That Extra 2-3%

In our dreams!

Marginal Gains?

If I recall correctly, sailing a 505 is as much about tuning the cheque book as the rig if my history serves me well. Probably much like what is probably going on at the front of the Advanced Racing Cockle Boat Fleet these days.

Edited by iGRF - 15 Feb 17 at 6:04pm

So it's just like the first 97-98%, sail faster, in the right direction and make fewer mistakes than the next guy and Robert is your relative :)

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 15 Feb 17 at 6:50pm

Originally posted by Sam.Spoons So it's just like the first 97-98%, sail faster, in the right direction and make fewer mistakes than the next guy and Robert is your relative :) I s'pose the difference between first and halfway down the fleet at the Olympics is 2-3% and at the club, probably 20-30% or more. Though, I have to say they do seem to be just as spread out crossing the finish line at the Olympics as they do at a typical open meeting. I guess the races are usually longer mind you.

Many years ago when called upon to give lectures on this stuff, I used to use the analogy of ball bearings and a funnel which is what we are, all trying to be first into the hole. So what is it that makes that first ball bearing enter the hole, and basically it gets down to very very small variations, when you're at a very high level I would say it's less than a 1% error and that depends on when you make the error. Another thing I used to point out, in a fleet of a hundred board/boats, instantly the gun goes the fleet divides into three, then it does it again a few more yards out due to the wind bent through the sails causing lee bow and covering.

So make a 1 second mistake in the first second and you risk losing 60 places instantly, you can make a second mistake later on and it cost you nothing, you could dry capsize near the top mark and you might only lose a couple of places.
We all know they who win most make the least mistakes and if they do make them, they make them when it doesn't matter as much or have the ability to correct them quicker or have other tricks up their sleeves than not many folk know about.

On the sea with big fleets I often postulated that given air is disturbed for five times the height of any obstacle in front of that obstacle it therefore follows that the wind is disturbed ahead of us on the start line for thirty metres or so (5 x mast height) so, it is imperative to get out to the side as soon as possible until the fleet breaks up, which was another reason the starboard end and right was always the favourite if no other more obvious tactical choice were about. A small consideration, not one I've ever seen written elsewhere but a fact nonetheless and just another of the many variables that make everything so damned interesting.