A probabilistic model for analysing the effect of performance levels on visual behaviour patterns of young sailors in simulated navigation

Abstract

The visual behaviour is a determining factor in sailing due to the influence of the environmental conditions. The aim of this research was to determine the visual behaviour pattern in sailors with different practice time in one star race, applying a probabilistic model based on Markov chains. The sample of this study consisted of 20 sailors, distributed in two groups, top ranking (n = 10) and bottom ranking (n = 10), all of them competed in the Optimist Class. An automated system of measurement, which integrates the VSail-Trainer® sail simulator and the Eye Tracking System^TM was used. The variables under consideration were the sequence of fixations and the fixation recurrence time performed on each location by the sailors. The event consisted of one of simulated regatta start, with stable conditions of wind, competitor and sea. Results show that top ranking sailors perform a low recurrence time on relevant locations and higher on irrelevant locations while bottom ranking sailors make a low recurrence time in most of the locations. The visual pattern performed by bottom ranking sailors is focused around two visual pivots, which does not happen in the top ranking sailor's pattern. In conclusion, the Markov chains analysis has allowed knowing the visual behaviour pattern of the top and bottom ranking sailors and its comparison.

Keywords:

• Behaviour
• motor control
• performance
• testing

Acknowledgements

We thank Francisco J. Moreno, director of the research group APCOM, Research Centre of Sport, University Miguel Hernández, for providing cooperation in this investigation. We also wish to thank Tomás Urbán and Rafael Sabido, who belongs to the same group. We thank Dr Mark Habgood, professor at the University of Melbourne (Australia) and Virtual Sailing Pty Ltd, creators of VSail-Trainer® simulator; Michael Ryan, manager of labor relations of the company Applied Science Laboratories (ASL) for their help in all questions and concerns we had during this project. Likewise we thank High Performance Sports Center Infanta Cristina for the assignment of the installations and San Antonio Catholic University of Murcia for their support in the project. Finally, we thank sailor and coach participation in this research, for their great interest in the scientific and technological development of competitive sailing.

Additional information

Funding

This research was partly supported by the Seneca Foundation Programme for the Generation of Excellence Scientific Knowledge under Project 15220/PI/10.