LEE BOW EFFECT

You can suspect what you like lass, but i can assure you wether by instinct, tactical choice or vector mathematics, the tidal choices I take and am enlightening the dimness of your grey matter with, are based not on theory, rather on donkeys years of practise, every week two or three times a week for thirty five years in a host of situations and now an increasing number of craft. In my own field, sailboards, I will not be challenged on the subject. I will however grant and have admitted here several times over, that different craft with differing rockers and in varying wind speeds will react differently and my knowledge of dinghies is limited.

This is probably your most lucid post and we have even forced Ed to presume to rehash what he's learned here into the semblance of  tide 101 for sailboats in this thread so it hasn't been a total waste of time.

One thing anyone who has any idea or desire to seek self improvement, has to listen to, is anyone with any experience's opinion on the subject, given that sailing is still such a black art with so many variables that make it the wondrous past time that it is, you listen, try, prove or disprove then move on, nothing is absolute.

My world is devoid of compasses, computers or any means other than a wrist watch with which to work out 'vector mathematics' so one relies on building a mental database of experience, from sailing in close one design fleets against fellows of known ability, upon which the instinct of what to do and when to do it is built. We have the benefit of sailing fast shallow angles and slow high angles on the same craft, those crafts react exactly the same as some dinghies in similar circumstances, so wether y'all like it or not, we are perhaps in a better position to comment.

Sailing in big boats with GPS and computed VMG's is fine, but i know time and again, put a 'seat of the pants' raced trained windsurfer in close proximity of the skipper and you'll see vast improvements in that boats performance, computers or not, we're simply that much more tide and wind aware.

So eat your heart out girl, you're in the presence of greatness and lucky it's communicating with you, now be a nice monkey and go and sit in the corner put on that conical hat with the D on it and we'll call you if we need cheering up with a comedy turn, thanks.

You were lucky it was windy, had the weather been light and that boat hadn't bust it would have been a different tale.

I reckon everything y'all need to know is in there, if you want it bad enough, you read everything, just a shame eejiot match racing t**sers feel the need to rubbish the works of good men in the quest for notoriety and or profit. 

Match racing is another whole other ball game, as is team racing, different rules to what for the most part I enjoy which is plain old vanilla round the cans stuff.