SAILX for dummies

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SAILX for dummies

• A quick visual guide to SAILX virtual sailing

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Entering the field

• You enter a field by clicking one of the access
  buttons
• Each button will give you access to a different
  field, try one with other people in.
• There are fields dedicated
• For fleet races
• For Events
• For Team races
• For Match races
• The type of boat in any field can change (laser,
  catamarans, skiff or even big keel boats

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When you are in

• If you enter you will see the sailing field,
• PRESS X several times to zoom-out. (Z to zoom in)
• Click with your mouse to center the view

The windward buoys
The gate
The start/finish line
The starting area
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When you are in

• If you enter you will see the sailing field,
• PRESS X several times to zoom-out. (Z to zoom in)
• Click with your mouse to center the view

Boats racing
Boats waiting the next start
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Other important areas

• Left-top of the field you find important things.

The clock, seconds before (red) or after (green)
the start
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Other important areas

• Left-top of the field you find important things.

The windvane, indicates the wind direction with
an arrow and with a number (degrees)
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Other important areas

• Left-top of the field you find important things.

The menu, where you go with the mouse to make
some special actions, for instance Get-a-Boat!
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Get a Boat!

• Go to the menu, Option My Boat, sub-option
  Get-a-Boat
• The option Retire is used to abandon the boat
  (you can also press ESC twice)

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Your Boat

• When you Get-a-Boat your boat will appear at the
  screen center.
• The blue line indicates the wind direction
  (always coming from top-north)
• The green lines marking the 4 best courses, 2
  upwind and 2 downwind. They are also referred as
  space-bar course
• If your boat is NOT on space-bar course a doted
  yellow line appears to show where your boat is
  heading

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Sails control

• There is NO sail control in SAILX, sails are
  always perfectly trimmed,
• Your only control is with the SHIFT key
• SHIFT key toggles between 2 states
• Sails perfectly trimmed, whatever the position of
  boat against the wind
• Sails completeley eased off. Boat will stop if
  upwind.
• The two states are marked with the inside color
• Transparent sails eased, not working
• Solid color sails trimmed

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Rudder control

• SPACE BAR to make the boat go to the BEST/FASTEST
  course
• DOWN/UP arrows to correct the course bearing away
  of wind or luffing

Yellow line over green line! I am sailing too
high and boat will stop, press SPACE BAR to go
fast!
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Rudder control

• SPACE BAR to make the boat go to the BEST/FASTEST
  course
• DOWN/UP arrows to correct the course bearing away
  of wind or luffing

Yellow line under green line! I am sailing low,
faster but Not best upwind, press the SPACE BAR
to go upwind!
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Boat in-irons

• The worst position, boat is facing the wind no
  speed, no control.
• Only one way out Press several times the DOWN
  arrow (to bear away) and the SPACE BAR

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Tacking
B, Im now on a Starboard course

• To pass from A to B, with the wind ahead
• It is a FULL AUTOMATED operation ENTER key
• Boat finishes the tack on the space-bar course

TACK!
A, Im on a starboard course
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Gybes
A, Im PORT

• Like a tack, but with the wind rear
• It is also a FULL AUTOMATED operation ENTER key
• Boat finishes the gybe on the space-bar course

Gybe!
B, Im now a Starboard boat
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Other Keys (S)

• S, will display/hide the shadowing effects
  (blanketting, disturbed air flow)
• Each boat casts a double area (green and gray)
• Try not to enter these areas, your boat will be
  slowed

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Other Keys

• Z and X, very important keys to zoom in and out
• W, to get wind pressure information
• U, to get current (speed and direction)
• A, to center your boat automatically
• I, to display extended info on boats
• P, to raise the protest flag
• O and Q, to do the exonerating spin after your
  boat is found guilty of a collision with other
  boats
• T, to transfer the penalization from another boat
• M, to enter a chat phrase, press M, the phrase
  and ENTER
• F1 gives the list of keys

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The Race Course

• Races are 2 laps windward-downwind
• With a small offset leg upwind
• With a gate downwind
• The race finishes downwind in the same line it
  started

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The Race Course I
3. Round the buoys
4. And downwind to the gate
2. Zig-Zag upwind beat
1.cross the line at t0
0.Wait area
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The Race Course II
6. 2nd beat
7. After rounding again the windward marks Go
direct to finish line
5. Enter the gate thru the middle, exit any tack