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Board » General Discussion » New Blog Site for SOLers



Announcing the opening of solfans.org -- a new blog site by and for SOL fans.
The site will offer in-depth looks at SOL-related subjects including:
-- routers and routing
-- race strategy
-- weather impact
-- VMG/VMC tactics
-- PERF calculations
-- and more....
The site administrators are kroppyer and javakeda.

SOLers who blog, or would like to blog, are invited to become contributors. The solfans crew can help you with the mechanics of getting that first post published.

All SOLers are invited to check out the articles at
solfans.org
Two new blog posts went up today.

Kroppyer posted a guide to his SailOnLine Performance Calculator. The calculator helps skippers determine the PERF cost of a tack or gybe.

My post shows how WINSTON saved time at the end of The Vineyard race by using a VMC heading. Easy to do if you know how.

Check them both out at solfans.org.
In case you haven't noticed, new posts have been published. outlaw started a series, SOL Sailing School, which you should surely check out.

solfans.org

--- Last Edited by kroppyer at 2014-12-04 10:38:32 ---
Excellent ! Thanks for the heads up, and of course thanks to outlaw for sharing a bit of his knowledge to people like me (ever rookie solers)
Another heads up: If you haven't already, check out the new posts on solfans.org. Two amazing, technical race reports from a SOTP view, and outlaw explains more about using VMC, methods that are (in my mind) essential to fully understand small- and midscale racing.

If you have any questions about the posts, don't hesitate to ask, here or on solfans, in the chat or any other way.
More very useful posts as ever: thanks for running this, chaps.

Is this the place to post requests for future articles? (If not, then ignore the rest of this...)

In the excellent intro to qtvlm, the 'final word' section refers to the need for interpretation of the routing created. I was wondering if there could be a follow-up to this guide, showing what is meant by this, what to be looking for, what potential traps blindly following a routing may lead one into, etc.


Many thanks!
Excellent point :) I was (and still am) planning to write more about using QtVLM.

Interpreting the routing results (in combination with other data/forecasts/pilots) is something I don't fully master. I'd be winning more if I did. But I will try and expand on the 'defects' routers have, and what information you can get out of a routing other than the supposed fastest route.
These were really great reads, thank you
outlaw gives some insight in interpreting and understanding router output, here. In this case it's BWR's output, but it'll help you with QtVLM too.

I still hope I find the time to write a follow up on using QtVLM (as I said above), but at least you now have outlaws post to help you with the isochrones :)

--- Last Edited by kroppyer at 2015-01-23 00:02:51 ---

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Welcome to the west coast of Scotland for an 80 nm race around the Isle of Mull. Mull is home to castles, distilleries, and the Highland Games. The race begins just north of Oban in the shadow of Dunstaffnage Castle and after rounding the island finishes down the coast at Crinan. The Twister 28 with its classic long keel is the boat for this race.
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Cross the Convergence 2026 - Cocos to Sagar Island


Kapil Muni, incarnation of Lord Vishnu, founder of the Samkhya school of philosophy, disturbed from his meditation, in his wrath reduced the 60,000 sons of Sagar to ashes, as they dug the earth to retrieve the sacrificial horse that Lord Indra, the king of the Gods, stole off Sagar, thus creating the Sagara (ocean). Aeons later, Bhagiratha, a descendant of Sagara, asked Ganga to cleanse the ashes of the 60,000 princes, and her resultant torrential fall from heaven created the great river and where it met the ocean, the princes’ souls were washed and raised to heaven and Gangasagar (Sagar Island) was formed. So, let us join the pilgrimages to Kapi Muni’s Temple (see above) and race 2400nm from Cocos Island deep in the Sagara thence, in rather rapid Rapido 60s.
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The Vineyard Race 2026


For the 16th consecutive year, our SOLers are invited to tackle this iconic 250nm overnighter. The classic route charges out through the sound, leaves Buzzards Bay Light to starboard, rounds Block Island to starboard, and heads home.

This year's weapon of choice is the Beneteau First 47.7. A proven performer since its 2012 SOL debut, this Farr-designed cruiser/racer excels at leading real and virtual handicap fleets. Success will demand sharp tactical navigation, so watch the polars closely to conquer the sound's shifting winds!
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Shearwater - Rio de la Plata to Irish Sea 2026

Welcome to the fourth leg of our MIG series. This time we're racing the Sooty Shearwater on their migration from the breeding grounds in South America to the northern Atlantic. This is also part of our Ocean Championship, and as such the third race of OCQ3 2026. This race will be sailed in our Gunboat 90. Race #2055
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