{"id":158506,"date":"2025-06-12T06:43:59","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T05:43:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/?p=158506"},"modified":"2025-06-12T06:44:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T05:44:10","slug":"the-secret-to-double-handed-offshore-racing-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/expert-sailing-techniques\/the-secret-to-double-handed-offshore-racing-success-158506","title":{"rendered":"The secret to double-handed offshore racing success"},"content":"Double handed sailing<\/a> skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up become ever more popular. We now regularly see crews of two managing all sizes of boat, and sailing them with the same efficiency and expectations as full crews.\r\n\r\nThese techniques are designed for double handed crews sailing a yacht with an autopilot, and an asymmetric spinnaker. We\u2019re sailing a\u00a0J\/99<\/a>, which has a fixed bowsprit and hanked-on jib. Thanks to\u00a0Key Yachting<\/a>\u00a0for their support.\r\n\r\nBeating can be one of the less challenging points of sail for a double handed team. If the boat is well balanced with an appropriate sail plan, the autopilot will steer efficiently and one person can manage the cockpit while the other rests or, on longer voyages, manages cooking and maintenance. In poor weather only having one person on deck at a time ensures the crew can take time to get dry and warm between watches.\r\n\r\nThere are, however, times when it is useful to have both sailors on deck when sailing upwind. Previously we focussed on tacking double handed<\/a>, while this month we\u2019ll focus on reefing and active upwind trim.\r\n\r\nManaging power and reducing sail area when sailing upwind are important skills for double handed crews to master; for those racing without the benefit of extra weight on the rail, the boat will overpower more quickly and require different techniques to sail fast as the wind speed increases. Cruising sailors will want the confidence to know that, should a squall arrive or conditions change quickly, they have the capability to respond with ease and without drama.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_145980\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" The boat will overpower more quickly without crew on the rail. Photo: Photo: Richard Langdon\/Pip Hare Ocean Racing[\/caption]\r\n

Sail trim<\/h2>\r\nAs conditions get gusty, a double handed team will need to use all trimming tools available to keep the boat from overpowering, so if regularly sailing short-handed it is worth investing in a cockpit setup that allows the commonly used controls to be managed easily by one person from the helm. This will include traveller, backstay, mainsheet and vang, and you could also look at cross sheeting the jib sheets for longer tacks on smaller boats.\r\n\r\nPlaying the mainsail constantly in gusts can be exhausting for a two-person team, but also impractical over long distances as it doesn't allow a solo watchkeeper to navigate, make a cuppa or leave the cockpit for any reason.\r\n\r\nArticle continues below...<\/em>\r\n\r\n[collection]\r\n\r\nAs the wind speed increases, think about using more twist to give a softer leech. For the mainsail this means bringing the traveller up to centre or just above and easing the mainsheet to twist the top of the sail off. The backstay can be very effective at opening the leech of the mainsail and it's often worth trying more backstay before changing the sail shape with traveller and mainsheet. The jib will also benefit from twist by moving the jib cars back, and easing the sheet a tiny amount. As the mainsail is eased to reduce power it will be essential to twist off the jib to avoid turbulence in the back of the mainsail.\r\n\r\nThis soft trim will allow the boat to maintain speed through a greater range of wind angles, making it easier for an autopilot or a human to drive in wavy conditions without the constant need for sail trimming. You may need to increase your average wind angle by a couple of degrees, but particularly on an offshore passage this is often a fast mode of sailing in moderate to strong winds and a lot less tiring for double handed crews.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_145973\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Put the traveller down and ease the mainsheet to allow boom to rise, then ease the halyard down to first reefing point. Photo: Richard Langdon\/Pip Hare Ocean Racing[\/caption]\r\n

Reefing<\/h2>\r\nThe most efficient way to reef as a double handed team is with both sailors hands-on, and the autopilot steering. This way you'll be able to pull reefs in and out at the same speed as a fully crewed team.\r\n

