Optimising regatta starts

On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 22:10:05 +0000, Simon Taylor wrote:

As I understand it, a 'regatta start' is where the start line opens at a
specific time and pilots are effectively penalised for starting before
or after this instant. If this interpretation is right, what methods are
used by pilots to estimate their arrival time, and what maneuvers are
used to delay arrival?

If I'm understanding things correctly, there is a penalty applied for
starting before the line opens. However, as everybody's clock starts when
the line opens, the cost of starting later is the built-in time penalty:
if you start two minutes late, thats 120 secs already on your clock as
you cross the start line.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |