What about an "ice yacht"?? small but fast?

OR a blowkart www.blowkart.com

Then we could do the actual course the skaters do, perhaps just needing canals slightly wider.




--- Last Edited by NZL_PaulR at 2012-02-05 18:26:59 ---

IRL when sailing in "foreign" waters, one does NOT always get the latest forecasts. It happens.

Not all forecasts are accurate, just guesses, good guesses but still guesses based upon lots of data and modeling.

So reliance upon the forecast to be exact is a falsehood. One problem is that too much SoL racing can lead one to expect the same IRL at sea. Some random factors need to exist, otherwise SoL will de-generate into a route plotter cheque book scenario where route planner "A" is bigger, faster and costs more than planner "B" etc.

Previously I have commented that SoL's precision is unreal e.g. a compass course set to 1/100th of a degree. IRL one can't sail within 5 degrees of a nominated course.

I can understand the different feelings about Baltic forecasts being unreliable in schedule times which naturally upsets the Germanic and Scandavian desires for precision. Perhaps a South Pacific Island view point of having to wait for the next coconut to fall down before you get another refreshing drink can be just too hard to understand.

Relax, have a settling rum or three, and hurry up and wait.

Forrest Gump (film) said "Shit Happens".

Cheers

(Ducks for cover to avoid upset Europeans)

BANG!!!

Problem with terrorists and those who suggest high treason is a warning shot between the eyes.

One of the great beauties and benefits of SoL is that the racing IS in REAL TIME WITH REAL WEATHER. This allows those who live near a race have the benefit of local weather information from the local TV, Radio or newspaper etc. This add a nice little realism.

This same information is available to all via the internet, just a few searches away.

Personally I enjoyed seeing the Italian weather forecast data available during a race last year around the islands south of the Italian mainland, thanks to somebody's helpful post in chat. Otherwise I would never have seen the way they present their weather. Likewise in NZ we can watch the TV for Sydney Hobart and The NZ races.

We can all learn something. So NEVER use FALSE or DELAYED weather.

--- Last Edited by NZL_PaulR at 2012-01-30 08:13:08 ---

My apologies Rod.

Yes I can understand the pre-start tactical positioning could be interesting, if an advantage could be gained for the race. Certainly the keenest awake at starting time will enjoy but many others asleep or working will have set DCs.

I also agree with you, that any inport around the buoys should be included in the SoL course, to achieve SoL's stated realism aim.

--- Last Edited by NZL_PaulR at 2012-01-21 23:25:54 ---

Rod: On your first post in this thread you stated:
"I've an idea for how to run a match racing series that hopefully would not add much to admin or server requirements."

Match racing is boat against boat, just as in AC finals etc.

So 2 boats racing in SoL would be boring and so I wondered what would happen if your opposition failed to start. All over rover, nothing achieved, no result.

I do accept your wishes to have a chance of winning, with tactics between boats being a more major factor than simple boat speed. Unfortunately SoL does not do this currently. Therefore if there were only a few boats racing then if one could cover, tack to force them further away from marks etc as IRL, then that would certainly be interesting to try.

As a compromise, a small fleet of say 10 boats, would make a very competitive scenario. It could even become a ladder type event where the first, second and third boats move up into the next round until a final race of less than 10 starters; others being eliminated.

In simple terms it could be as close to match racing as SoL can get to practically and without major programming development. Each division would be like a different class of boats, just like the Tall Ships recent races where one could choose a type of boat to race.

The only alternative is to follow what we Kiwis (NZL_boats) have already been doing in the past years and have a national prize of a bottle of rum for first in the major races. Then one forgets about the rest of the world, and concentrates solely on beating the kiwi nearest to you. It becomes close match racing for real except the getting cold and wet stuff!!!

An interesting idea Rod.

One consideration would be a "local noon" start for boats all flying the same flag, therefore that "Nation based" division would have the same start time.

Then again a local "noon" or 1200hrs may not suit people who may prefer an evening after work time e.g. 1800 or 2000.

Problem comes when people are racing under their national flag, but IRL are working, visiting, living etc in some oher country.

This would then suggest divisions based upon what time Zone one is or wishes to be in.
This would create say 27 divisions as we in NZ are currently GMT/UTC+13 so some where there may be some in Alaska who may be in GMT/UTC-13 and with GMT/UTC of "Zero" could create my 27 divisions.

IRL most yacht races are utterly chaotic prior to the start gun and magically they all line up nicely. It is about the only sport I know that does not get all the starters in a neat straight line to start. Most races over my many years would have all starters away within a few minutes, with a common maximum of say 5 minutes. Further most start lines are relatively short, under 1nm in length and so SoL's start "circle" works, given that most races are over 100nm.

If there was to be development time on prestart tactics and monoeverings, then perhaps introducing a 3 boat length "ZONE" around each boat to follow the IRL RRS giveway rules could be more useful of those resources. If you go into that "zone" the boat in error has NOT given way and some penalty (TWA=0 for x minutes) could be imposed. Of course a NO PROTEST clause may be needed.

Perhaps then having divisions based on say groups of 10 boats in each start could provide some "match" racing scenarios. Each division could be at 5 minute starts, as IRL, and with normal late and non starters, many divisions might shrink to say 7 boats, giving closer match racing tactics an opportunity to shine. Having only 2 boats in a match race will be disappointing when your oponent does NOT START. Hence my suggesting 10 entries per division.

Some thoughts to ponder and considering all new ideas "IS" worth while.

Great info & screen shot. Far more interesting and informative than the current SoL sea area plain colours of white or nighttime black.

Even reading the notes around the edges of the charts (on the land) is informative.

Thanks.

--- Last Edited by NZL_PaulR at 2012-01-09 20:45:48 ---

I think 76T has UNDERSTATED the number of groundings by a factor > 100!! LOL!!

Ok I understand you better. I realise I can "write" down my SoL position and then "plot" that position by opening that charting program and see my manually plotted position on the charts that I have imported.

What I was wanting was the background within SoL, instead of Sol's background.

I do not know how to "automatically" have the chart appear in SoL or the Sol Data, (wind info, course predictor, other boats positions appear on the chart, other than manually plotting.

I read that your program can import / link into Google Earth.
Have you done this?
How accurate is the Calibration, especially with SLI's?

Thanks Tempest. I accept all that. It is now up to the SoL masters to decide priorities for programming time and resources. (See other thread).

I know I hate looking at a black screen for night and white for day for all the seas we sail. Having the option of looking at the "REAL" marine charts is so much better than even the Google Earth Sea of blue.

Even if shaded for depths, I still wonder at the accuracy of such interpretation without the accuracy IRL we expect from a proper chart. I would not want to trust my life to such shading by an unknown source and quite possibly by non-sailor lowly paid artist of doubtful ability.

By contrast, studying real marine charts as we sail virtually, may prepare somebody somewhere with some knowledge that may save a life sometime. We may never know who, where or when, but if we never try, we already know we have failed.

Fair winds and smooth seas to all.