The problem with sitting in is yes you can go low but you're going slow. When a puff hits you don't have any righting moment to accelerate with it, instead you have to turn down really early.



Depends. Sometimes I was faster and lower. Sometimes I was same speed and same angle, sometimes higher. Most of the time I think it is beneficial to trap downwind when conducive to the conditions. In heavy air its a last resort for me. I can't handle the boat well enough, so any gains I make, I lose due to screwing up. For the most part gains are to be had trapping. You get your speed up, the apparent wind moves around, and you go low and fast.




Tim- a couple of things are going on in that video at 2:38. First you see the Lynch's come through and they are sitting way too far back, but have decent speed. The next shot is me coming through, and I'd bet I'm hot on his heels, so in roughly the same conditions. I'm going about the same angle, my weight is forward a bit and the boat is sitting flat, but I'm hauling the mail.

I wonder if that's the race I had to go back and hit the offset?