Expected Speed and Elapsed Times for Various Wind Strengths

Example: Race in 5-10 knots wind, course length 8.5 NM, elapsed time 2 hours 10 minutes => 15 minutes per NM => 900 seconds per NM

Wind Velocity

6 knots

8 knots

10 knots

12 knots

14 knots

16 knots

20 knots

Minutes per NM

18.5

15.0

13.1

12.2

11.6

10.9

9.8

Average speed NM per hour [Knots]

3.2

4.0

4.6

4.9

5.2

5.5

6.1

Seconds per NM

1112

900

787

733

696

657

590

Course Length (NM) for Specified Elapsed Times

45 minute race - length (NM)

2.4

3.0

3.4

3.7

3.9

4.1

4.6

60 minute race - length (NM)

3.2

4.0

4.6

4.9

5.2

5.5

6.1

75 minute race - length (NM)

4.0

5.0

5.7

6.1

6.5

6.9

7.6

90 minute race - length (NM)

4.9

6.0

6.9

7.4

7.8

8.2

9.2

120 minute race - length (NM)

6.5

8.0

9.2

9.8

10.3

11.0

12.2

150 minute race - length (NM)

8.1

10.0

11.4

12.3

12.9

13.7

15.3

180 minute race length (NM)

9.7

12.0

13.7

14.7

15.5

16.4

18.3

ORC Expected Speeds for Sailing Angles and Courses

[ Minutes per Nautical Mile ]

TIME ALLOWANCES / SPEED [minutes per NM] for Sailing Angles
Wind Velocity 6 knots 8 knots 10 knots 12 knots 14 knots 16 knots 20 knots
Beat VMG 12.5 10.4 9.3 8.9 8.7 8.3 8.3
52° 8.1 7.0 6.5 6.4 6.2 6.1 5.8
60° 7.6 6.7 6.3 6.1 5.9 5.8 5.5
75° 7.3 6.5 6.0 5.6 5.4 5.3 5.0
90° 7.4 6.6 6.0 5.5 5.1 4.9 4.6
110° 7.8 6.6 5.9 5.5 5.2 4.9 4.1
120° 8.0 6.7 6.0 5.4 5.0 4.7 4.1
135° 9.0 7.1 6.4 5.8 5.2 4.6 3.8
150° 10.8 8.5 7.2 6.5 6.0 5.4 4.3
Run VMG 12.5 9.8 8.3 7.5 6.9 6.3 5.0
Selected Courses
Wind Velocity 6 knots 8 knots 10 knots 12 knots 14 knots 16 knots 20 knots
Windward I Leeward 12.5 10.1 8.8 8.2 7.8 7.4 6.6
Circular Random 10.5 8.5 7.4 6.7 6.3 5.9 5.4
Coastal I Long Distance 12.5 9.5 8.0 7.0 6.5 6.0 5.1
Non Spinnaker 11.4 9.2 8.0 7.2 6.7 6.3 5.7