My fundamental questions were "Why does a Mystere 6.0 sail closer to the wind with less side slip than a Prindle 19 and a Tornado?" and "Does a Mystere 6.0XL(wider) also out-point the Tornado?"

I don't think those questions are answered on the race course. And if they are, then were do I find another Mystere to race against if the nearest one is on the other side of the Rockies?

I offered my gps track as a conversation piece more than seeking answers to anything. Since I don't race and since nobody around here in Marina Del Rey who can get close to me is ever on the water when I am on the water, I use my gps data to learn from. It's all I have besides the wind, water, waves, and birdies who I can not keep up to.

As far as learning by racing goes, well I guess first you would have to want to race. I'm starting my 24rth year since I started sailing. Okay, I only sailed about 20 of them. But a few weeks ago I crewed on a Tornado in an inverted start race. That was my first catamaran race. It was NOT any more fun, nor as much fun as what the racers refer to as "pleasure sailing."

Yep, I'm a pleasure sailor. And since I principally sail solo, I guess you could get away with some comment about self pleasure.

I've been on race crews on leaners. I'm sorry that I spent as much time with it as I did. I like to sum up leaner racing as this: "Take a look at a picture of all the guys sitting backwards on the edge of a deck; their arms and legs flailing outward. Does that look like a good sport to take part in?"

But I don't need to slam the leaners to make excuses for me not racing. I have no reason to want to race. I get all the pleasure I need from sailing without racing. And I try to go faster, not to beat anyone; just to better myself and have more fun. Racing is good in that sense; that it betters you and adds to the fun. But the traffic and dirty air make it less fun for me.

And when I did race, I was not real happy about the extra bruises and broken boat parts. But at least the parts were not mine and the bruises do heal.

GARY