Is this any good for chart use at night.

[Sailingsaves]

We all know from posts on here that best light for chart reading and retaining night vision is dim white light.

I have the option of buying a bunch of these brand new - see youtube below.

Do you think they are any good for sailors? I have not done a lot of night sailing. Many people have chart plotters that can be dimmed I imagine.

The one in the video is not new and a bit scratched, but it can be dimmed, the magnification means I don't need reading glasses - doesn't ruin night vision, not a lot of back light as bulb is screened - I love it, but can I make money from it?

This is market research obviously from the most practical, experienced sailors on the net I imagine.
If you say no, I save a gamble. If you say yes, I stump up a load of cash in the hope of selling them for approx £12, making a profit of £1.39

Not a lot of profit, but I am desperate to break into the market and show I can deliver good service.

They can be purchased on ebay as Buy It Nows from someone else for £15 or £16 or cheaper if one comes up as an auction.

http://youtu.be/srlw1Rv7tCo

Live in approx 5 minutes.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[prv]

I can't imagine that I'd buy one:

• I want to see the whole chart, not a 1.5" circle of it.
• I only ever use charts at the chart table, so I can install decent lighting there instead of having something portable.
• I usually want to use a pencil, or a Portland plotter, or dividers, on the chart - which I can't do if I have a big green tube pressed over the point of interest.

In addition, if I did want one, and it's available on eBay, that's quite likely where I'd end up buying it from because that's where I'd find it. I'm not going to find it tucked away on your site, even if it is a couple of quid cheaper.

Speaking of your site, I'm curious whether it looks as chaotic and badly-formatted to you as it does to me? This probably isn't helping, but maybe it's broken in such a way that it looks ok in your own choice of browser and screen resolution, and you weren't aware?

Pete

 

[NormanS]

The huge advantage that paper charts have over plotters, is that on a chart it is easy to see the big picture. Your torch seems worse than either, sorry, but I'm out.

 

[Ru88ell]

I wouldn't either. I've got a similar, but much bigger Don Barrow Poti from when I was a rally navigator - http://www.donbarrow.co.uk/magnifier_history.html

Don't waste your money.

 

[PhillM]

Interesting idea and interesting website. As PRV says your website needs some work. Your other problem is that most of your products are available on ebay for a lot less money.

I liked the idea of the plug in 12v meter and the hand pump fog horn. Nice.. BUT I can buy the same things on ebay about half price.

Now, I never mind people making money, but I don't see you making a profit by doing all the work to promote the concepts and then not be able to deliver at the right price.

Sorry, but I don't see this making you money. However, I applaud your ideas and determination, but I don't think you have a money spinner yet.

I guess this is not what you want to hear, Do NOT be discouraged, but DO keep your money and keep thinking and trying.

If you want more constructive advice, look at www.elance.com and you can get a quick, cheap and better website in a matter of days. I recon a budget of USD 150 would do the trick. But as I say, I'm not convinced that you have the ideas ready to go to market.

Final comment is that if you are a engineer type I know of a wind vane company that is up for sale for a very reasonable sum. it wont make you rich but it would get you into a profitable business for quite a lot less than I think you would lose on your current set of ideas. Might be a way to get started and then you could build on it from profit instead of investment.

 

[Sailingsaves]

No, it is helping and I am most grateful.

I can see why the army wanted them so as not to give away their position, but your points and Norman's points make perfect sense regarding plotters and wide area needed to be seen.

I know big boats have proper nav stations with lights that can be dimmed, but on my friend's 22 footer he has hardly any electrics at all and I was wondering if the torch would appeal to those - we were out the other night trying to preserve our night vision against the coastline clutter.

Thanks for the info ref website. I have asked friends what they think and I believe they are too polite to tell me it is rubbish. I am not sure what you mean by poor formatting. I am using Chrome. No scrolling left to right is required as far as I know.
The layout is probably simply rubbish owing to my lack of skill.

Instead of buying the torches, I would be better off spending the money on a web designer I dare say.

But if anyone else would be kind enough to throw a few pointers out, I would be most grateful and attempt to rebuild the site.

I can't imagine that I'd buy one:

• I want to see the whole chart, not a 1.5" circle of it.
• I only ever use charts at the chart table, so I can install decent lighting there instead of having something portable.
• I usually want to use a pencil, or a Portland plotter, or dividers, on the chart - which I can't do if I have a big green tube pressed over the point of interest.

