In performance sailing, speed doesn’t come from dramatic moments. It comes from a steady accumulation of marginal gains—tiny adjustments layered on top of each other until the boat is simply faster than the competition. Maybe that’s why sailing is perceived as being boring to watch on TV.
At the core of this process are two concepts sailors (and coaches) often use interchangeably, but shouldn’t:
Accuracy and precision.
Understanding the difference between them—and how they work together—changes not only what adjustments you make, but how you make them.
Accuracy: Hitting the Right Target
Accuracy is about correctness. It measures how close an action or result is to the true performance target.
In sailing, accuracy shows up when you:
- Choose the correct mode (high vs. fast)
- Sail the correct compass heading
- Identify the fastest heel angle or trim setup for the conditions
- Call the correct layline
Accuracy answers the question:
“Is this the right thing to be doing?”
Without accuracy, effort is wasted. You can sail smoothly, confidently, and repeatedly—and still be slow if you’re aiming at the wrong target.
Precision: Repeating the Action Consistently
Precision is about repeatability. It measures how closely each attempt matches the last.
A precise team:
- Executes identical tacks and gybes
- Steers with minimal, repeatable helm movement
- Moves crew weight the same distance, at the right time, every time
- Makes trim adjustments that are measured, not random
Precision answers a different question:
“Can we do this the same way, every time?”
Precision turns good ideas into reliable performance.
Aim Small – Miss Small
The phrase “Aim small – miss small” captures the relationship between accuracy and precision perfectly.
When your target is clearly defined and narrowly focused:
- Even mistakes are small
- Corrections are easy
- Performance remains stable
In sailing terms, this means:
- Adjusting trim by centimeters, not arm-lengths
- Changing heading by half-degrees, not “a little more”
- Moving crew weight incrementally, not all at once all the time; but when you do, its done with intention, accuracy AND precision.
When you aim small, you give yourself room to learn without paying a big speed penalty.
Why Small, Accurate Changes Matter
Small, accurate adjustments allow you to:
- Make more changes per minute
- Evaluate feedback faster
- Avoid disrupting flow and balance
- Stay close to your performance baseline
Every change—trim, steering, weight, mode—costs something. Sometimes that cost is worth the gain. The bigger the change, the bigger the disruption and therefore the bigger the risk that the change MAY not be net positive:
- Loss of flow over sails and foils
- Loss of rhythm for the crew
- Loss of reference for what “better” actually feels like
Large changes may feel decisive, but they are slow to evaluate and hard to reverse.
Small changes, made accurately, keep the boat in a fast state while you explore performance.
Many Small Changes Beat a Few Big Ones
This is where accuracy and precision really pay off.
A team that makes small, accurate adjustments can:
- Test more ideas in the same amount of time
- Respond smoothly to oscillations, pressure, and waves
- Stay in control of the boat while adapting to change
Compare that to a team making fewer, bigger changes:
- Each adjustment takes longer to settle
- Feedback is muddled (“Was that better, or just different?”)
- The boat spends more time slow while transitioning
Speed comes from iteration, not overcorrection.
Fast teams don’t wait for conditions to force a big response—they stay ahead by continuously refining with small inputs.
Precision Makes Small Changes Possible
None of this works without precision.
If your crew movements, trim adjustments, or steering inputs vary wildly:
- Small changes become meaningless
- Feedback becomes noisy
- Learning slows down
Precision creates a stable platform where accuracy can be tested and refined.
When your baseline is consistent, even tiny changes become informative.
Accuracy + Precision = Sustainable Speed
The fastest sailors:
- Accurately identify the right target
- Precisely repeat small actions to stay there
- Continuously refine with minimal disruption
They don’t chase perfection. They chase control.
Aim small. Miss small.
Learn fast. Stay fast.
That’s performance sailing.
About The Author
Kristen Berry is a dedicated sailing educator and US Sailing-certified instructor with a passion for helping sailors of all levels achieve their goals. As the owner of Gale Force Sailing in Annapolis, MD, Kristen provides personalized training and expert coaching, blending hands-on experience with an approachable teaching style. His extensive background includes working with the U.S. Naval Academy’s Basic Sail Training program and serving as an advisory board member for New York’s Hudson River Community Sailing organization.
