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© ISAF Race Officials Manuals ISAF RACE MANAGEMENT MANUAL November 2011

there is a suggestion that a 5 degree port bias is desirable. Reading the text for dinghy starts and applying it to IOM yachts it suggest a length in meters of the number of entrants for the race. So,16 boats equals 16 meters/metres.RA class would be 32 metres.What's your opinion and or advice regarding bias angle and length of start line,please?

Terry

Terry, a slight pin end bias is normally preferred in full size for a couple of reasons.

1) Some competitors are incapable of working out any minor bias and will start at the windward end regardless.

2) On a square line boats starting at the windward end have a starboard tack advantage, depending on line length, bias to the pin starts to negate this.

3) For full size the windward end is normally occupied by a committee boat, if the line is square or has any windward bias, being on the committee boat can be like taking your life in your hands, i have witnessed committee boats being holed on three separate occasions by barging boats getting it wrong!

The actual amount of bias required to give a fair start really depends on the length of line and other factors, at some of our venues we are constrained in certain wind directions and obviously these factors need to be taken into account.

I haven't acted as a PRO at a ranking or national event, all i can say is that start line length at the 2014 IOM nationals and 2015 IOM Northern district ranking seemed as good as you could get in at times tricky conditions.

Hopefully either Chris Harris or Peter Stollery could advise further on what has worked for them.