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Posted by A2  |
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The purpose of this thread is to facilitate discussions directly related to the strategy & problem solving required to successfully improve the performance of novice & veteran skippers alike, in this venue.
Basic formulas, calculations, rules of thumb & tactics employed to succeed in fleet races. None so blind |
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Posted by Mouthansar  |
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Excellent idea and thread ... and then I thought: "What are my tricks and insights ... if any?" All I can come up with is a Calvin Coolidge quotation:
"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." Didn't want to hog your thread, Aethereal, but this really is what has propelled my SYC ranking. I'll be looking forward to more educated injections. |
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Posted by Toy-BoX  |
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Couldn't agreee more.
Determination and persistance is the key ..... maybe that's why I didn't make much score at the SYC ranking.... inadequate persistance ... |
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Posted by A2 |
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I agree that "Persistence" & diligence are the basis for much success in sailing as well as Life, This is the lesson embodied in Aesop's tortoise & hare fable.
However, as a novice, I find that I am capable of persisting in 'Wrong Thinking.' Please help me and others to find the 'Right Approach' in making the key decisions required here. None so blind |
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Posted by Mouthansar |
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I'd say part of it is looking at the fellows who are certifiably good and think: "Why ... why?"
That may eventually lead to the necessary acceptance of the need to think hours or even days ahead, forego hundreds of places in the ranking to win all of them +1 back later. I spend much time looking at winds, polars, alternative routes and competitors silently mouthing the words "Talk to me, talk to me!" But we were both hoping for more concrete advice on this thread, weren't we? I - as most - have found that looking at where you'd like to be in 6 or 12 hours helps a lot. However, it makes no sense without the polar diagram. Sometimes the polar is so flat that it's no use chasing a twa of 120 over one of 70. |
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Posted by Incognito  |
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For concrete advise, specific questions need to be asked. And preferably related to a situation in a currently ongoing race.
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Posted by sol  |
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Incognito's got it right ...
We need a specific weather / route challenge to give any valuable advice. When in a race and you are in doubt, and need guidance ..... You just need to ask..... in the forum or chat room .... I'm sure there will be lots of people eager to help... I will.... if asked.... |
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Posted by Toy-BoX |
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Sorry I was logged in as SOL .... at last post ...
XTase295 |
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Posted by A2 |
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The One Angle Advantage:
For the purpose of this illustration assume that the wind speed & direction are constant. I do this because I want to make sure that the underlying principle is sound and well understood before applying it in the real virtual world under changing conditions. A common situation that occurs quite often in these races is when I am pointing directly at clearing some spit of land in order to turn the corner and proceed up the course. Then I notice there is another boat on my outside and a little behind who has more angle to work with who inevitably overtakes me. But even if I held the outside position I am not clear how to take maximum advantage of the situation. There are a continuum of angles such that too steep will give me a much greater boat speed but only for a short duration and will cause me to pass behind the other boat. There will also be another angle, not as steep, that will result in both boats reaching the same spot at the same time. A third angle pointing further ahead than the other two will yield the maximum gain over the boat that is locked into a constant course. Perhaps even a fourth angle aiming too far ahead will not close the gap before the corner is reached. So for the boat with the outside position, what is the right way to approach this problem, to make the best gains over the other boat with the inside position. Is there a formula that expresses the solution to this problem and what factors must be known to solve for the optimum angle of approach ? None so blind |
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Posted by 76Trombones  |
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If the wind is constant in speed and angle, the problem is reduced to straight lines and shortest distance - with one important exception...
Any "hollow" in the polar is to be avoided. The upwind pinching or luffing zone is easy for RL sailors to understand, and the downwind case is easy for us to see using the polars. A third "no-go" zone exists in many boats at the transition between up and downwind sails - usually starting somewhere around a beam reach at low windspeed and increasing in TWA as the wind builds. You need to "tack" across that region in the same way that you do upwind in order to not take a speed penalty. This is an easy one to miss sailing CC. Everywhere else - point right at your target. If the outside boat gains on you in fixed wind, it's because he was already ahead at the last mark. You're picking up ground on him is real terms. Why can't you sail a little high for a while and then recover ground by pointing a little lower later? Pick any two angles on the polar and connect the resulting boatspeeds with a straight line. The line represents the average speed achieved at any bearing in between. On a convex part of the polar, you'll always be slower than just taking the rhumbline. (The straight line trick works for up and downwind sailing too, it essentially shows you VMG) |
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Garagiste's Test Lab
Race #1939
INFOby brainaid.de
RC 44 Particulars
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Patricks Test
Race #1932
INFO by brainaid.de
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Joanne's Test Race Zone
Race #1847
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Marstrand to Cowes 2025
We invite you to another race, which will kick off the third quarter of our ARCH series. We'll set off from Marstrand, Sweden, which, along with Skagen, Denmark, marks the line commonly recognised as the border separating the Baltic Sea from the North Sea. The 650nm route will take our Ripitide 50 across the North Sea and the English Channel to Cowes, England. Watch out for the fast ferries crossing the Channel from Calais to Dover 😊.
Race #1935
INFO from brainaid.de
Riptide 50 PARTICULARS
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Race starts: Jul 21st 17:00 Registration Open!
