Running is the point of sail where the boat travels with the wind coming from directly behind or nearly so – roughly from 160 degrees off the bow round to dead astern. It is the most relaxed-looking point of sail and, to a beginner, the easiest: the boat is upright, the sails are eased right out, and the apparent wind feels light because the boat is moving away from it. Experienced sailors treat it with more respect than any other, because a dead run is where the accidental gybe lives, where the boat rolls, and where the helm has the least feel. The word also appears in running rigging, which is an unrelated use meaning the lines that move rather than the fixed stays.
Running as a Point of Sail
On a run the true wind and the boat’s motion are in nearly the same direction, so the apparent wind is the true wind minus boat speed – a boat running at seven knots in fifteen knots of breeze feels only eight over the deck. That low apparent wind is why running feels calm and why it can hide how much wind is really blowing. The sails no longer work as foils generating lift; they work largely as drag devices, catching the wind like a parachute, which is why sail area matters more than shape and why spinnakers exist.
Sailing by the lee means the wind has crossed the centreline and is now coming from the same side the boom is on. The main still fills, but the leech is now the leading edge and the sail is one gust or wave away from gybing itself. A close eye on the masthead fly or the burgee is the first line of defence.
Sail Choice and Trim on a Run
The mainsail is eased until the boom is near the shrouds and the vang is pulled on to hold the boom down; without it the boom skies, the top of the sail twists forward of the mast and the boat rolls. A symmetric spinnaker with the pole squared aft is the classic running sail: square the pole so it is roughly perpendicular to the apparent wind, ease the sheet until the luff just curls, and keep the two clews level. Asymmetric spinnakers do not like dead runs because the sail hides behind the main; boats with asymmetrics sail hotter angles and gybe downwind instead.
Without a spinnaker, a genoa can be poled out to windward so it fills opposite the main – the “wing-and-wing” or “goose-winged” run beloved of cruisers. Trim the poled-out genoa so it just fills without collapsing, and set a preventer from the boom to a strong point forward to stop an accidental gybe.
Hazards and How to Manage Them
- Accidental gybe: rig a preventer or boom brake, watch the wind indicator, and steer a few degrees above dead downwind rather than exactly on it.
- Death roll: rhythmic rolling builds when the spinnaker oscillates and the main twists forward; pull the vang on, ease the pole forward, sheet the kite tighter and steer to the roll.
- Broach: heading up too far under spinnaker in a gust overpowers the rudder; ease the vang and sheet immediately.
- Hidden wind strength: the low apparent wind masks a rising breeze; check the true wind before deciding you do not need to reef.
Cruising Versus Racing
Cruisers on passage settle onto a run for days: twin poled-out headsails, a poled-out genoa and a prevented main, or a cruising chute in lighter air, all chosen for stability and minimal attention. Comfort, chafe management and preventing the gybe are the priorities, and a slightly slower, more stable sail plan wins every time.
Racers almost never sail dead downwind if they can avoid it. Because apparent wind rises as the boat heads up, a boat sailing ten or fifteen degrees above dead downwind and gybing through the leg often makes better velocity made good than one pointed straight at the mark. Symmetric-spinnaker boats sail deeper in a breeze and heat up in light air; asymmetric boats live at 140 to 160 degrees true and gybe often. The trimmer, helm and pole are in constant conversation, playing the sheet and squaring the pole to every shift.
Frequently Asked Questions about Running
Why does running feel like there is less wind?
Because the boat is moving away from the wind, the apparent wind over the deck is the true wind minus boat speed. The same breeze that feels gentle on a run will feel much stronger the moment you head up.
Is it faster to sail dead downwind or to gybe downwind?
For most boats, sailing slightly above dead downwind and gybing back and forth is faster in terms of progress towards the mark, because the extra boat speed outweighs the extra distance. Heavy displacement boats with symmetric spinnakers in strong wind are the exception and can run very deep.
Running is the point of sail that rewards preparation over reaction. Set the boat up so a gybe cannot surprise you, choose sails for the run you are actually on, and the gentle apparent wind will carry you a long way in real comfort.