Pointing ability of schooners ?

I have this photo taken by Onne Van Der Wal on my desk calender at the moment. It is titled - "Close racing amongst the classics, (L-R) Windrose, Ranger and Velsheda at the Antigua Classic Regatta, 2004".

Now, in Europe we don't know a lot about schooners, but there is something about this photo that has been troubling me for the past month. Are they all really on the same course ? If so, is Windrose's pitiful pointing because she is a schooner, or because she is badly sailed or have Ranger and Velsheda got so absorbed in a pissing match they have over stood the mark?

Just curious.

 

If you look at Windrose's wake it looks like she has just born away 30 degrees. Looks like she was pointing in the same direction as the others before.

I would imagine though, that a schooner can't, in general, pont as high but generates a bit more power.

 

Schooners don't point as well as sloops(duh) but that is way too extreme to account for the difference in heading. Either they are hunting cleaner air or they have a different plan on the mark approach? Possibly giving up a little ground so as not to end up in a position to be pushed into a tack by sloops approaching from behind or maybe they are overtaking and avoiding the same?

Beautiful shot of a really fun race and venue.

 

Yes, I agree it looks most likely that the schooner has just begun to bear off the wind, taking a slightly different approach to the mark. Could be planning to carry more speed into the mark turn, setting up for the best angle downwind, just avoiding traffic, hard to tell in a single photo, an isolated moment in time.

Reminds me of series photos of spinnaker blowouts or broaches. The first photo in the series always shows the boat sailing peacefully, everything OK, no hint of the chaos to follow.

By the way, the photo is beautiful!

 

The shot is taken just off Pigeon Pt. beach which is the starting area for many of the races, so it's quite possible that the three boats are not, in fact, racing yet.

 

It seems to me Windrose is, for whatever reason, not following the course of Ranger and Velsheda. All sails seem to be well eased out.
Probably Ranger and Velsheda are involved in a duel. The two boats in the background seem to be pointing somewhat less.
Cheers.

 

Pointing abilities...

Difficult to judge from a static shot - but I'd say Windrose was sheering off to avoid either a collision with, or being sandwiched between Ranger and Velsheda. Two or three shots later would make matters clear.