How close to the wind? Plotter tracks please!

[Shuggy]

I have seen (but never contributed to) several 'How close to the wind can you point' threads over the years. The trouble is that it is all very subjective, and Scuttlebutters don't like to admit that their boats perhaps don't point as well as other people say theirs can - etc etc.

I tend not to use my chartplotter very often as it eats the house batteries, but with the proliferation of phone plotters it's easy to leave it running while you're sailing and then upload images.

So how about a thread where we post (unPhotoShopped!) tracks of our boats beating? I have had loads of pub chats about how high boats point but by the time you take leeway into account it's all a bit meaningless.

For example, I always thought that we tacked through less than 90 degrees but in reality we manage about 100 (or worse). I've attached a crude plot from the iPhone this weekend (tide was minimal and ebbing gently north east to south west on the image, wind was about F4 decreasing F3, down from a high F4/low F5 at the top end of the loch). Looking back at it I think the wiggle on the first port tack was us shaking out the final reef in the main (it had been windier enough earlier for me not to be thinking about plots on iPhones!). I've only done the experiment once before - in the Irish Sea in quite tasty conditions - and we only managed 100 degrees then too.

Go on - upload here!

P.S. I am not a very good sailor, which might also explain the wobbly lines and poor angles...

 

[emsworthy]

Here's one of a race we did last September from Chichester to Hamble. 15-20kt NW'ly mainly although got a massive header off Hill Head which actually tacked the boat and pinned us down with the 150% genoa backed!

 

[Bosun Higgs]

So how about a thread where we post (unPhotoShopped!) tracks of our boats beating? I have had loads of pub chats about how high boats point but by the time you take leeway into account it's all a bit meaningless.

..

Pointless ( gerrit?) The track you make is very dependant on wind speed and tide and sail quality and, for that matter, how hard you want to pinch.

The only way to do it is to compare boats when racing.

 

[Scarboroughsloop]

My boss says I'm sailing VERY close to the wind.....

Hope this helps.

 

[Blueboatman]

Wot Bosuns Higgs says.

I could make my boat stop dead or sail like a witch, same sea and wind conditions, see. You gotta know what they like!

 

[Shuggy]

Pointless ( gerrit?) The track you make is very dependant on wind speed and tide and sail quality and, for that matter, how hard you want to pinch.

The only way to do it is to compare boats when racing.

Go on then... show me a track of you tacking through less than 90 degrees over a meaningful distance

 

[Red Admiral]

Pointless ( gerrit?) The track you make is very dependant on wind speed and tide and sail quality and, for that matter, how hard you want to pinch.

The only way to do it is to compare boats when racing.

Agreed. But I have some very impressive plotter tracks - just can't remember whether the engine was running at the time.

 

[snooks]

Going out of the needles channel....look at that track! I point like that all the time!

One reason why this is a bit pointless....the tide

Here's one with less tide....

 

[Shuggy]

Going out of the needles channel....look at that track! I point like that all the time!

That's not a plotter - it's an Etch A Sketch! Probably saves the batteries though?

 

[snooks]

That's not a plotter - it's an Etch A Sketch! Probably saves the batteries though?

Obviously the highlighted track is mine, the others aren't

It's from Teamsurv on google maps.

Not a plotter I agree, but it's the best I can do retrospectively

 

[lustyd]

How's this, all under sail?

 

[lustyd]

Or this with a westerly last week?

 

[lustyd]

Worst track ever - I thought we were making progress towards Yarmouth all the time - the bit where we actually turn that way is all engine

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Go on then... show me a track of you tacking through less than 90 degrees over a meaningful distance

If you have Garmin Mapsource I will mail you a track from one of last years races since , sad barsteward that I am, I record them all. But it wont prove anything since it wont show how all the other boats did in the same conditions.

I record them to see how we have done in the decisions I have made as to when to tack, which is the making tack , how well I've held the line etc. Usually they are a bit depressing.

 

[lustyd]

If you have Garmin Mapsource I will mail you a track from one of last years races since , sad barsteward that I am, I record them all. But it wont prove anything since it wont show how all the other boats did in the same conditions.

I record them to see how we have done in the decisions I have made as to when to tack, which is the making tack , how well I've held the line etc. Usually they are a bit depressing.

mine above are in mapsource, just se screenshot (print screen button) or snip on Windows 7 to capture the image