Climbing the Atlantic in NE’ly trade winds there are two basic options, to stay close to the wind and sail a higher angle at around 12-15kts boatspeed as Charlie Dalin is doing or to keep the bow down a bit and sail faster as Louis Burton and Yannick Bestaven are doing. The difference in compass course is about 10 degrees but that has already developed a lateral separation of more than 200 miles between the leader Charlie Dalin (Apivia) and Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée).
Dalin will work the inside of the curve, formed first as his trade wind is lifting him to sail a higher angle, his being around 70-80 degrees, Burton at 90 degrees, beam reaching. And the boat on the outside of the curve is sailing faster but a longer distance. But the two should meet up close to each other somewhere just south of the Azores
