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Introduction to this Guide to Course Setting

These are a selection of courses that are commonly set, they are not exhaustive and
can be varied, they give a general idea of the best options.

Bear in mind that:
• These are diagrammatic with the marks in a fixed position in the diagrams
• You will most probably have to move them to get the course to work on the
water

• The length of the legs will depend on the wind strength, given the
requirements of either a pursuit race or an average lap race

This guide is divided into five sections:
1. Setting the start and finish line
2. Pursuit Race Courses
3. Average Lap Course
4. Triangular Courses
5. Windward / Leeward Courses

Preparation

You should give yourself at least an hour before the race start time, ideally one and a
half hours. This will give you time to study the wind, see which way the wind shifts
are, for example:
• STEADY - consistent direction with little fluctuation

• VEERING - clockwise from where it is blowing, i.e.: from North to East or
• BACKING - anticlockwise, i.e.: from North to West
whether the strength is consistent, dropping or gusting. How long the shifts last for
and whether it goes back to a mean direction.
Try and look at the weather forecasts before you leave home and get an idea of what

the forecast is. There are several which are good:
• Windguru https://www.windguru.cz or Google ‘windguru’
• XC Weather which is an iPhone app