AC35: Light but raceable? – the 6 knot wind limit explained

TODAY'S FORECAST FOR RACE DAY 2 OF RR2 has improved slightly over night. With a 6-knot lower wind limit in the AC rules, it's going to be right on the cusp. Our Windy.com forecast is showing 7 knots at race time gusting to 10. And our forecasts have been spot on for this entire regatta. Your Ed. has not spoken with Regatta Director Iain Murray (AUS) this morning, so I have no idea what he is thinking. But I am hearing that he will send the teams out on the water and get ready to race, and then Iain will be watching his automated wind-analysis and recording system on the race committee boat. I can attest from AC34 that the wind-measuring protocol they use is quite sophisticated and accurate. Here's the applicable rule from the AC35 Protocol:

32. WIND LIMITS

32.1. AC Class Yachts: Unless the Regatta Director considers conditions too

rough in any case, the warning signal for AC Class Yachts shall only be

made when the approximate average true wind speed is between six (6)

and twenty-four (24) knots for the whole of the period between eight (8)

minutes and three (3) minutes before the start of each race. The wind

speed shall be measured as a rolling (box car) average of one hertz

samples over 30 seconds using a Gill Windsonic on the race committee

signal boat at approximately five and a half (5.5) meters above the water.

Thursday also looks dicey, but Friday looks okay and Saturday quite good.