To make the maneuver well of the buoy passage will suppose a great advantage and is much to lose if we were mistaken in her. First that we must decide it is the side by which we will arrive at the windward buoy.

We will be able to both approach us the buoy by laylines or directly from the center of the field of regatas. The election will depend on the wind and the position of the fleet. When the wind comes from the left side is advisable to approach by the left side since we will have a course to the most favorable wind and with more maneuverability. If the wind comes from the right of the buoy, the smaller doubt since does not fit besides the improvement of angle with the wind that will come a little better the traverse we have the advantage of the priority. The question is in knowing of which direction blows the wind in the buoy. If some boat ahead our already has arrived, we must be kind to its maneuver to see the right wind direction at the moment at which this it turns.

when arriving at the buoy the wind has turned a little to each side of the buoy we must take advantage of this backing and take the buoy by the side to which the wind turns.

But all what has been said until now will be valid if the wind blows with equal intensity to both sides of the buoy, since if there is but wind force in one of the sides the decision can change totally. In order to know the wind force each side, we will pay attention to the surface of the water to detect some irregularity or change of texture that indicates possible gusts of wind to us. Except for if we have a weather, we always choose the side by which the wind of more intensity blows.

But the fleet also can make us make the final decision. If for example many boats are passing the buoy through the right, we do not have to cross and to arrive by the left, because we will be ourselves immersed in a zone of dirty wind created by the desvente of all the other boats.

The zone of dirty wind can reach more than 10 times the length of the boats that create the turbulence. Not only we would be forced to sail in the desventada zone. In addition we would cross all the boats that already have passed the buoy. And to make matters worse we would not have the priority in any of the crossings. In order to avoid it we must sail slightly by the correct side and to the outside of layline.

If we arrived hauled in at port as in the previous scheme we must yield the priority and for that reason we must lower and happen through the stern from which they come by the right of the buoy. All this causes that in many occasions the bequeathed one to the buoy is especially executed normally and in 1ª buoy of windwards hauled in to starboard. But in any case the maneuver must be chosen and be explained to the crew with minutes of anticipation to give time to organize itself.

The different maneuvers to confront the windward buoy

4 forms to make the maneuver once arrived at the buoy, each with advantages and disadvantages exist. They will depend on the form that we attacked the buoy it hauls in and it with which we left her. In any case the important thing is that the boat does not lose speed and for that reason with loose winds, the best maneuver will be simplest.  It does not leave secondly for last the election of his tactics since it will be able to confuse all the crew and to obtain a perfect fiasco of the maneuver.

It beaches - Away: Simplest. Spi sent on the same hauls in by which we arrived. Once passed the buoy we will fall drastically to the wind and we hoisted spi.

Tack-Seth: We will arrive by the port side which forces first a to us to turn and to pass the buoy soon to hoist spi nothing else to finish the turned one that agrees right in the buoy.

Gybe-Seth: After passing the buoy we fall to the wind and we do trasluchada to change of I embroider. While the boat traslucha hoists spi. Advised against with loose wind.

To the Italian: All a complete since we arrived at the buoy to do turn in front of her and later we do trasluchada with hoisted of spi. Very inadvisable with little wind. At heart one is to do a Tack-Seth followed of a Gybe-Seth.

Who yields the priority?

If two boats arrive by you haul in opposites, the hauled in one to starboard (the one of the right of the buoy) is the one that will always have the priority.

When both boats arrive by right starboard and at the same different one from the buoy, the one will be the boat of the interior that has all the priority forcing to the one of the outside to yield the step and the maneuver. In order to measure who arrives first it must draw up to a radio circle two lengths around the buoy. First that arrives at this imaginary circle he will be the one that has the priority.  

If the outer boat only arrives a pair from meters before at the circle of the buoy, the boat of the interior will have to restrain its boat and to pass it through the stern looking for the maneuver by the outside. In this case the one that approaches by outside laylaine has those to win since it can lower, closing on the contrary and in addition gaining something of speed when stopping fitting to the maximum.