[quote=DamonLinkous][quote=multimatt] what about over a 40 or even a 80 mile course where repeated tacking is necessary? During this past Miami Key Largo Race, we were sailing in Biscayne Bay south with the wind straight out of the south. It seemed like we were sailing from one end of the bay to the other (staying on tacks longer), while the other guys were sticking to the eastern side of the bay and tacking back and forth more often. [/quote]
I've wondered this same thing during distance races. During triangles you can judge when to tack based on the laylines and favorable winds, but twice I've been faced with direct head winds (from the west) during the Round the Island race between Fort Walton and Pensacola FL.
When you have over 50 miles straight into a very steady wind, how many times should I tack? In my case the course is along the open Gulf shoreline and (small) surf break with the shoreline tending to the south, so it's tack offshore, then back into shore until you get near the breakers, then back offshore (but how far, that is the question). I realize in my particular case there can be a shore effect that may produce more wind near shore, so shorter tacks would keep you in the wind.
But what about if everything was perfect, say an A mark that is 50 miles away and no wind shifts at all, how many tacks, or how long is each tack?[/quote]
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