Optimization for home game advantage

by Heather Mahady, UK Sailmakers
Understanding the racing venue can be one of the most significant advantages for a sailor. Home game advantage exists in any sport, but where a field, court or rink might have distinct differences, there are considerably more variables at play for sailors. The venue is much larger than any arena, and impacted by the local geography, weather patterns, tide and currents. FSI (Fluid–Structure Interaction) analysis is a tool that Pat Considine, lead designer at UK Sailmakers Chicago, uses to optimize new sails for performance, based on where and how a boat is sailed.

Lake Muskegon is a small inland lake located in Western Michigan off the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Pat was in the area for a few deliveries for UK Sailmakers Chicago and was invited to hop aboard J/35 BAD DOG for a Wednesday night club race. Pat knew the owner, Larry Taunt, a long time UK Sailmakers Chicago customer, but had not previously met the rest of the crew. The last time Pat had sailed with the BAD DOG team was back in 2018, when they bought their current UK Sailmakers X-Drive main and jib. – Full report