Leg Tactics

1. Define a Fair Comparison Scope

Select the same course leg (e.g. Leg 1 upwind or Leg 2 downwind). Leg duration measures how long each boat took to complete that specific leg; arrival timestamp gaps include accumulated delays from earlier legs. Always distinguish leg duration from arrival gap.

2. Read Speed, Distance and Progress Together

1. 01
   1. Direct vs Sailed Distance: a boat that sailed a shorter distance is not always faster if it sailed at a lower speed or compromised VMG.
2. 02
   2. Extra Distance %: percentage of distance sailed beyond direct mark-to-mark line. Measures course efficiency.
3. 03
   3. SOG vs Course VMG: evaluate whether high boat speed translated effectively into progress toward the destination mark.

3. Interpreting Left/Middle/Right Lane Splits

On Leg 1, the fleet is split into Left, Middle, and Right lanes. The favored side is marked only when its average mark 1 arrival rank is >3 places higher. Note: a favored lane explains what happened in this race under local wind shifts, but does not prove that side will always be favored in subsequent races.