Upwind reefing<\/h2>\r\nWhen upwind reefing I find it best to change the autopilot mode to compass before starting sail handling \u2013 it would normally be steering to apparent wind. Sailing in compass mode should maintain a steady course while reefing and avoid any course corrections that would lead to loss of steerage while the mainsail is depowered.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_145974\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Crew in cockpit can pull on reefing line with one hand while keeping loose tension on the halyard with the other. Photo: Richard Langdon\/Pip Hare Ocean Racing[\/caption]\r\n\r\nOnce the pilot is set up, release the mainsheet or dump the traveller to depower the mainsail and ensure the boat is able to keep a steady speed and course under jib alone; in larger sea states you may need to bear away a couple of degrees from your optimum close-hauled course. Once the pilot is holding steady, the helm can move forward in the cockpit to manage running rigging while the trimmer heads to the windward side of the mast to manage the sail.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_145975\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" With the autopilot driving, the second crew at the mast guides down the luff and attaches the reefing cringle. Photo: Richard Langdon\/Pip Hare Ocean Racing[\/caption]\r\n\r\nIf using lazy jacks or a lazy bag to contain the reefed sail area, ensure these are pulled on to the correct tension before reefing. Drop the traveller, release the vang, and then ease the mainsheet just enough to unload the leech. Try not to dump the mainsheet further than required \u2013 if the boom is flogging wildly it will, in turn, give movement to the reefing lines which can loop around the end of the boom.\r\n\r\nDrop the main halyard down to the first reefing point, but no further \u2013 marks on the halyard will help a lot. The crew at the mast should not need to pull the sail down if it runs on sliders or batten cars, as gravity should bring it down. If it's not descending alone this could be a sign that you have too much power in the mainsail and need to release vang or mainsheet. Bolt rope sails do not slide down so easily and may need a little help from the mast crew.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_145976\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Once the halyard is clipped on, grind it up to re-tension the luff, then tension the foot by taking in the reefing line. Photo: Richard Langdon\/Pip Hare Ocean Racing[\/caption]\r\n\r\nOnce the sail is down, attach the reefing cringle to the gooseneck. While this is happening overhaul the reefing lines as much as possible to reduce the risk of them tangling around the boom. I do this by grabbing all three reefing lines in one hand and pulling through the slack together.\r\n\r\nOnce the forward end of the reef is attached, re-tension the halyard. Then tension the reefing line, double-check the vang and mainsheet are sufficiently eased to allow the boom up to meet the new foot of the sail, then trim the reefing line like an outhaul. Keep the autopilot in compass mode until the reef has been tidied away to ensure a steady course while someone is working on the boom. Once all is squared away, switch the pilot back to apparent wind mode and trim in. You may need to power the boat up slightly post reef, moving the jib car forward, using more mainsheet and easing the backstay.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_145978\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Once reef is set, sheet the mainsheet back on, then tidy the reef away and secure the mainsail with elastics. Photo: Richard Langdon\/Pip Hare Ocean Racing[\/caption]\r\n

Reefing offwind<\/h2>\r\nReefing off the wind can be a challenge but there are some tricks that will help a short-handed team master this skill \u2013 without needing drastic course changes and even while flying a spinnaker if desired. The main challenge when reefing off the wind is how to depower the mainsail sufficiently to allow it to drop.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_145979\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" As breeze builds you may need to increase jib twist earlier than when fully crewed. Photo: Richard Langdon\/Pip Hare Ocean Racing[\/caption]\r\n

Reaching and white sails<\/h2>\r\nWhen white sail reaching, switch your pilot to compass mode prior to easing the mainsheet. This may allow you to take advantage of any decreases to the wind angle during gusts, or while the boat is surfing. Prior to releasing the mainsheet and dropping the main, sheet the jib in to a close-hauled position. If you're able, pull the jib car forward, and if using in-haulers pull them in. This may take a little time, however the action of drastically over-sheeting the jib should create enough disturbance behind the mainsail to lift it off the spreaders and allow gravity to do its work so the mainsail will drop as the halyard is eased.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_145982\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" An autopilot remote control is helpful for manoeuvres. Photo: Richard Langdon\/Pip Hare Ocean Racing[\/caption]\r\n

