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!

Board » General Discussion » Performance diagrams

I'm curious about the VPP diagram for the 40 ft monohull. At high wind speeds, the lines sometimes cross each other, meaning that when the wind is increasing, the boat speed will decrease. I have not seen this in other VPP diagrams and it seems very unexpected to me. How do you explain this?
Lars Möller
Hometown: Karlskrona, Sweden
Hej, Well I am somewhat curious too... Sometimes things happen fast here... One can imagine situations where a higher wind speed results in lower boat speed. When beating this is often the case due to increased drag. When reaching this can also happen when e.g. a certain efficient sail cannot withstand the higher wind loads and thus cannot be used. So, such things can happen BUT: In this case I can agree that we have exaggerated the characteristics too much. Sorry.
...one of the guys behind the game...
Tks for your reply. However, an increased drag can only happen if the speed is increased. So, I'm afraid I'm still not convinced.
Compare for instance the VPP on this site:
http://www.shipman.dk/articles/?m0=6&m1=97
Lars Möller
Hometown: Karlskrona, Sweden
generally I agree that the polar lines shouldn't cross. But.. increased windage and heeling (causing increased rudder and increased displacement)can slow the boat down.
Hi. Fun discussion!. Lamo: one theoretically obtained polar does not make much as evidence unless you know much about the underlaying models. I can show you several polars with crossing curves. Secondly, I don´t think you read my last post thoroughly. Decreased speed does not have to be caused by increased drag. It might be caused by decreased thrust, as I was arguing the last time. I also agree with Pipedream that heal, waves etc complicates life. So, polar-lines might cross, nothing strange there. Ok?

...one of the guys behind the game...
Hi jakob

I guess you have studied polar diagrams a lot more than I. Still I like to understand what I see. For instance, the diagram for the VO70 makes sence as I see it. When reaching at TWA 130, the boat speed will always increase as the wind speed increases. Still the lines cross when close hauled, which you might expect because of increase wind and wave resistance. So far so good.

What I could not (and still cannot) understand is the feature in diagram for the 40 ft monohull at TWA 150 degr, where you have
10 m/s > 10 knots
12 m/s > abt 12,5 knots
14 m/s > abt 12,8 knots
18 m/s > abt 12,2 knots
22 m/s > abt 13,5 knots
In this case it's hard to imagine the behaviour of the 18 m/s line. Wind or wave resistance could hardly have this effect when reaching at 150 TWA.
Lars Möller
Hometown: Karlskrona, Sweden
Post hidden by jakob :
SNIP
Hi, First of all, as I admitted a couple of posts ago I agree that this polar is not perfect, It is hand-manipulated by us. The behavior you are referring to could still be a result of that no optimal sails are available for the 18m/s wind. So, principally, the characteristics are possible BUT I agree that in this particular instance the "bucket" is fairly unlikely. We will in the future try to come up with even more realistic polars. Thank you for communicating with us!
...one of the guys behind the game...

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Newport Bermuda Race 2026


The 636-mile Newport Bermuda Race is one of the oldest regularly scheduled ocean races, and with the Fastnet and the Sydney Hobart Race, it is one of the three great classic races of the yachting world. First raced in 1906, now in its 54th biennial, the Race can again also be participated in online. In real life, the race is open to entry in four different division – Double-Handed, St. David's Lighthouse, Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, and Finisterre Division – which in the past we have also offered online. This year, however, our online race will be all-in one-design in silky swift Club Swan 50 yachts, so that your results can count towards SOL’s SUPerBUDdy title, whilst hopefully still giving you a chance of overall line honours against the fastest yachts of the real-life Gibbs Hill Division, especially if you can find some forecast winds that don’t quite work out that way on the real water!
Race #2038
INFOby brainaid.de
Club Swan 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Jun 19th 17:05 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Shetland Race 2026 - Leg 1


Get ready to tackle the North Sea as we sail from Norway’s stunning outer Korsfjorden to the rugged Shetland Isles! Welcome to an exciting new chapter for this classic 190-nautical-mile ocean route, bringing our global community together for a true test of strategy and seamanship.

This year, the race is a proud stop in Sailonline's 2026 Super Buddy Championship, which features our real-life racing partnerships over the calendar year. We are stepping aboard the Linjett 33, a sturdy Swedish cruiser-racer designed by Mats Gustavsson and built by Rosättra Båtvarv. Seasoned veteran or eager newcomer, prepare for intense competition.

Plot your course and see you at the start line!
Race #2039
INFO by brainaid.de
Linjett 33 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SHE - RED - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Jun 17th 11:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Bluefin Tuna - Mexico Gulf to North Sea 2026

Join us and follow the Bluefin Tuna, as they migrate from their spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico to their feeding grounds in the North Sea off the coast of Norway. This 4300 nm race is part of our Ocean Championship and the final race of OCQ2 2026, and also the second leg of our Migration series. We will be sailing in our Gunboat 90. Race #2035
INFO by brainaid.de
Gunboat 90 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ2 - MIG - OCCH - SYC
Race starts: Jun 08th 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Thessaloniki to Port Said 2026

Welcome back to the Eastern Mediterranean for the fifth race of our Magical Mediterranean Series. Only marginally less unlikely to be ever raced in real life during SOL’s lifetime than our previous race from Tobruk to Iskenderun, this 710nm race takes us from Greece’s ancient northern port of Thessaloniki through the Aegean island maze, south east into the Levantine Sea to a finish in modern Port Said, in splendid Swan 65s!
Race #1977
INFO by brainaid.de
Swan 65 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: MED - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Wednesday,
June 17 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Jun 06th 15:00 Registration Closed

▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

TuziTekwini TIMED Race 2026

Sailonline is delighted to have been invited again to partner with the King Shaka Yacht Club (KSYC) of South Africa to bring a virtual version of the Tuzi Tekwini Ocean Raceto our online community.
The Tuzi Tekwini Ocean Race is a near 90 nautical mile race down the east coast of South Africa from the port of Richards Bay to the port of Durban. Achievable in a single day and seen by some as an easy mile-builder, the course is more tactical than some think and should not be underestimated. This iconic race promises to be an unforgettable experience for yachting enthusiasts.
Our online version of the race will be a TIMEDrace so you may RE-REGISTER HEREto try again after finishing a run. You will have two weeks to test your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #2037
INFOby brainaid.de
Sailonline’s virtual yacht for all your runs will be our much-loved Farr 38 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ2 - TRCH - SUPBUD - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
13 June at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: May 31st 12:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member bonknhoot
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member HoratioPugwash
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member YANN
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CollegeFund
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member sassy63

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

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

The mobile client