Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash

Originally posted by Bootscooter Drill Instructor course I had all my kit for 3 weeks,

Cheers.  I might see what I can get away with through crediting then as the youtube music library is dreadful.

Originally posted by 2547 Originally posted by Bootscooter I would suspect that all here that are racers will have seen and benefitted from the phenomenon that is the opening gap at the Committee Boat. As people rack up and slowly approach the line on starboard, the one direction that they will definitely not be going is left-to-right, as at very best they will be almost holding station, but invariably they will be making leeway...slowly opening that gap. Just prior to the start (almost) all will "trigger-pull", bearing away to gain speed, leaving a big hole for a well timed run at the line, shooting past the fleet and in to clear air. In this particular case I don't know if there was a good sized lift just before the start, but the gap didn't open up. Aiming for a gap that only exists in your dreams is asking for trouble.  A well sailed 400 could hold station all day on a lake.

I disagree. Yes boats can and do hold station well, but a gap will invariably appear. Through windage (on starboard tack you're not going to drift upwind unless there is a tide pushing that way. Yes, a right -to-left tide wide create a bigger gap sooner, but even on a pond it does happen, especially when anticipating a bear-away trigger-pull. On this occasion I got it wrong, whether through powering up too early or because of a lift just before the start the gap didn't open quite enough, but it was there. As I saw the gap develop from zero (RS400 right on committee boat) to the start (contact occurred not far forward of the shroud, so another 18" developing would have seen me clean through) the gap had appeared - just not quite enough. Unfortunate and embarrassing, yes, but not a ridiculous concept by any means.

Originally posted by Bootscooter I disagree. Yes boats can and do hold station well, but a gap will invariably appear. Through windage (on starboard tack you're not going to drift upwind unless there is a tide pushing that way. Yes, a right -to-left tide wide create a bigger gap sooner, but even on a pond it does happen, especially when anticipating a bear-away trigger-pull. On this occasion I got it wrong, whether through powering up too early or because of a lift just before the start the gap didn't open quite enough, but it was there. As I saw the gap develop from zero (RS400 right on committee boat) to the start (contact occurred not far forward of the shroud, so another 18" developing would have seen me clean through) the gap had appeared - just not quite enough. Unfortunate and embarrassing, yes, but not a ridiculous concept by any means.