Adam, Is the wisp stable, building or decaying? No-one has identified that so far. Building, go. Decaying, pass it by. You should know unless you have been at cloud base - watch the sky ahead, not just cloud by cloud.
I broadly agree with some previous comments, but also no-one has mentioned whether it is upwind or downwind (assuming that the direct track has a crosswind component). A mistake (no better air) made after diverting downwind is a bigger mistake. Also no-one has mentioned whether there are other gliders already at the wisp or headed that way - if there are, and they are clearly climbing, then go for it. On some days the cycle may be short, so wisps are used often. Then again, you can be surprised and use a wisp on a bigger day. You have asked a closed question (assuming that if it is more than 30degrees it isn't worth diverting). Some of the previous points may justify greater diversions if very short distances are involved, if upwind/other gliders climbing strongly etc. There is no one simple rule of thumb - there are quite a few, and they have greater or lesser importance on different days. That's why those who fly more generally succeed! (So long as they aren't just repeating themselves). Cheers Bruce Sent from my iPad On 15/03/2013, at 5:42 PM, Adam Woolley <go_soar...@hotmail.com> wrote: > Everyone knows something that another doesn't know in soaring. Trying to > figure out the below, any thoughts from the floor? > > > > The scenario: You've just left a CU, with the cloud direct on track being > your target cloud between 3-5km away with an average climb expected, direct > is blue and normal sink. 30* to your left/right is a whisp, not one that > you'd use to climb in - but one that you could deviate too in order to get > reduced sink or a hundred feet of altitude. > > Do you, go direct through the sinking air, or cover extra track miles to the > whisp that you know you're not going to climb in, but get remarkably reduced > sink (or even a small gain in height)? > > For me, I either always just lose out (more often than not) when getting to > the next CU, or gain a massive advantage with a 1000' height gain on a > competitor in that short cruise. > > Have you got any rough 'rules of thumb' that you use in order to decide if > the short term deviation is worth it or not? > > ie, how can I get to the next CU by beating the other competitors by second a > mile (as G.Moffat would say) if it's possible overall. > > > Cheers, > Woolley > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net > To check or change subscription details, visit: > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
