How many times after returning home from a regatta have you asked yourself: Why didn't I take a more conservative approach to a certain situation? Chances are if you had been more conservative, you probably would have done better in the race.

A conservative approach starts even before you get to a regatta. Confidence in your equipment, boat speed and boat handling are key elements which all go into a formula for winning. Knowledge that you can compete on an equal basis should give you the confidence not to take unnecessary chances. The middle of a big regatta is not the time to try different mast settings or sails you have not tested. More times than not, it pays to go with what you know works.

It's hard to tell yourself that not winning is each race is okay, but an average of a fourth or better will win most regattas. Just by looking at the finish positions of the top boats in a regatta, you can see that single digit finishes add up to a winning combination. Even more important is staying away from the dreaded alphabet soup (OCS, DSQ and DNC). One sure way to take the wind out of your sails is to be thrown out of a race on a port/starboard situation when you could have done a 720.

The start is also another area where conservative thinking generally pays off. When determining where to start on the line, break it up into three sections, i.e., upper third, middle third and lower third. Once you've determined which side of the line and course are favored, choose one of the thirds for positioning at the start. It's not as important to win the start as to get off the line in the front row.

What generally happens is that one end of the line is favored, and half the fleet converges. Usually, only one or two boats get off in good position, and the rest of the pack is struggling to find clear lanes. By starting just above or just below the pack in one of the thirds of the line, your chances of getting a front row start increase dramatically. If the line is square, start in the middle third because this allows you to work your way up the first part of the beat and not have to commit to one side or the other.

As the size of the fleet increases, the importance of being in the middle third of the starting line becomes greater. In a fleet of 60 J/22s, boats that start at the pin end generally can not tack to port and get to the right side. What happens is you spend all of your time trying to find ways to get back to the middle of the course, thus losing out on any small shifts.

Upwind, a lot of the same strategies can be applied. The weather leg can be divided into three zones: right side, left side and middle. The middle zone can be called the comfort zone, and the right and left sides can be referred to as the discomfort zones. The further you go out to the laylines, the more discomfort you'll find. When sailing up the leg, it's better to avoid the corners, and to position yourself toward the middle. In the middle, you have more of a chance to play the shifts, while the further you get out to the corners, you'll have to take advantage of any oscillations.

Downwind, many of the same principles apply as upwind. One of the biggest mistakes that occur is leaving your competition. When you're not sure which side is favored, sail on the jibe that is closest to the mark. By sailing on an unfavored jibe to the mark, you will quickly approach the corner or layline, which reduces your options to play the wind shifts.

Mark roundings are another area where patience should prevail. What typically happens is that several boats try and squeeze into one small spot. The end result is a large traffic jam with the potential for big gains or losses. On the approach to a mark, determine where the competition is and how the rounding will develop. The key is to get around the mark with as little distance lost to the leaders as possible. Unfortunately, sometimes this means taking a few sterns to position yourself properly. Looking at the big picture, it's better to give up two boat lengths than to hit the mark or foul another boat.

Being conservative and having a strategy usually prevails in most situations. Sure, someone might get lucky by sailing out to a corner, but at the end of the regatta, the team that has kept their emotions and wild instincts in check usually will reap the dividends of a conservative policy. So the next time you're in sixth place sailing up the last weather leg, think twice about splitting from the fleet.

Good luck and good sailing!