c14_Jim
Sailing on Shelter Bay
When racing up wind I find most skippers pull the boom into center or near centerline and sail by the telltails on the jib: just keep them barely streaming. I suppose this gets the boat with about a 45 degree angle to the true wind, and the apparent wind much closer, depending on the wind speed. But I wonder under good conditions (say a 10 knot wind with little wave action) if this is the best angle. If one were to bear off a few degrees the speed would increase. Would that compensate for the fact you are heading further away from the mark? If you increase your velocity by bearing off is you velocity made good toward the mark increased or decreased or equal? I suppose it differs in different boats, but does anyone have an idea of what the ideal angle to the apparent wind is in the C14?