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Nantucket Sprint 2025
Welcome to Nantucket, from whence Herman Melville’s Cap’n Ahab sailed round The Horn into the northern Pacific Ocean to hunt the gray whale - whose migrations are celebrated elsewhere in SOL’s Q4 schedule - he never to return. And whaling too, as the 19th C progressed, like Ahab disappeared from Nantucket as the harbour silted up and mainland Massachusetts whaling stations benefited from rail connections. But beach life, yachting and nostalgia has rescued the island from oblivion, so to celebrate leisure, SOL gives you the Nantucket Sprint - 25nm in 29er_XX’s from east of Tuckernuck Island across the sound to a finish just inside the mouth of the harbour. Enjoy!
Race 1936
INFO by brainaid.de
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Puil's Practice Palaver
Nearly there; only 2500nm to go, round the Horn and up the Red Sea to Suez into what will more than likely be more headwinds for this sixth leg of our African circumnavigation, to be followed in September by a final sneaky dash up the canal back to where we started all those months ago. We’ll be sailing a not entirely appropriate-for-upwind-work 60ft Trimaran!
Race #1859
INFOby brainaid.de
60ft Trimaran PARTICULARS
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Gulf of St Lawrence - test - Mirek
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Race starts: Apr 21st 17:00
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Stefan's Duck Pond
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1900
INFO by brainaid.de
Orange 125 PARTICULARS
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Ranking: OCQ3 - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
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Trapped Camel
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Race starts: Aug 21st 15:03
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Caravanserai
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Race starts: Aug 08th 17:00
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Patrick's Playpen
Welcome to the legendary "Westcoaster," a race that has tested sailors for over 50 years. Spanning 435 nautical miles, this iconic journey takes racers from Melbourne, across the formidable Bass Strait, and around Tasmania's rugged west coast to the finish line in Hobart. Organized by the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria, the Westcoaster is renowned for its challenging conditions and adventurous spirit. This year, our SOLers will tackle the course in the swift and capable First 47.7, a yacht launched by Beneteau in 2000, built for speed and endurance in long ocean races. Get ready for an exhilarating ride in one of Australia’s most celebrated yacht races!
Race #1841
INFO by brainaid.de
First 47.7 PARTICULARS
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Mirek's Mess & Canteen
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Race starts: Apr 26th 18:00
Registration Closed
Antarctica 1 of 3
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Race starts: Jan 27th 21:57
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Flinders Island TIMED Race 2024
Race #1776
INFO by brainaid.de
Ocean 50 PARTICULARS
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Ranking:
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RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
27 January at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Jan 14th 12:00 Registration Open!
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Tasman Double 2023 - Hobart to Sydney
music deleted
Race starts: Jan 02nd 02:00
Registration Open!
John's Test Zone
It's time to test your ocean racing skills in a variety of weathers as we head the 6400 NM between Hong Kong and Auckland in a fast Super Maxi 100. We'll be heading from a northern summer to a southern winter so keep plenty of cold weather gear and warm rum on board!
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1597
INFOby brainaid.de
Super Maxi 100 PARTICULARS
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Race starts: Sep 01st 04:00
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calm's Practice Race
Last raced in 2021, we return to Boston for another race to Newport. And just like in 2021, the chosen boat is once again the speedy R/P 66. This is a TIMED race so pick your winds wisely and see how quickly you can complete this 132nm run! For reference, the winning time in 2021 was 6:12:28.
RE-REGISTER HERE to race again after finishing a run
Race #1700
INFO by brainaid.de
R/P 66 PARTICULARS
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Ranking:
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RACE CLOSE: Sunday, 18 August at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Aug 05th 12:00
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ZONA DE PRUEBA DE MANUEL
Please note the displayed course is provisional; the actual course will be set after the IRL course is announced at the skipper's briefing 48 hours before the start, and no later than 24 hours before the start.
Race #1561
INFOby brainaid.de
Young 88 PARTICULARS
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San Sebastian to La Rochelle 2021
Once again, our SOL race will be shared with a group of Polish sailors, representing one of the stages of their Virtual Training Cruise around Europe. 171 nm in Delphia 47s across the not always calm Bay of Biscay from San Sebastian to La Rochelle will undoubtedly be one to test their skills. Welcome/Witajcie and we wish you all fair winds.
Race #1441
INFOby brainaid.de
Delphia 47 PARTICULARS
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Race starts: Mar 05th 17:00
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Aland Sea TIMED Race
Norrtalje Segelsallskap, 70km NE of Stockholm was founded in 1920, and time was when the society’s season opened with a challenging offshore race from the club line off Flaten island at the mouth of the long and narrow Norrtaljeviken, out onto a triangular course around the Aland Sea, to finish at Simpnas slightly to the north on Bjorko island - some 78nm in total. A fine race that SOL, being from these parts, ran annually up until 2013. Last run in autumn 2018, we return here to race the course again in the form a TIMED RUN in spanking new Club Swan 50s.
RE-REGISTER HERE to race again after finishing a run.
Race #1444
INFO by brainaid.de
Club Swan 50 Particulars
WX Updates:
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RANKING:
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RACE CLOSE: Sunday, 28 February at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Feb 15th 12:00
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Bimmer's Test Zone
What about a speedy X-362 380nm race in the waters off S America, just to blow cobwebs away!!
Race #1415
INFOby brainaid.de
X-362 PARTICULARS
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ALT. CLIENT:Classic
Race starts: Dec 21st 16:00
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Antarctica 3 of 3
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Race starts: Sep 16th 11:13
Registration Closed
BLANK POLAR
Race starts: Feb 16th 00:00
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