Reaching in a single hander

Lots of people say reaching is just a procession but from my point of view thats total Bolxxks as I keep getting passed on the reaches we sail in the Phantom.
Part of it is weight which I am working on but not all.
So what do people look at trimming the sail?
What other things would people suggest to work on?

Telltails, boat and sail trim, keep looking for wind and keep out of the way of other boats wind shadows. That's the theory as I see it, however, I wouldn't claim to be any good at reaching (or running..... or, come to think of it beating  ) either. Now on a Raceboard I'd say "pump like f... crazy" but that doesn't help much in a Phant or a Blaze.....

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 25 Jan 17 at 2:43pm

I find I am using fast on the reaches and can make up places so definitely not a rest, an opportunity. Not as tactical as the run but often overlooked (and it is fun)

I'm with Jeffers, I generally make back ground on reaches, dependant on the boat.

Tactically on the sea I'm a go low on the first and high on the second in onshore wind, and high if the wind is offshore, so that tends to be sail a bit high on the lake unless there's a little Venturi to be had by the bank.

You need to use your ears on a reach listen for too much water noise and sit forward to stop it, and the wind of course, to ahem, adjust the sail trim with the varying windspeed to make sure the flow is attached correctly.. If it's light I try to hold the rig direct either with my hands or grabbing the entire bunch of rope so I can get a more live 'feel', old windsurf habits die hard, i can't won't don't read tel tales, if it's breezy I go deep as quick as I can.

I don't let the kicker off unless there is a very real fear of the boom digging in, it seems counter intuitive, ironically unless it's very light, then the sail seems to breath better, I'm probably doing it wrong I can't say I've totally gotten to grip with the damn kicker thing when it should be on and off it was so much better when I had sails that didn't need it because they worked automatically.

Edited by iGRF - 25 Jan 17 at 4:50pm

Originally posted by Sam.Spoons Telltails, boat and sail trim, keep looking for wind and keep out of the way of other boats wind shadows. That's the theory as I see it, however, I wouldn't claim to be any good at reaching (or running..... or, come to think of it beating  ) either. Now on a Raceboard I'd say "pump like f... crazy" but that doesn't help much in a Phant or a Blaze.....