Downwind<\/h2>\r\nWhen reefing under spinnaker or cruising chute keep the autopilot steering in True Wind Mode and do not be tempted to head up in an attempt to depower the mainsail as this will power the spinnaker up. The mainsail will come down, but it takes a bit of time and you'll need to use a slightly different method and be patient.\r\n\r\nPrior to reefing, ensure the vang and mainsheet are completely eased and the traveller is fully descended. Drop the main halyard to the reefing mark. If the sail does not descend pull the halyard forward through the jammer by hand and then close the jammer at the reefing mark. This will allow the sail to drop down independently as the boat accelerates or rolls over waves and unloads the main. The crew at the mast can also try pulling the luff down, working in time with waves and boat speed \u2013 as the boat surfs the apparent wind will go forward and the mainsail will unload.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, load the reefing line on to a winch and gently start grinding the back end of the sail down. When reefing downwind, as the mainsail drops the leech of the sail will be blown forward, pushing the sail against the spreaders and making it more difficult for the sail to descend any further. Pulling in the reefing line as the sail descends will keep the leech to windward and allow the front of the sail to drop more easily. Watch the sail carefully when grinding on the reefing line. If the boom starts rising up or the sail shows unusual load lines, stop and wait for the luff to descend again. Drop the sail in stages, pulling on the reefing line and the luff in turn.\r\n\r\n
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","excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three years ago a Sun Fast 3300 called Red Ruby, whose American owners come from the Pacific North West, popped up in UK double-handed races. It immediately notched up a string of impressive results in a very competitive fleet. Red Ruby went from 2nd in the 2022 and 2023 UK Double-Handed Offshore Series; to 1st in class \u2013 and very nearly 1st overall \u2013 in the 2023 Rolex Middle Sea Race; also winning the 2023 ORC Double-Handed World Championships in Barcelona, and the 2024 IRC Double-Handed European Championship. For her achievements, including being first female skipper in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race, Christina (Chris) was awarded the 2023 US Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. \u201cI don\u2019t sail for a living, but when I do sail, it\u2019s the most alive that I feel,\u201d she told a room full of sailing luminaries on accepting the award. So how did two non-pro sailors achieve such good results in an unfamiliar fleet \u2013 and a sailing area on the opposite side of the Atlantic? First of all, \u201cbased on our experience, I really recommend buying a good used boat versus a new boat,\u201d says Justin. Red Ruby was formerly Gentoo and had been previously campaigned by James Harayda and Dee Caffari. \u201cSo much of the detail had already been figured out and it would have taken us much longer to get a new boat set up from a distance,\u201d he adds. \u201cMaybe that was the lucky, serendipitous piece,\u201d Chris adds. \u201cJames Harayda is amazing, and we got really lucky that we picked that boat, because he had it really well set up and he shared everything with us.\u201d \u201cWhen we showed up to sail it for the first time, he went out with us for two days just in the Solent; that was a really big deal for us,\u201d says Justin. \u201cJames had figured out so many little details. We know for sure that had we picked any other Sun Fast 3300, any other brand, or any other model, it would have taken us years to figure out.\u201d Of course not everyone can plan to buy a boat that\u2019s been raced by top IMOCA 60 skippers, but in any class there will be boats that have been very well set up by sailors achieving consistent results. Acquiring one of those, with things like polars and sail crossover charts already well developed, is often a much faster way to the head of the fleet than buying a new boat that has to be set up from scratch. Article continues below… Another key aspect is that the Wolfes shared Red Ruby with American pro sailor and former Olympian Jonathan McKee, who co-skippered with Alyosha Strum-Palerm (and sometimes others, including America\u2019s Cup and meteorologist legend Pete Isler), giving a roster of four core sailors to race two-up. \u201cJonathan has done a Mini Transat campaign and is just a phenomenal sailor,\u201d says Chris. \u201cThis partnership approach has meant that we have four brains working on everything instead of …Continue reading »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3971,"featured_media":158513,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[975],"tags":[846,1403,1633],"review_manufacturer":[],"acf":[],"introduction":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158506"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3971"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=158506"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158506\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":158519,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158506\/revisions\/158519"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=158506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=158506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=158506"},{"taxonomy":"review_manufacturer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_manufacturer?post=158506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}