Sailonline.org - Online Sailing

Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Tweets by @sailonline

Board » General Discussion » Why is the bent line Better - sometimes.

Posted by Roddo Posts 13 Registered at 2014-06-28 00:51:17	2016-06-13 03:08:36 - Why is the bent line Better - sometimes.
	I have been genuinely inspired by the Soler's amazing ability to read the weather and I'm on a mission to get a better understanding. I've noticed that there is a time for a straight line and a time for a bent line but I do not understand why. I've seen sailors take a straight line and be overtaken by someone sailing around the outside and other times the opposite. I would appreciate any pointers anyone would like to share. Thanks in advance. Cheers Rod
Posted by Gilles Posts 126 Registered at 2009-07-18 11:05:22	2016-06-13 07:15:20 - Re: Why is the bent line Better - sometimes.
	Hi Rod, I guess that is happening during wind rotation,following the rotation whit a bend, or big wind gradient where you sacrify the angle for a better wind. As this is really depending from the particular situation, ask in chat during the race. A lot of people will help you for the analysis. A great spot to exercise are also the PR, Practice Race. there you can experiment with other people and get the "tricks" Short race before the official race go on. have a look for Rainbow Chaser in the chat. Good wind Gilles
Posted by kroppyer Posts 346 Registered at 2010-02-05 15:25:55	2016-06-13 07:19:41 - Re: Why is the bent line Better - sometimes.
	On a small scale (where your course is straight and others' bent) I distinguish between two changes in wind: changes over time (windshift/wind picking up/wind decreasing) and changes over space (wind gradient). - For changes over time, I use VMC to steer my boat. If the wind does not change over space but only over time, then this is the fastest way. You just need to find out the bearing to use for VMC, but without changes over space, this bearing will remain constant (until the next waypoint). Have a look at outlaw's post on solfans - For changes over space, it's harder to come up with a strategy that is always optimal and easy to apply (not counting using routing software). Imagine your waypoint is straight ahead, to the left of you the wind is better and to the right of you the wind is worse. Now starting off heading slightly to the left and bending slowly to the right is faster than sailing straight to your waypoint, because the bendy line is barely any longer, but does bring you into better winds. But when you make you sail a line that is too curved, you sail a lot of extra distance that you can't make up with the better wind you have. Then there is also the "rule" of making course changes larger than a couple of degrees: only make a course change larger than 3 degrees (or 2, or 5 if you don't need to squeeze out some seconds) if: - you're rounding a mark - you're rounding a landmass - you're tacking/gybing, or hopping some other dent in the polar - the new wx update forces you to pick a different route - you admit you made a mistake in your last course and need to change course as soon a possible (there no advantage in slowly correcting a mistake) --- Last Edited by kroppyer at 2016-06-13 07:22:04 --- --- Last Edited by kroppyer at 2016-06-14 10:40:08 ---
Posted by Rod Posts 392 Registered at 2010-06-24 22:30:48	2016-06-14 01:37:06 - Re: Why is the bent line Better - sometimes.
	I always compare the hourly positions along both the COG and TWA lines. Many times you are ahead at 3hrs and behind at 6hrs. In addition, often by following the TWA line, you end up downwind of your destination and it is slow to beat back up wind. It is not dissimilar to using VMG or VMC---sometimes you end up downwind, or there is an island in the way. I hadn't got as far as the analysis by Kroppyer, above here, but I take anything said by Kroppyer as the word of G--! (Sorry about that,RC!!! I try not to bring politics or religion into SOL) One thing I have observed---it really pays off to keep 'mending' your course by tiny amounts every 5-10 minutes, even if you go only a tiny bit faster and further--over several hours you'll be surprised by how much many tiny bits add up! --- Last Edited by Rod at 2016-06-14 01:42:04 --- If it breaks, it's not strong enough--if it doesn't, it's too heavy.

