Is there anyone on this forum who atended bothe the M/1OR Worlds last year and the IOM Worlds this year?

If so I would be very interested to read their opinion on the windward gates used:

M/10R: inside out gate with offset marks on both sides of the gate

IOM: outside in gate

In particular I wish to know if, in your opinion, different gates:

• reduce the number of incidents at the windward mark;

• distribute or concentrate the fleet at the start of the run;

• allow boats to bail out if they mis-mis-judge the lay line, or which to avoid a congested mark

• facilitate the work of the observers and umpires;

• facilitate the setting of fair courses.

As a judge/umpire a both events I have a personal opinion which I wil reveal if this thread has some replies. I may well be that my opinion will be very different ffrom that of competing sailors.

No PRO/umpire experience from me, not even that much RC sailing. My racing is typically a single spreader, though an outside-in was also used at our Open this weekend.

One thing I sense though is that the efficacy of any method can still be upset by the angles. It's not always practical - esp. at events lesser than the Worlds kinda level - to be moving marks constantly, but a heavily shifting wind can result in laylines wandering such that any method can end up messier than the 'theory'. And of course the distances between multiple marks, and even distance/bearing from Control Area. A degree of 'horses for courses' perhaps, or [apologies for any earworms] 'it aint what you do, its the way that you do it'..?