At a recent regatta the onshore wind required setting the weather mark directly perpendicular to where the skippers were able to stand. To compound the situation the sun was also from the same direction adding the glare and sparkle to help confuse the skippers trying to sail to the mark. Also shifty mostly top of A rig conditions. Many port-starboard collisions, pile ups at the mark, missed mark. Not with novices but with top notch competitors. The mark was 100 yards from shore, so we were tracking our boats about 320 feet away. Directly away with no angle to aid in depth perception. It was a mess.
So I am wondering if we would be better off at Regattas shortening the distance to the windward mark under these conditions to lesson the problems. Perhaps we would have to add an extra lap or an in and out leg to the course to keep the competition lively.
What do you think?