Sport Today

Back in the early nineties, Ken Winner used to include efficiency as one
of the criteria for scoring his speed checks. He had anemometers at the
start and finish of the course, so that a  windspeed average on course
could be computed for each run .I know that the winners for efficiency
were running speeds of at least 220% of the average windspeed (2.2 X), I
believe someone did 240% at one event I participated in at Floras Lake.
Does anyone have any hard data on how much improvement has been made in
these figures over the last 5-6 years? Back then, efficiency ratings
plummeted dramatically once windspeeds got to 20 knots or even a bit
less, a lot of that was due to rougher water.What kind of  results are
being observed by those of you with Speedmates or other reasonably
reliable measurement capabilities? We all know that sails, boards, fins,
and masts have improved, but by how much?
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 Charlie Escher // Beautiful Bingen, Washington
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That is a very interesting subject, I had never heard of those efficiency
ratings before. Probably the best way to make a relation between the
improvements in speed and technology (see if it was worth spending those
$3000.- on new "hi-tech" gear). But off course would only work if the
sailor has not improved his sailing skills since the early nineties.

Francois

Tom O'Brien - Chicago