Rating Details and Polar Chart

What is my target boat speed? How do I know if I am sailing efficiently? nextSailor has a new tool to help you answer these questions: the rating details/polar tool. This tool allows you to compare your boat's performance against the theoretical polar curve for your boat, which is based on the EZ certificate.

To find your polar chart and target boat speeds, simply log in to your nextSailor account and navigate to the "Tools" section where you'll find "Rating Details/Polars". Here, you will see a graph that shows your boat's speed for spinnaker and non-spinnaker based on the true wind speed and angle. You will also see the upwind and downwind target speeds and angles that result in the highest VMG for your boat given the wind velocity.

By comparing your actual boat speed to the target speeds on the polar chart, you can identify areas where you may be underperforming and make adjustments to your sail trim, course, or tactics to improve your performance. This tool is especially useful for sailors who want to optimize their performance and make informed decisions on the water.

Hint: the URL can be shared with others or if you need to refer back to your certificate quickly

Rating Comparisons for Regattas

In addition to the polar chart, nextSailor also offers a rating comparison tool that allows you to compare your boat's rating with other boats in your regatta. This can help you understand how your boat stacks up against the competition and identify potential advantages or disadvantages based on your rating.

To find this tool, click on "Current Entries" for any nextSailor regatta you're registered for, and then click on "Compare".

This tool will give you options to play with the wind range, course configuaration, and more to see how your boat's rating compares to others in the regatta. You can choose if you want to see the numbers in ToD (time on distance) or ToT (time on time) format. By clicking on your boat (or a competitor's boat) you can see the delta in seconds between all the boats in the class. This can help you identify which boats are faster or slower than yours and by how much, giving you insights into potential strategies for the regatta.