Will sailing coaches and yachting journalists be replaced by artificial intelligence engines like ChatGPT?
Much has been written about this new frontier – a bot that analyses language and infers answers from the prompts that it is given.
It’s early days, and the infant brain of the AI is still learning. Sometimes it gets it right and sometimes it is way off. Interestingly, ChatGPT is often at it’s best when the answer is fuzzy.
There was some scepticism about how good the AI would be at providing answers to expert questions. Our hypothesis was that for general prompts it would do well, but could it be as smart as an Olympic gold medal sailor and an expert?
A ‘Head to Head’ Comparison
Just for fun, we took a recent article from Yachting World – 5 Expert tips for leeward mark roundings.
| Yachting World | ChatGPT |
| 1. Prepare the team (4) | 1. Keep a close eye on the wind direction |
| 2. Avoid the slow soak | 2. Position your boat for maximum speed (3) |
| 3. Come in hot (2) | 3. Plan ahead for tacks and gybes (5) |
| 4. Use the current | 4. Communicate with your crew (1) |
| 5. Exit strategy (3) | 5. Stay focused |
Not bad… but ChatGPT missed the ‘slow soak’, does that mean it’s not an expert sailor? Well we asked it specifically – Should you avoid the ‘slow soak’ for leeward mark roundings?
ChatGPT – It depends on the conditions and your strategy. A ‘slow soak’ approach, which involves taking a slower and more direct route to the leeward mark, can be useful in certain conditions when the wind is light or when you want to conserve energy for the rest of the race. However, if the wind is strong or if there is a lot of current, this approach may not be the fastest option and you may need to make quicker, more aggressive moves to stay in control and maintain speed. Ultimately, the best approach will depend on the conditions and your overall strategy for the race, and it’s up to each individual sailor to decide what works best for them.
The Full Answer
The table shows just the headings from each source. We are not going to copy and paste the Yachting World article.. that would be wrong.. but here is the original answer from the AI.
- Keep a close eye on the wind direction: The key to successful leeward mark roundings is to know the wind direction and how it affects the boat’s speed and course. Keep an eye on the wind indicators, such as flags or buoys, and adjust your course accordingly.
- Position your boat for maximum speed: Position your boat to maximize its speed and keep it on the correct course, taking into account the wind direction, wave patterns, and other boats in the vicinity.
- Plan ahead for tacks and gybes: Anticipate tacks and gybes in advance and be prepared to execute them quickly and efficiently. Know the best times to tack or gybe and be ready to respond quickly.
- Communicate with your crew: Good communication is key when rounding leeward marks. Ensure that your crew knows their roles and responsibilities, and that they understand the plan and how they can help achieve a successful rounding.
- Stay focused: Stay focused on the task at hand and maintain a clear, calm demeanor. Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the water, the wind, and your boat. This will help you to stay on course and make quick decisions when necessary.
So maybe some of us do have reason to be worried about being replaced? Those who need to come up with 300 words to meet an arbitrary content deadline.
But for now, ChatGPT can only tell. It can’t show and it can’t do. It can’t watch you put the strategy into practise and tell you where you ‘went wrong’ – yet. If you have ever watched Good Will Hunting, you will know that memorising every book in the world is no substitute for experience.
Most of the imagery on this website is also AI generated. So just for fun we asked the Midjourney AI to draw a sailboat performing a leeward rounding and this is what it came up with.
