The frame #
During a regatta you can imagine a diamond between the windward and the leeward buoy: the frame.
This frame designates the limit course from which we make excess course. Within the frame, not all routes are equal, indeed, when tacking we lose some time and speed.
The frame designates the most direct route for the least number of maneuvers
If you want to reach the windward buoy with a single tack, the route taken will be the edge of the frame.
The Tilt #
The wind is rarely stable and sometimes it changes direction a bit during the race: we say it tilts.
When the wind shifts, the frame warps
This tilt changes the frame we saw earlier. This can cause us to be out of frame, meaning we travel more road or are better placed in the new frame.
Watching the tilts is one of the major elements of strategy in regatta.
Ranking #
This frame allows us to define the placement of the racers in relation to the buoy and therefore to define who is better placed.
B is better placed on the frame
Both sailboats are equal