Swim course distance accuracy - How hard is it??

I have used my 305 in 2 races to measure the course.  The first was almost dead on .52 (1/2 mile race) and the other time I did not start it. 

As far as how hard it is to make it exact I would say it is pretty hard.  Even if the course is laid out exact the buoys can move because of currents under the water.  It does not take much to add a hundreds to a triangle.  Plus if when they are making a course, especially a triangle, if the kayak/boat used to make the course does not paddle straight the course could be off.  Remember they don't have lines on the lake floor to direct them.  Also, remember everyone has to do the same course so no one really has an advantage.  The same goes with the bike and run courses.  I have never had a race say 5K an had my watch be exactly 3.11 miles.  It depends on where i run i relation where the course was mapped.

In theory, I agree with you.  I don't actually mind if the course is short or long (I prefer long!), but I do want my time per 100 to be accurate.  Without an accurate course my pace time means nothing...  With today's technology, if its is reasonable to expect that a course be accurate (I still don't know if it's a reasonable expectation), it should be accurate!

As a fairly good swimmer who loses it all on the bike and run, I care a lot about my place and time on the swim.  I even have my family yell out to me my wave place coming out of the water.  Then I have an idea of how quickly and how often I'll be passed during rest of the race!

After future races can you report the course accurace on this thread?

 Can you post the accuracy of swim course of your future tris, to satisfy my curiosity?  The sample of two in this thread suggests that swim courses are indeed accurate!

I agree that we all compete on the same course so accuracy really matter in the end. 

Personally I haven't had any issues with swim course accuracy as my swim splits always come come out close to my expectation.  What got me thinking, though, was the number of experienced triathletes at Timberman (where my swim split was very close to my expectation) who said they expected to be about 3 min faster, suggesting the course might be about 150 meters off.  If they were right, I swam better than I thought!