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m

Current Races:

Manilla to Calbayog 2024

After six years, we welcome you to the race created by sassy63 for the second time. He takes us to the Philippines to race around islands on a 380 nm course. We sail the Italia 14.98 and in Calbayog we'll enjoy our well-deserved Palatan dish and drink it with San Miguel.
Race #1803
INFO from brainaid.de
Italia 14.98 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
ARQ2 - ARCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Apr 22nd 17:00 Registration Open!

▶ Flash

GO TO RACE

Jakob's Birthday BBQ Race 2024

Sailonline had two founders and Jakob, the more senior of the two, has his birthday in April which we always like to celebrate with a race through the Stockholm Archipelago from Revengegrundet Lighthouse to his mooring at Baggensfjärden. Traditionally also, like other celebrations this time of year, this feast has been “moveable”, so on this occasion we will be racing on a Wednesday in one of our latest high-performance 40-footers, the Carkeek 40. Please join us then for this always tricky 30nm race. Grattis på födelsedagen Jakob!
Race #1794
INFO by brainaid.de
Carkeek 40 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Apr 20th 14:00 Registration Open!

▶ Flash

GO TO RACE

Melbourne to Osaka Prelude 2024

Welcome once again to what these days is Sailonline’s almost annual virtual Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race. In real life, this double-handed 5500 nm race between these two sister cities, one deep in the southern hemisphere, the other high in the northern hemisphere, is run every four to five years, and is planned to be held again in 2025, so this race is a Prelude in partnership with the Melbourne Osaka Cup 2025 organising committee collaborating with the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV), and the Sandringham (SYC) and Osaka Hokko (OHYC) yacht clubs. On this occasion, we’ll be racing the well-known First 40, a popular size of boat for a long-distance double-handed race. With the doldrums unavoidably lying across the track, you can expect to be at virtual sea for at least a month!
Race #1669
INFO by brainaid.de
First 40 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Apr 20th 00:00 Registration Open!

▶ Flash

GO TO RACE

St Nazaire Chasse TIMED Race 2024

Welcome to a "chasse" (hunt) from St. Nazaire to La Baule on the west coast of France! This race was designed by SOLer FR_flouflou in 2010. The KER 40 was introduced to SOL in 2016 by SOLer psail, and the Sol-KER was a welcome addition to SOL’s fleet of 40- footers, as it was to the IRL Ker fleet of eponymous - like KERonimo, KukuKERchu and Ice BreaKER. This is a TIMEDrace, so you may RE-REGISTER HERE to try again, after finishing a run. You will have 13 days and 11 hours to show your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #1797
INFOby brainaid.de
Ker 40 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ2 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
27 April at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Apr 14th 12:00 Registration Open!

▶ Flash

GO TO RACE

The Beagle in the Straits of Magellan 2024

Both before and after visiting the Falkland Islands, the Beagle extensively explored the south eastern coast of South America, hither and thither, from north of the Rio Plate to the tip of Tierra del Fuego, but it was not till the end of June 1834 that the ship made it into the Pacific Ocean, transiting via the Straits of Magellan. Online in 2024, the choice is yours - passage the strait or round the cape; 400nm or more in your Class B Tall Ship.
Race #1753
INFOby brainaid.de
Tall Ship Class B PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SVF - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Sunday,
April 21 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Apr 09th 13:00 Registration Closed

▶ Flash

GO TO RACE

Cape Town to Auckland 2024

Welcome to the second leg of this Round The World series 2024. It's also the April edition of this year's ocean race championship. The course is the same as the one sailed in 2023, but this year we sail the iconic Swan 65, as suggested in the concluding RTW race last year.
Prepare yourselves for an epic 30-day journey, navigating through the unpredictable waters of the South Seas. It's essential to take care of provisioning to ensure a smooth and enjoyable race experience. With the longer duration, we anticipate plenty of opportunities for camaraderie, competition, and unforgettable memories.
PRIZE: SMPF
Race# 1789
INFO from brainaid.de
Swan 65 PARTICULARS
WX updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ2 - RTW - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Apr 01st 11:00 Registration Closed

▶ Flash

GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client