I would recommend to anyone. New or Old to get Catamaran Racing for the 90's (sailing since 79 and get something new in head everytime I read it. I gave dog eared one to grand daugher and got a new copy. Also get and use the Drills Book. We are going to use it this season to practice, plus going to set a small course up ever weekend. As anyone will tell you about anything repetitive (band, saling, singing, football etc). PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, nothing beats time on the boat.
It's a little late for this, and sorry if somebody already said it, but if you want to do 200 tacks and 200 gybes, it will take 200 figure of eights, not 50. If you do them on beam to beam, it will take 100 to do 200 tacks, and another 100 to do 200 gybes. If you do them upwind/ downwind, you will do 1 tack and 1 gybe per eight, it will take 200 again....
You're right, in that each beam-on figure 8 will take two tack OR two jibes. However, sailing windward/leeward, each 8 will take two tacks AND two jibes. See attachment.
OK, my bad, I stand corrected and thanks for pointing it out. I was trying to make 200 a less daunting number.
I've learned from coaches that making practice first mandatory (every time out) for students is necessary for improvement. Coaches cant be on the water whenever the sailing opportunity arises for a student and quality practice can easily be ignored for "fun" sailing. It is amazing how little time and increasing efficiency will be used to accomplish a required practice task to begin the fun that much sooner.
I was trying to make 200 a less daunting number.