There was a post very recently about having TV camera up the mast to give a bird's eye view ... originally thought it was a wind-up, but it would be very handy at close quarters as the poster suggested.
Maybe mirrors are not so daft either..
Believe it or not, my boat has them. Moulded in as original fittings.
And a high intensity brake light too! Seriously! though the brake light only works when it on a trailers with lighting wiring attached to car, not on the water
Dunno about wing mirrors, but I've often thought indicators would be a good idea especially in crowded marinas- I did try doing the horn signals once but got some very funny looks.
The trouble with the horn signals is by the time I've dug the almanac out and looked them up, then they've dug their almanac and looked up the correct response it's far too late. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I always do hand signals (/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif the polite kind) if someone's looking worriedly in my direction and I'm about to execute a sharp turn, (or push the tiller over and hope), or wave 'em through if the situation's reversed.
As for wing mirrors, why not just look over your shoulder?
I've very seriously considered forward looking wing mirrors to give a view of what's coming up under my genoa, especially when I'm on port tack. Is a window along the foot of the genoa feasible with modern fabrics?
A rearview mirror on the coachroof or bulkhead may be the best way to avoid the big ship coming up astern whilst all eyes are looking at the jib luff or spinaker scenario. This can happen to the best intentioned once you're concentration gets too narrowly focused.
Have tried a caravan car mirror on the pushpit, facing forward to "look" under the genoa, but it kept on getting too wet to be of any real use. Pity! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
So what's a bus driver got to do with anything? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Joking aside, there may be a case for mirrors on a working vessel with restricted view due to superstructure/funnels etc (which would constitute poor design in some cases) but to consider putting normal narrow-field-of-view mirrors on any pleasure craft is daft. One is legally required to keep a 360 degree lookout. I spent years driving ocean-going tugs with socking great funnels on either side of the wheelhouse and we didn't need mirrors.
What? You don't have an RNLI tea towel? A toot or two aint hard,,,,,, one for starboard, two for port and three for astern, but no doubt the great unwashed won't use anything that's not worked via their lap top. Flag signals anyone? Port entry lights?
By the way, if anyone has a Walker Excelsior log spinner they replaced with a wi-fi blue tooth networked gizmo I could use it,,,,,,,, Ta.
Whenever I need to bone up for an exam or whatever I carry a few sets of flip cards everywhere in my back pocket.
Everyone I see these days in the same situation seems to feel the need for using a laptop and CD rom package.By the time they have it set up I could have covered about 20 cards.
With a house full of Kids TVs Music etc some of my best revising was done sat on the loo.Wouldnt seem right taking a tea towel in there somehow.