A sailing dinghy simulator was developed that recreated the task of sailing
in the laboratory. The simulator comprised the deck of a sailing dinghy, a
pivoting support frame, a control system, instrumentation, a mathematical
model of sailing dinghy dynamics and a computer simulation with rams were u
sed to apply motion feedback. Estimated dinghy performance data were calibr
ated using on-water recordings of boat speed. A sailor's ability in sailing
to windward was assessed using the simulator. The sailor performed typical
sailing tasks, including tacking, hiking and judging laylines, and their a
ctivities were recorded for subsequent analysis. It was found that the simu
lator successfully simulated dinghy sailing and that the recorded data were
useful for analysis of sailor performance. The simulator may be used in th
e training and assessment of sailors, ranging from the raw beginner through
the experienced sailor.