Thanks for another fun and exciting hotlap course!
This is a tough one to master with several tight maneuvers to pull out, especially on the FS.
It is all the more stimulating, though
Pre-start: Raise all sails possible from the dock in Ali's Harbour. The time to start-line is short, but with the 21-knot downwind, any boat will gather much speed in the interval to the start.
Course: First leg is an easy broad reach, where you will let your boat reach full speed as you aim towards AHAB's HUNT and Skeleton Island. At the end of the island, don't gybe right away, but go on until at least the next sim cross. Only then will you get an optimum angle towards the buoy at mark #2.
Drop the spin if necessary prior to reaching the buoy so you can cut as short as possible around the mark towards the next buoy. This is a fast leg, on close reach ("bon plein" pour les Frenchies).
At mark #3, we switch to close-hauled, with a tack immediately after the buoy. I tend to push the beats to the limits, here first beat leg goes to the South of Skeleton Island, then I tack towards the coast at DINGERCAT, tacking before the end of ELIJAH sim. I then go all the way to DAGOO, until I am clear to round the mark at FEDALLAH. Depending on the boat, you may want to tack earlier to stay clear of the old vessel in ISHMAEL or the high grounds in RACHEL.
After the Northern buoy at FEDALLAH, you start easing the sheets as you bear down to a beam reach along the race line.
Get ready to raise the spin for the next leg. I do it just before getting clear of the line Southern buoy.
The timing of your gybes will make the difference in this downwind leg. Again, the optimal point will depend on the boat sailed. On the FS, I aim for a 130-135AWA angle (about 155 TWA), which works well for any wind strength. A bit further down with stronger winds, less so with lighter winds. (Check my post about the FS Polars in VWS forum >
FS polars at VWS)
Final leg is coming up as you drop the spin and round the island.
Beware of the seagulls, there are 4-5 of them and they will stop your boat if you hit them. You can sail around widening your course, or aim through them, between the lone one close to shore and the group of 3-4 further out.
Again we are close-hauled to finish the course: straight to the coast again, then 1 tack like we did on leg #3->#4 before a final tack in front of the finish line.
There is usually a little wait on the final simcross before you can cross the line. Nothing to worry about though.
Congrats ! you made it and are ready to start over to improve on those little mistakes you made all along this demanding course
