Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » Sailonline Yacht Club » Possible Feature

Still pretty new here so maybe this has been addressed before. If not, perhaps I risk painting a target on my back and handing out arrows at the same time BUT, has anyone considered adding currents to SOL? I fear it would add a magnitude of complexity to coding and sailing but it would make races like Newport/Marion to Bermuda race a realistic, challenging race.

*looking for a rock to hide under*
Hi bc!

Welcome to SOL! Hope you are enjoying the experience. No worries, quivers are empty.
I may have even asked this question when I first joined (and lived to tell the tale!)
;-)

There have been past discussions re: adding currents as yet another challenging variable to the simulation. I can't speak for the SOL Admin Team but, as you rightly guessed, adding those elements AND maintaining the realism we enjoy on SOL for polars, weather, navigation, etc. would be far too much computer resource.

Again, welcome to the fleet.
I will look for your transom ahead of me in coming races!

SP
In a way I think I'm glad. I have enough trouble with the wind for now. I'm happy the quiver's empty though, how about the blunder buss.

Thanks for the welcome.
You are right that this has been discussed before (and often). According to AGage, the server load is not the problem. It is getting the information in a format that can be loaded in to the client (like the NOAA gfs files for weather.
Another is we need an angel to allow the likes of Kalle, Brain, AG, Richard Price...etc the time to write the code. And to pay for the server. As it is, the folks who join SYC barely cover the cost with SYC dues.
Excellent reasons, though I think the current data is available in grib files. More important is the Angel and Financing. I sure know that story. I maintain a server now at an 80% loss. Those writing the code should be compensated somehow.
Of course, having brought up this subject for the purpose of proposing a Bermuda Race, I now realize that the biggest reason for following the Gulf Stream in that race is because of the effect of the wind at the boundary. *DUH* So in the virtual world, with wind data that is universal across the fleet, the need for current and temperature is really unnecessary.
It also greatly complicates:
a) The client - having to display the currents. Also is more data to download, and TBH we could already do with allowing more wx data, especially for large courses like SWR etc
b) Routing - which is possibly the biggest issue, as it not only increases the gap between those who use routing software and those who don't, but also between the various routers as not all (especially free ones) handle input of currents and waves for the purposes of routing.

There is a FAQ entry in the manual regarding currents - which points out that currents have been tried and dismissed as appropriate for SOL.
I help develop the client interface for the best online ocean racing sim there is... __/)/)_/)__

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Manilla to Calbayog 2024

After six years, we welcome you to the race created by sassy63 for the second time. He takes us to the Philippines to race around islands on a 380 nm course. We sail the Italia 14.98 and in Calbayog we'll enjoy our well-deserved Palatan dish and drink it with San Miguel.
Race #1803
INFO from brainaid.de
Italia 14.98 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
ARQ2 - ARCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Apr 22nd 17:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Jakob's Birthday BBQ Race 2024


Sailonline had two founders and Jakob, the more senior of the two, has his birthday in April which we always like to celebrate with a race through the Stockholm Archipelago from Revengegrundet Lighthouse to his mooring at Baggensfjärden. Traditionally also, like other celebrations this time of year, this feast has been “moveable”, so on this occasion we will be racing on a Wednesday in one of our latest high-performance 40-footers, the Carkeek 40. Please join us then for this always tricky 30nm race. Grattis på födelsedagen Jakob!
Race #1794
INFO by brainaid.de
Carkeek 40 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
RACE CLOSE: Wednesday,
April 24 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Apr 20th 14:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Melbourne to Osaka Prelude 2024

Welcome once again to what these days is Sailonline’s almost annual virtual Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race. In real life, this double-handed 5500 nm race between these two sister cities, one deep in the southern hemisphere, the other high in the northern hemisphere, is run every four to five years, and is planned to be held again in 2025, so this race is a Prelude in partnership with the Melbourne Osaka Cup 2025 organising committee collaborating with the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV), and the Sandringham (SYC) and Osaka Hokko (OHYC) yacht clubs. On this occasion, we’ll be racing the well-known First 40, a popular size of boat for a long-distance double-handed race. With the doldrums unavoidably lying across the track, you can expect to be at virtual sea for at least a month!
Race #1669
INFO by brainaid.de
First 40 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Apr 20th 00:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

St Nazaire Chasse TIMED Race 2024

Welcome to a "chasse" (hunt) from St. Nazaire to La Baule on the west coast of France! This race was designed by SOLer FR_flouflou in 2010. The KER 40 was introduced to SOL in 2016 by SOLer psail, and the Sol-KER was a welcome addition to SOL’s fleet of 40- footers, as it was to the IRL Ker fleet of eponymous - like KERonimo, KukuKERchu and Ice BreaKER. This is a TIMEDrace, so you may RE-REGISTER HERE to try again, after finishing a run. You will have 13 days and 11 hours to show your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #1797
INFOby brainaid.de
Ker 40 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ2 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
27 April at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Apr 14th 12:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Cape Town to Auckland 2024


Welcome to the second leg of this Round The World series 2024. It's also the April edition of this year's ocean race championship. The course is the same as the one sailed in 2023, but this year we sail the iconic Swan 65, as suggested in the concluding RTW race last year.
Prepare yourselves for an epic 30-day journey, navigating through the unpredictable waters of the South Seas. It's essential to take care of provisioning to ensure a smooth and enjoyable race experience. With the longer duration, we anticipate plenty of opportunities for camaraderie, competition, and unforgettable memories.
PRIZE: SMPF
Race# 1789
INFO from brainaid.de
Swan 65 PARTICULARS
WX updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ2 - RTW - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Apr 01st 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Pit8008
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member FreyjaUSA
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member sassy63
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member bonknhoot
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Vida_Maldita
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CollegeFund
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client