NO RC that I know deliberately sets a committe favored line.... THEY WANT the boats down the line...
The race committee knows they have set a good line when the racers spread themselves along it. That means they feel it is even. Typically, that means giving a pin-end advantge of 5-10 degrees, but that amount varies by fleet. If the entire fleet bunches up at one end or the other, a good RC will postpone the start and correct the line.
My reading of the guidelines is 1 and 1/2 boats of room per boat
That is the rule of thumb, and the length should also take into consideration wind and current, and the speed of the boats (longer line for high winds, adverse current, or high-performance boats).
RC's should err on the side of a generous line length... not a sqeaky tight line.
We've had opposite experience here. Most RC I've seen tend to set lines that are too long, rather than too short. Either way though, it's better to have the right length. Most skilled Race Committees nowadays use a GPS to set the line.
New racers should be coached about how this game is going to play and advised to pick a spot that is not quite so contested
Excellent advice!
Regards,
Eric
