ThunderChicken - NOR971
Sailing performance analysis for a Express (series year 1978), built by Albin and designed by Peter Norlin.
Data provided by the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC) · Certificate issued 07/05/2026
As a comfort cruiser, this boat prioritizes ease over speed. It achieves 5.3 knots upwind in 10 knots of wind, but downwind performance lags at 4.8 knots in the same conditions. The symmetric spinnaker helps, yet it's not enough to keep pace with faster boats when running. The sail plan is well-balanced, with a jib that pairs nicely with the mainsail.
Sailing performance as a polar diagram
A polar diagram shows boat speed at different wind angles and wind speeds. The distance from center represents boat speed in knots, and the angle represents the boats angle to the wind. The wind speed is shown as true wind speed (TWS), not apparent wind speed. Likewise, the wind angle is shown as true wind angle (TWA), not apparent wind angle.
Beat: Sailing upwind (toward the wind)
Beam Reach: Sailing across the wind
Run: Sailing downwind (away from the wind)
VMG Performance
Wind Speed (columns): True wind speed (TWS) in knots - the actual wind speed, not the apparent wind you feel on deck.
VMG (Velocity Made Good) is your effective speed toward your destination, not your actual boat speed.
Beat VMG (top bars): Speed made good when sailing upwind. Higher is better - it means you're reaching the windward mark faster.
Run VMG (bottom bars): Speed made good when sailing downwind. Higher is better - it means you're reaching the leeward mark faster.
Measured sails
Measurements
🏁 Race Results 🥈3 🥉6
| Date | Event | Result | Class | Skipper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ||||
| 29.04.2026 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 4/20 | Høst Liten klasse | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 29.04.2026 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 3/15🥉 | Vår Liten klasse | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 29.04.2026 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 3/20🥉 | Langbane liten klasse | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 29.04.2026 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 3/21🥉 | KM Liten Klasse | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 2025 | ||||
| 30.04.2025 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 4/21 | NOR rating 1 høst | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 30.04.2025 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 4/21 | NOR Rating 1 Vår | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 30.04.2025 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 2/6🥈 | Express høst | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 30.04.2025 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 2/6🥈 | Express vår | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 30.04.2025 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 4/21 | Langbane Klasse 1 | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 30.04.2025 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 5/19 | Klubbmesterskap klasse 1 | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 30.04.2025 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 3/6🥉 | Klubbmesterskap Express | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 30.04.2025 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser | 2/6🥈 | Langbane Express | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 2024 | ||||
| 07.08.2024 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser Høst | 3/6🥉 | Express | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
| 24.04.2024 | Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser Vår | 3/6🥉 | Express | Erĺend NIKOLAÌSEN |
Race results from manage2sail.com & sailracesystem.no
Identity
Dimensions
Sail Areas
ORC Rating
Rated boat speeds
| Wind Speed (TWS) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 kt | 6 kt | 8 kt | 10 kt | 12 kt | 14 kt | 16 kt | 20 kt | 24 kt | |
| Beat VMG | 2.08 | 2.97 | 3.60 | 4.03 | 4.26 | 4.34 | 4.37 | 4.35 | 4.20 |
| 52° | 3.27 | 4.53 | 5.35 | 5.78 | 6.00 | 6.10 | 6.15 | 6.18 | 6.14 |
| 60° | 3.52 | 4.77 | 5.56 | 5.93 | 6.15 | 6.27 | 6.33 | 6.39 | 6.37 |
| 75° | 3.69 | 4.92 | 5.69 | 6.06 | 6.30 | 6.48 | 6.62 | 6.75 | 6.80 |
| 90° | 3.61 | 5.00 | 5.84 | 6.23 | 6.44 | 6.58 | 6.80 | 7.12 | 7.30 |
| 110° | 3.64 | 5.04 | 5.90 | 6.34 | 6.67 | 6.98 | 7.24 | 7.60 | 7.88 |
| 120° | 3.50 | 4.86 | 5.78 | 6.26 | 6.63 | 7.00 | 7.39 | 8.06 | 8.56 |
| 135° | 3.04 | 4.34 | 5.31 | 6.01 | 6.41 | 6.78 | 7.18 | 8.24 | 9.80 |
| 150° | 2.49 | 3.65 | 4.67 | 5.52 | 6.09 | 6.46 | 6.81 | 7.64 | 8.92 |
| Run VMG | 2.15 | 3.16 | 4.05 | 4.81 | 5.49 | 5.96 | 6.32 | 6.97 | 7.81 |
Boat speed (knots) at wind angle / wind speed