboard.
The helm may be concentrating on steering, traffic and the immediate wind.
Another crew member may have a much better view of the water to windward.
Someone else may notice what is happening to another boat.
That information should flow around the boat.
For example:
"Dark patch coming from starboard."
"Looks stronger near the trees."
"Boat ahead has just headed."
Suddenly the helm has information that would have been difficult to gather alone.
On Champagne, this becomes part of the pleasure of sailing the boat well.
The boat works best when the crew are not merely carrying out separate tasks.
They are sharing observations and anticipating what will happen next.
Avoid the Domino Effect
Poor gust handling often produces a chain reaction.
The gust arrives.
The boat heels.
The helm turns.
The mainsheet is eased dramatically.
The crew scramble across the boat.
The sails lose drive.
The boat slows.
The gust passes.
Now the boat is underpowered.
Everyone moves back.
The sheets are pulled in.
The helm turns again.
One small weather event has created perhaps ten separate corrections.
By anticipating the gust, you may replace all of that with:
one warning;
one coordinated movement;
one small sheet adjustment;
one small steering adjustment.
That is a much more efficient boat.
A Useful Practice Exercise
You can practise this even when you aren't racing.
Choose a day with moderate, variable wind rather than extreme conditions.
Sail normally but make the exercise primarily about observation.
Every time you see a gust approaching, say:
"Gust coming."
Then predict what you think will happen.
Stronger only?
Lift?
Header?
Short puff?
Longer patch of pressure?
Prepare the boat and see whether your prediction was correct.
Don't worry if you get it wrong.
That is the point of the exercise.
You are training yourself to connect what the water looks like with what the boat feels like a few seconds later.
Eventually those two observations become linked.
You see a particular texture on the water and already have a reasonable idea what it will do to the boat.
That is a very different skill from simply learning where to position the tiller.
The Five-Second Gust Routine
As your sailing develops, the thought process can become almost automatic.
You see pressure approaching.
Ask yourself:
Where is it coming from?
Then:
Will it be stronger?
Is there a wind shift with it?
Where should my weight be?
Do the sheets need to be ready?
Does somebody aboard need warning?
Where do I want the boat to be when it arrives?
Eventually this entire process may happen in only a few seconds.
And eventually you may stop consciously asking the questions at all.
You simply see the gust and prepare.
The Difference Between Reacting and Anticipating
One of the pleasures of improving at sailing is that situations which once seemed sudden begin to feel slower.
The gust hasn't slowed down.
Your brain has started working earlier.
A beginner's sequence might be:
Gust -> heel -> react
An improving sailor begins to operate like this:
See gust -> predict -> prepare -> gust arrives -> adjust
That extra stage of prediction changes everything.
It improves balance.
It improves speed.
It makes the boat more comfortable.
It reduces unnecessary steering.
It improves communication.
And perhaps most importantly, it gives you more mental capacity to think about what happens next.
Champagne Makes the Lesson Very Obvious
Sailing Champagne makes this particularly noticeable.
An A-Rater responds quickly.
Changes in pressure are obvious.
There are several people aboard, more sail power and significant loads involved.
If everyone waits for something to happen before reacting, the correction can become quite dramatic.
But when the approaching pressure has already been seen and communicated, something very different happens.
Weight moves.
Hands are ready.
The helm anticipates.
The gust arrives.
Champagne accelerates.
And what might have looked like a difficult moment simply becomes more speed.
That is one of the fascinating things about sailing.
The best-handled gusts can look almost completely uneventful from outside the boat.
Good Sailing Starts Several Seconds in the Future
Learning to steer and trim sails is only the beginning of learning to sail.
The next stage is learning to observe.
After that comes something even more important:
anticipation.
Don't wait for the boat to tell you everything.
Look fifty metres ahead.
Look at the water.
Look at the trees.
Look at the boats ahead.
Talk to the rest of the crew.
When you see the darker patch moving towards you, don't panic and don't immediately make huge adjustments.
Prepare.
Move into the right position.
Have the sheet ready.
Think about the direction of the wind.
Warn the crew.
Decide what the boat is likely to need.
Then let the gust come to you.
Good sailors react to gusts. Better sailors are ready before the gust arrives.
And the very best result may be the one in which somebody watching from the bank never even notices how much work the crew did — because all they see is the boat suddenly accelerate.
Next in the series: we can take this one stage further and look at what happens after the gust arrives: Should You Ease the Sail, Hike Harder or Steer?
Return to pmrsailing.uk https://pmrsailing.uk/sailing-lessons/How-to-sail-better.html
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