Autopilot set.....

[Phoenix of Hamble]

nope..... but plenty of bandits in here..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[BrendanS]

Is there any way to find boats, or do you have to keep moving the mouse over the boats until you find a name you recognise?

 

[BrendanS]

good fun innit! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

yep.... when the tracker is working on the main website, you can search by boat name, but its off line at present....

Quite agree.... good fun..... but frighteningly addictive!..... been at the office all day, and can't install app on my work machine, so been worrying all day about where I was laying and wondering how i'd sort out a tack if it became neccessary.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Just found you Brendan.... what angle are you sailing to the wind?.... looks very high.....

 

[BrendanS]

You asking me? I'm a powerboater, I don't bother about wind, just the 44knts I get in my face! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If you mean that TWS thing, then it's 5.3, and speed is 7.1

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

no, I mean TWA.... if you look at the polar diagram, it'll show you the combination of boat speed, and VMG..... fast is good, but not if its in the wrong direction!

You ideally want to maximise VMG.... if you open the polar diagram, and then click on the course adjusting icon at the top, you can see the effect on VMG as you move the mouse around...

In these fresher winds you want to be sailing between 39 and 42 degrees TWA (or obviously -39 to -42 if you are on the other tack)

 

[BrendanS]

I've been using that diagram. That course has me on max vms, and says 1000% performance

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

1000%????...... phew.... thats another place i've lost then.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

another factor to consider is that a course of a few degrees either way may give you the same VMG, but different boat speeds..... useful if you want to get across to more wind quicker, or stay around in wind where you already are longer, but not at the expense of sailing a poor direction wrt VMG

 

[fireball]

I don't think the % performance is much of an indicator Brendan - you need to look at your VMG .... but only when your course is either direct upwind or downwind .. if it is a reachy course then you have to make your own calcs....

 

[BrendanS]

I think my software is broken. Doesn't matter what direction I choose with the direction icon (do you mean the one that lets you put a red line on the chart?) pretty much nothing happens on the perfomance plot to TWA and boat speed. Though the little circle on the plot shows the direction change.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

The figures in brackets (after the actual performance) show what the new VMG/boat speed/etc would be......

 

[BrendanS]

ah right. Box was too small, now I've resized it, I can see the info!

 

[fireball]

Aw, poor Brendan .... do you need some IT technical support /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[BrendanS]

No, I need some race strategy advice! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[BrendanS]

How do the real Volvo navigators calculate these things? Surely sometimes, going for a more direct route, and not tacking all over the place, and taking the hit on speed would actually be better. Do they use software? Gut instinct, both?

 

[BrendanS]

[ QUOTE ]
Enjoy that number, it won't last /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You predicted correctly. I've been up and down between 135 and 125 all day, though now at 123 /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I don't expect to stay there though, as won't be online for at least 12 hours.

 

[BrendanS]

I'm becoming very frustrated.

I've tried creating mobo wash in front of competitors. I've tried ramming them. I've sent out teams of Sunsail ravers to get in their way.

None of the tactics I normally use are working.

Are there no ways I can cheat?

 

[fireball]

Nope - sorry, no cheating .....

and I don't know how the VO70 navigators do it, otherwise I'd be on one!!!