Downwind side by side

[Jackdaw]

was referring to you being in the zone. I had watched it with the sound off the first time and didn't hear you yell for mark room. Evidently he gave you enuff, but it looked tight to me right at the mark.

Once you enter the zone with mark room nothing can turn that off. He knew the rule, but didn’t think we’d drive up his transom. That’s why I ended up calling.

 

[PaulK]

On the final gybe (before the 3-length circle) it might have been advantageous to flip the boom over sooner & call starboard? That might have moved him over a bit more and put him further behind at the mark.

 

[Jackdaw]

On the final gybe (before the 3-length circle) it might have been advantageous to flip the boom over sooner & call starboard? That might have moved him over a bit more and put him further behind at the mark.

Not a bad thought. We could have jibed for sure, but I was OK with just getting into the zone with room. Part of that is due to our short crewed maneuver preferences; we like a windward douse on port because the kite goes back up the same way it came down. We don't have to re-run or re-setup anything. We drop on starboard and we have to re-run everything.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

On the final gybe (before the 3-length circle) it might have been advantageous to flip the boom over sooner & call starboard? That might have moved him over a bit more and put him further behind at the mark.

That was my thought as you did gybe right after the spin pole was released (before actual take-down). You then DID have stbd while the Merit was holding their boom still on port tack. I guess I'm not clear when you were in the zone. It didn't seem to me that you were within 3 boat lengths until just a bit later, when it was clear that the Merit had to move over.
I guess it all came together right at the time when you entered the "zone" so it really doesn't matter. It really just looks like the Merit was trying to bait you into making a wrong move and they were forced to flinch at the end.

 

[Jackdaw]

That was my thought as you did gybe right after the spin pole was released (before actual take-down). You then DID have stbd while the Merit was holding their boom still on port tack. I guess I'm not clear when you were in the zone. It didn't seem to me that you were within 3 boat lengths until just a bit later, when it was clear that the Merit had to move over.
I guess it all came together right at the time when you entered the "zone" so it really doesn't matter. It really just looks like the Merit was trying to bait you into making a wrong move and they were forced to flinch at the end.

We entered the zone at about 1:20. He had taken us up a bit just before that, to the point were I knew we would jibe the boom after we turned to the mark. At that point I could have taken them up, but the risk/reward was not there. Key was a clean rounding and an orderly boat going upwind.

 

[Apex]

....... Key was a clean rounding and an orderly boat going upwind.

YES! Key to winning races 90% of the time, is not worrying about messing with others, rather keeping yourself fast. I have often picked up several positions passing a couple of boats battling each other.

 

[Jackdaw]

YES! Key to winning races 90% of the time, is not worrying about messing with others, rather keeping yourself fast. I have often picked up several positions passing a couple of boats battling each other.

For sure. Even with the excitement of the rounding, 20 seconds after we get on our upwind line the bow is ready, clear to tack, with the spin ready to go for the next hoist. The bowman can come sit on the rail, keep the boat flat and help with tactics. So often I see a boat do a crappy rounding and the bowman spends the entire upwind re-running spin gear and then repacking the kite. Slow.

 

[All U Get]

YES! Key to winning races 90% of the time, is not worrying about messing with others, rather keeping yourself fast. I have often picked up several positions passing a couple of boats battling each other.

That's why the old boat with bimini, wind, gen, and solar panels can get around the racing boats without being noticed. Of course we don't do DDW because its so slow.