In addition, if I did want one, and it's available on eBay, that's quite likely where I'd end up buying it from because that's where I'd find it. I'm not going to find it tucked away on your site, even if it is a couple of quid cheaper.

Speaking of your site, I'm curious whether it looks as chaotic and badly-formatted to you as it does to me? This probably isn't helping, but maybe it's broken in such a way that it looks ok in your own choice of browser and screen resolution, and you weren't aware?

Pete

 

[donaldson]

It doesn't work for me, and I would not be buying it. I have a pilot house boat, so my chart is by the helm and chartplotter, but I regard paper charts as the primary source of nav information. Having discovered one of these, it is now the light I will use most often for night chart work. Perfect for small areas of the chart or large, and can be angled so it does not interfere with night vision.

If I need both hands, such as to draw a bearing, then I use the fitted chart light.

http://www.force4.co.uk/9652/Force-4-9V-Clip-Light-LED-Torch.html

 

[Sailingsaves]

Again, many thanks.

The website is supposed to keep things ticking over whilst I work on finding a business partner and investor for a number of inventions.

Yes, actual inventions and obviously they will not be seen on the website.

An inventor of the year and the British Library Inventor in residence both liked my ideas a lot. Getting them to market is no easy thing however. The Manufacturing Advisory Service have been most helpful and love the inventions too. The technology Strategy Board have been helpful too.

The inventions are so simple, they don't even need much capital, just a business person with contacts - that is not me. Attending inventors' clubs is helping slowly.

I didn't know some of my simple stuff was cheaper on ebay. The fog horn I thought was only available at Force 4 for more money. Will have to lower my prices.

The website is for sailors that don't frequent this forum - most people here are so practical they make their own stuff and much more intelligent than I am and so on and so on and they know all the best places to buy stuff. I must lower my prices however and look on ebay to see what is beating me.
Thanks

Interesting idea and interesting website. As PRV says your website needs some work. Your other problem is that most of your products are available on ebay for a lot less money.

I liked the idea of the plug in 12v meter and the hand pump fog horn. Nice.. BUT I can buy the same things on ebay about half price.

Now, I never mind people making money, but I don't see you making a profit by doing all the work to promote the concepts and then not be able to deliver at the right price.

Sorry, but I don't see this making you money. However, I applaud your ideas and determination, but I don't think you have a money spinner yet.

I guess this is not what you want to hear, Do NOT be discouraged, but DO keep your money and keep thinking and trying.

If you want more constructive advice, look at www.elance.com and you can get a quick, cheap and better website in a matter of days. I recon a budget of USD 150 would do the trick. But as I say, I'm not convinced that you have the ideas ready to go to market.

Final comment is that if you are a engineer type I know of a wind vane company that is up for sale for a very reasonable sum. it wont make you rich but it would get you into a profitable business for quite a lot less than I think you would lose on your current set of ideas. Might be a way to get started and then you could build on it from profit instead of investment.

 

[prv]

I am not sure what you mean by poor formatting.

I mean the way it seems to have random photos and blocks of text splattered all over the page. Also occasional blue bars in the background for no obvious reason; I think they're meant to be the header background but they repeat several times as you scroll down the page.

As for chaotic, the most noticeable aspect is that everything seems to be shown at least three times in different places, maybe more - but in only one of those places can you actually find out the price or buy it.

You seem to go out of your way to make navigation difficult. There's a category labelled "Other Products", but it also says "See Gallery Too" - I have to go look in both places? Or another classic - there's a video somewhere (can't find it now, which shows how difficult the site is) with some text beside it saying that another of your videos is actually better, and I should go to Youtube and click on your profile to see the list of videos you've uploaded and find the one you mean among them. That's just bonkers, why is the "better video" not the one on the page in the first place, or at least linked from it? There was a random piece of text in the middle of a page somewhere that said "Gallery may have better images". Well, does it? You ought to know. How about you put the better images next to the product, instead of asking me to go and find out?

The site structure wants to be a simple tree, starting with a list of product categories (if you have enough products to justify splitting them up), in each category a list of products, each with one photo, a brief description, and a price, then for each product a page with whatever other pictures and comments you want to have. Put the "buy" buttons on the product pages, and perhaps on the list pages as well. It's not rocket science, it's the way practically every other online shop is structured, and it lets people understand where they are in the site and how to find things. At the moment yours feels like you tipped a load of pictures and text into a bucket and stirred it all up.

