Head for the Dark Water
Dark, ruffled water is more wind — aim at it and get there before your neighbours, because in an Optimist pressure almost always beats a small shift.
The darker, more ruffled patches upwind are simply more wind, and reaching them is the cheapest speed in sailing. Scan up the course, pick the dark water, and alter course to intercept it before the boats around you do — the first boat into a gust gains the most. Puffs march down the course, so time your move to meet a patch rather than chase one that has already passed. The red ghost holds straight into lighter water and stalls; the green boat angles across, hits the gust first, and pulls clear.
Opens the animation on the boat-length grid — run it well, then brief it from the same picture. Free, no account needed.
What to call out
- Scan upwind for dark ruffled patches and aim at them, because that darker water is more wind and therefore free speed.
- Get into a gust before your neighbours, because the first boat in gains the most before everyone speeds up.
- Notice puffs moving down the course and time your tack to meet them, because intercepting pressure beats chasing it.
- Don't sail out of pressure to chase a small shift, because in an Optimist pressure usually wins.