Sorry if anyone thinks I`m dragging this one out a bit. Here`s an image of the race I described in the first post, it`s a map of the Vaal Dam, showing the course. Race organisers call it a 24nm race, I measure 44,967km in a dead straight line around the island and back, assuming NO tacking or gybing, = 24,26nm, or 27,93miles. The dotted line shows the track that almost all the cats followed in order to stay in flat water as long as possible, it measures 49,25km including some tacking, =26,58nm = 30,6 miles. Now, if we take an average of the two that should iron out any discrepancies. 24,26nm + 26,58nm /2 = 25,42nm. The recordholders took 1hour,1min 27sec. Average speed = 24,82nm/h, which is 24,82 knots. Even if they somehow sailed a dead straight course their average speed would have been 23,68knots. I don`t think it will get beaten anytime soon. I believe a cat on a close reach main + jib is faster than spinnaker + main on a broad reach.