The other big problem is that most of your products appear to be standard cheap electronics from Chinese eBay sellers. If I want those, I'll buy them from the Chinese eBay sellers myself. There is a market for UK traders in importing this stuff and reselling it to save end-users the multi-week shipping time from China, and I use them when I need stuff more quickly, but the marketplace for it is eBay, not standalone sites.

Sorry if this all sounds harsh, I wish you luck and I'm trying to help by telling you the truth.

Pete

 

[prv]

The website is for sailors that don't frequent this forum

How do they discover it?

Pete

 

[Sailingsaves]

How do they discover it?

Pete

I place business cards at as many sailing clubs as I can.
I work on friends ' boats for free and they spread the word.
I sold kit to clipped races.
I just keep on trying but all I want is enough to keep solvent and I really just like experimenting and researching but there are no agents for inventors yet.....

 

[Sailingsaves]

All excellent points thank you.

Not harsh but helpful.

I mean the way it seems to have random photos and blocks of text splattered all over the page. Also occasional blue bars in the background for no obvious reason; I think they're meant to be the header background but they repeat several times as you scroll down the page.

As for chaotic, the most noticeable aspect is that everything seems to be shown at least three times in different places, maybe more - but in only one of those places can you actually find out the price or buy it.

You seem to go out of your way to make navigation difficult. There's a category labelled "Other Products", but it also says "See Gallery Too" - I have to go look in both places? Or another classic - there's a video somewhere (can't find it now, which shows how difficult the site is) with some text beside it saying that another of your videos is actually better, and I should go to Youtube and click on your profile to see the list of videos you've uploaded and find the one you mean among them. That's just bonkers, why is the "better video" not the one on the page in the first place, or at least linked from it? There was a random piece of text in the middle of a page somewhere that said "Gallery may have better images". Well, does it? You ought to know. How about you put the better images next to the product, instead of asking me to go and find out?

The site structure wants to be a simple tree, starting with a list of product categories (if you have enough products to justify splitting them up), in each category a list of products, each with one photo, a brief description, and a price, then for each product a page with whatever other pictures and comments you want to have. Put the "buy" buttons on the product pages, and perhaps on the list pages as well. It's not rocket science, it's the way practically every other online shop is structured, and it lets people understand where they are in the site and how to find things. At the moment yours feels like you tipped a load of pictures and text into a bucket and stirred it all up.

The other big problem is that most of your products appear to be standard cheap electronics from Chinese eBay sellers. If I want those, I'll buy them from the Chinese eBay sellers myself. There is a market for UK traders in importing this stuff and reselling it to save end-users the multi-week shipping time from China, and I use them when I need stuff more quickly, but the marketplace for it is eBay, not standalone sites.

Sorry if this all sounds harsh, I wish you luck and I'm trying to help by telling you the truth.

Pete

 

[PhillM]

Please don't lower your prices, focus on products that are not in a race to the bottom.

If it's already on eBay, you cannot win.

Btw I like the emergency VHF and that does seem unique and defined with a practice edge and cost advantage.

 

[prv]

Please don't lower your prices, focus on products that are not in a race to the bottom.

+1

Try to add value, not just sell-on cheap generic products.

Pete

 

[cryan]

Some of this stuff looks like MoD disposals which anyone can buy from the official disposal contractors ebay site.
You say you own the IP on the VHF aerial? What is it that you specifically own? Surely you cant copyright a coil of wire that plugs into the aerial socket of a radio?
My tip would be pick a product, develop it properly and take it to the market. filling your garage or wherever with ex MoD stores or fuse holders that light up(solving a problem that doesn't exist) is costing you money you probably won't see again. I know how hard it is to get a business off the ground on a shoe string and I also also know how it can be tempting to deviate off course to try and bring in quick cash but in the end you just end up wasting money you could have spent on your core business. Get in the car with your core product and visit as many shops and chandlers that you can, speak to the boss and try and sell some. Hit the boat jumbles and harbour festivals which are all quite cheap to have a stall at and sell yourself and your products. Make sure they're marketable and enthuse others about them. Trying to punt ex army map torches gives the impression you don't think your actual product will make you money.

