
Post by
YourMomSA | 2019-10-30 | 12:03:23
It depends on how fast the shift is occurring. If it's going through fast, you can use two straight lines because ideal won't require VMG TWA very long. If it's going through slowly, then the sub-optimal straight line will hurt more, especially upwind where you'll be pinching for a while.
I think if you're considering more than two straight lines, then at least one leg should be VMG TWA. In the image at the start of this thread, straight, then VMG, then gybe straight into a straight line. It can work... but then timing is critical.
Anyway... since the speed of the shift matters, I don't think there's any clean way to lay it out.
It also depends on the boat's polars (ie, how sensitive is the boat, in those conditions, to sailing beyond the optimal TWA). One trick that can help is to look at the red line in Zezo... If its dots line up ok with the isochrones, then sailing a straight line to the gybe won't hurt much. But if the red lines' dots fall behind, then sailing a straight line to the gybe (or tack, where it's usually worse) will hurt. That trick doesn't work as well exiting the maneuver though.