Sailing in tide..quiz.

OK here's my first case study, taken from the Gate start thread, this was a race in the late 90's, long distance across the milford haven entrance channel off Dale, where all week the racing had taken place just off Dale in the confines of the bay and the cliffs of Queen Annes head had been offering favorable shifts to the right all week.

So my question what's your strategy for the race it's a straight windward course round the island then a wing mark (boat) and finish at the start line beach. The wind is pretty clean maybe 5 degree oscillating certainly no more than 10, the tide is flooding indeed they had tried but failed to get the start off before it fully flooded.

The line is pretty square but slightly favoured favoured the committee boat (starboard) end as the wind swung slightly that way during the 10 -5 countdown.

I learned to sail on a river. Suspect others cannot be bothered feeding the troll.

Pretty much exactly what the coach suggested, he drew it on a board, had he not done so I might not have even bothered, but it was too good an opportunity for an I told you so moment.

The temptation for the cliffs, and yes maybe a back eddy swirl around St Annes head had almost the entire fleet doing as you describe, but the other route, bang over to the left where there was also a bit of a lift off the land, sufficient to get the nose into the tide and give a fair run out into the bay where the full blast of it not only lifted the nose but put the board on the plane, turned the the 8 - 10 knots into 10 to 12 knots which is marginal planing for a race board which reached the island whilst the fleet were still tacking up the coast in slacker air (which also lifts up and over those cliffs.

But fundamentally it was tide initially on the nose then full on the lee bow which did it.

So much so, that by the island the board had to be sailed free onto a reach.

Edited by KazRob - 02 Oct 17 at 9:15pm