Flying Lap

So what do people think about Andy Rice's suggestion in the Y&Y mag about introducing a flying lap course?

The idea is that on a windward-leeward course of a fixed number of laps you introduce one triangle lap that may be sailed at any time. So, if you are stuck in dirty air in the middle of the pack it gives you a chance to break free. And you have to make a calculated risk on when you do it. It will shake up the order a bit like pitting in F1.

I reckon there could be a place for it - e.g. one or two races in a championship series.

Don't really get that. On a windward-leeward course, on either leg you can sail out to one side as far as you want to anyway!

I like the idea. In sailing the rich get richer and this mixes it up. 

You'd need to make the courses short to take advantage of it though. A lot of championship courses are only two or three laps. Make it 5 or 6 1/4 mile beats and it might just work

Edited by maxibuddah - 05 Aug 18 at 10:07am

I can see how this might be made to work with a P shaped course. Position the committee boat near mark C in the middle of the P to form a gate at that point, possibly with the SI that you should only go through the gate downwind when sailing your triangle round.

I can also see a few issues, not least if the PRO needs to shorten course and several members of the fleet have yet to do their triangle.