Wind & Comparable Races

True wind ranged 0.0–24.0 kn (avg 10.0 kn) — a wide swing from calm patches to a strong puff, with the mean sitting in moderate breeze. The only previous races on record are race 7 (avg 6.6 kn, 0.1–12.7 kn) and race 8 (avg 6.1 kn, 0.6–14.0 kn), both notably lighter on average and without anything close to a 24 kn gust. Neither is a strong match, so the comparison below should be read as a loose baseline rather than a like-for-like comparison.

Overall the boat achieved 70.4% of polar target upwind and 71.5% downwind — both close together and slightly ahead of either prior race's upwind number. Upwind VMG averaged 3.05 kn against a 3.99 kn target (76% of target VMG). A clear pattern shows up in the angles: upwind TWA averaged 37.4°, about 3.7° tighter than the 41.1° target, and downwind TWA averaged 145.8°, about 4.7° short of the 150.5° target — both readings point the same way, toward sailing higher (closer to the wind axis) than the polar target on both points of sail, not just one. Nineteen tacks lost 36.9% of speed on average with a 7.9s recovery, and eight gybes lost 23.7% — both higher-volume and higher-loss than either comparable race, though the wider wind range here likely includes some maneuvers caught in stronger puffs. Four mark roundings were logged, still too few for reliable leg-by-leg splits.

No start-of-race data is available for this race. Heel while beating averaged only 8.1° despite gusts to 24 kn, well below the 13-23° range seen on beat legs in later, more consistently breezy races — consistent with much of this race being sailed in the lighter part of its wide wind range, though the data can't separate that from crew positioning or depowering choices. The two clearest strengths were downwind speed (71.5% of target, the best of the three points of sail) and upwind VMG efficiency (76% of target). The two biggest gaps were tack execution (36.9% loss across 19 tacks, the highest tack loss on record so far) and the consistent high-angle tendency on both beat and run.

Coaching Recommendations

1. Both beat (37.4° vs 41.1° target) and run (145.8° vs 150.5° target) show the boat sailing higher than optimal — worth checking whether this is deliberate pointing mode or a steering/angle habit worth correcting on both points of sail together.
2. Tack loss (36.9% across 19 tacks) is the highest of any race analyzed so far — prioritize tack drills, especially in the puffier upper end of this wind range.