23- Tactical Weapons: The Lee Bow
You can use your boat's wind wash to disturb the air of a sailboat by tacking directly underneath them, and slightly ahead of their bow. This is the "lee bow zone", and is a great way to catapult yourself to a better position in the race. In order to lee bow someone, you must tack directly underneath them, as close as physically and legally possible. When you complete the tack, your boat should be very close to the competitor, and about a half of a boat length ahead of them.
Пікірлер: 13
This was funny and informative.
Clever I enjoyed the theory.
Good I figured it out but couldn't find any of the numbers mentioned
Why does the sailboat goes faster when is in the green zone from another sailboat?
@Jim-ei2iv
6 жыл бұрын
It's not so much that the boat in the "safe lee bow" position goes faster. There are at least two benefits to being the boat in that position. First, and the reason most people cite, you're hitting that competitor just behind and windward of you with some really disturbed air. If this were the main benefit, it would be a great tactic in match racing but not in fleet racing. The next reason is the less obvious one, and the one that makes it worth doing in a fleet race. Without giving a lecture on aerodynamics, the boat in the lee bow position is getting benefit from the other boat. You may have heard that your head sail is in a lift relative to your mainsail, which is in a relative header. Well, when two boats are close like this, that concept is expanded. Because of the way air flow works the boat aft and windward causes the boat below and ahead to be sailing in a lift relative to all boats on the course not in a lee bow position. So if you lee bow someone, (1) you slow them down and (2) they give you a lift so you are sailing just a bit higher than other boats in the fleet. It may be brief and last only until the other boat tacks out (which she should do as soon as possible) but in a sailboat race, every little bit adds up! That said, it's still more important to sail your own race. If you would have tacked in about that spot anyhow, go ahead and lee bow someone. If, however, you feel it's a strategic benefit to keep going, then do that. Being on the best part of the playing field is more important than a small gain from a temporary lee bow.
Your next lesson should be about tacking too close.
Interesting
@littleninja9515
6 жыл бұрын
GAAAAAAAAAYYY!
Probably not the best c420 tactic... It requires too much time for the short upwind legs.