one duff tack

Originally posted by maxibuddah I find that the best duff tack is when you come out of the other side and miss the toestraps

Originally posted by JimC Originally posted by L123456 I wonder what the variance is is say a reasonably large one-design fleet on finishing times? Around 25% in every class I've ever looked at - or 250 points of PY. The results from the last Olympics are fully timed, makes interesting reading... http://www.sailing.org/olympics/london2012/results_centre.php Now I think about it its kinda suspicious that the range seems quite consistent between very different classes and even similarly wide at the Games. I wonder if its as much dominated by a tendency of mark roundings to force everyone into single file as anything else? Maybe there would be a difference between long races with few mark roundings and shortraces with many. Might be an interesting thing to research.

Originally posted by hum3   From observing those when I've been running coaching, the old 'tack on the whistle' drill can clearly demonstate the benefits of tacking well and the gains possible...

Unfortunately the tacking on the whistle exercise is often seen as a 'warm up', or not analysed properly.  Too often the tacks end up rushed and get worse and worse.  For me a better exercise is boat on boat covering, where a duff tack is quickly exposed, and concentration much keener.

Of course the absolute best is video analysis, but not everyone has that facility.


For me a good tack is where I don't oversteer, get my feet straight under the toestraps on the new side and get the boat flat and driving asap.  The reality is more that I will oversteer then miss the central kickboard and slide down to leeward without the grace of Jane Torville, leaving me an uphill climb to the new side where I then have to hoist myself out onto the wing...

Dont even mention the duff gybes,

Originally posted by JimC Originally posted by L123456 I wonder what the variance is is say a reasonably large one-design fleet on finishing times? Around 25% in every class I've ever looked at - or 250 points of PY. The results from the last Olympics are fully timed, makes interesting reading... http://www.sailing.org/olympics/london2012/results_centre.php Now I think about it its kinda suspicious that the range seems quite consistent between very different classes and even similarly wide at the Games. I wonder if its as much dominated by a tendency of mark roundings to force everyone into single file as anything else? Maybe there would be a difference between long races with few mark roundings and shortraces with many. Might be an interesting thing to research.

25% ... That makes people who bitch about a few points on py look a bit daft.