Wind and Strategy

by Stuart Walker

A complete discussion of the effects of wind and its changes on racing strategy--by one of the world's most successful sailboat racers. A world authority and champion sailor has written the definitive book on one of the most important, and least understood, factors in the wind, its changes, and its effects on racing strategy. Races are lost by a failure to understand and predict changes in wind. This book is the first and only one of its kind to deal with the character of the wind as it applies specifically to the racer. It shows how surface wind is affected by season, time of day, temperature disparities, clouds and geography. It supplies the meteorology needed to understand surface winds, and it shows how to predict the many kinds of wind shifts. Above all it shows how to take advantage of this special knowledge. The book includes a wide range of illustrations in a section called "Winds of the World," showing how the wind behaves in many of the world's major racing areas. There are numerous examples of application of wind prediction to the planning of a race. The author includes a cross index which makes readily available all the factors needed to make wind the effects of season, time of day, origin of the wind, the weather system extant, cloud cover, wind velocity, origins of shifts, etc. This book is essential equipment for every racing sailor, whether competing in small boats or in the cruising classes.

420 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[James Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just don't think there is a better or more complete book for the racing sailor who wants a complete analysis of the details of wind flow, wind shift and the strategic implications of them. He Walker, explains the technical aspects of meteorology in a way that is easy to understand and also the application to sailboat racing. This is only one of many topics of interest to racers, so Walker has explained many other variables in his other books. Yet fundamental to all of sailboat racing is the movement of air. He provides a nice Glossary so you can look up Adiabatic lapse rate or Orographic lifting if you don't already know what they mean. Well written by Walker and well illustrated by Jack Karabasz (on about every other page!) . I have been reading it and looking things up in it for over 40 years and I still enjoy reading it. Weather systems. Classification of Wind Shifts. Origins of Wind Flow. Specifics on dozens of geographical (specific and general) weather systems in the world. He says, "Many [races] are won by an appropriate prediction of a change in wind strength or direction ..."
I couldn't agree more.