I don't mean to sound harsh but better that than ending up like the couple on Dragon's Den the other week who invested £100,000 in customised dolls and were turning over £120 a month.

 

[VO5]

The huge advantage that paper charts have over plotters, is that on a chart it is easy to see the big picture. Your torch seems worse than either, sorry, but I'm out.

I couldn't agree more.
While we are on the subject (of charts) in passing, I found a chart sliding about on a chart table very annoying always, very disconcerting.
So I found a solution...
My solution is that I have fitted small brackets around the perimeter on two sides through which are threaded plastic bolts 3/8" diameter thread which are unscrewed so the chart can be slid out and then retightened when a new chart is placed on the table. Works a treat in rough water.

 

[prv]

My solution is that I have fitted small brackets around the perimeter on two sides through which are threaded plastic bolts 3/8" diameter thread which are unscrewed so the chart can be slid out and then retightened when a new chart is placed on the table. Works a treat in rough water.

I absolutely need my chart to stay put, because I have a Yeoman mat fixed to the underneath of the table and if the chart shifts then my positions will be out of whack. However, I also want to be able to quickly change charts without undoing lots of little clamps. What I came up with is a pair of the big spring clips you get at the top of clipboards, made in all-stainless for use in the food industry (production batch paperwork and the like, I guess). These are bolted to the table just above the piano hinge that lets the top lift. They're connected together by a stainless bar bolted across the tops of the clips (for reasons that now escape me, I tapped the holes in the bar instead of using separate nuts. Probably just wanted to make it look nice . Press down on that bar with one hand, and you can use the other to slide the chart in or out. When I finish the chart table refit, the whole contraption will be covered by a nice cherry-wood board, with a small lever or knob sticking out that controls the clamps. So you'll press the lever, slide the edge of the chart into the slot, and it will be "magically" held in place.

Pete

 

[nigelmercier]

I've got a similar, but much bigger ...

So have I, but as I don't use paper charts I have only used it to help me solder.

My comment about the OP's website is that it appears to use Flash, not a good idea anymore.

When I first bought my boat the first gadget I made was very simple: a timer to turn on the shower drain for one minute with a single press. Just a relay fed from a transistor, capacitor and resistor. To this day my mates say it is the best gadget on the boat! I did consider marketing them, but didn't get round to it.

 

[RupertW]

When I first bought my boat the first gadget I made was very simple: a timer to turn on the shower drain for one minute with a single press. Just a relay fed from a transistor, capacitor and resistor. To this day my mates say it is the best gadget on the boat! I did consider marketing them, but didn't get round to it.

That's really good, I'd buy two.

 

[Gwylan]

We all know from posts on here that best light for chart reading and retaining night vision is dim white light.

I have the option of buying a bunch of these brand new - see youtube below.

Do you think they are any good for sailors? I have not done a lot of night sailing. Many people have chart plotters that can be dimmed I imagine.

The one in the video is not new and a bit scratched, but it can be dimmed, the magnification means I don't need reading glasses - doesn't ruin night vision, not a lot of back light as bulb is screened - I love it, but can I make money from it?

This is market research obviously from the most practical, experienced sailors on the net I imagine.
If you say no, I save a gamble. If you say yes, I stump up a load of cash in the hope of selling them for approx £12, making a profit of £1.39

Not a lot of profit, but I am desperate to break into the market and show I can deliver good service.

They can be purchased on ebay as Buy It Nows from someone else for £15 or £16 or cheaper if one comes up as an auction.

http://youtu.be/srlw1Rv7tCo

Live in approx 5 minutes.

Thanks for any feedback.

I have a flat perspex plate about the size of a page of Reid's almanac. It is illuminated by leds along one edge. It has a battery holder and dimmer incorporated along the long edge.
Great for use on the chart at night and not flood-lighting the entire cabin. Found it in a Cheapo, Poundshop sort of place cost about £5,00. Batteries still good after several seasons, well at least two.

Great in the cockpit for reading the almanac and pilots as you are approaching places in the dark and want to identify marks and things without losing too much vision. Or, one of you can be reading the pilot without a great torch flooding light everywhere and making it difficult for the helm.

Then again it is a real alternative to the 'knob head' crew with a head lamp going around blinding everyone. Frequently they have a Wally woollen hat too and rarely come sailing the second time, with me.