Racing software and systems

[DPH]

Boat is a Solent based Corby 33 with tacktick instruments. Currently use some old software and an even older laptop to interface to the boat and plot courses. System gives me bearing to next mark etc which I can display on the boat’s instruments. However, the software is not user friendly and often crashes and doesn't give me everything I want. Would like to know what you guys might recommend.

Requirements.
1. Easy/fast plotting of courses for round the cans which can then provide me with information such as next leg course to sail, next wind angle etc.
2. Accurate chart information adjusted to show current tide clearances and perhaps colour coded to highlight safe, safe now, pushing it here, no way go here!
3. For longer passages, download grib files and matching to tide data and boat polars, calculate best routes.

Having the first two requirements in one solution would be great, the last part is not so important.


Could also do with some ideas as to the best way to see information in the cockpit, tablet or mounted screen etc.

 

[Martin_J]

You could upgrade the Tacktick to the B&G Zeus system..
http://www.bandg.com/sailsteer
The sailsteer isn't quite as fancy as the video in real life.. but it does show the tack angles, laylines etc. and tells you what the tide is doing (by combination of GPS, log and wind angle calculations).. Waterproof, available on deck (or wherever the plotter is located) and probably less power than a laptop.

 

[Martin_J]

The graphics at the link below show what the screens look like in real life...
http://www.bandg.com/Global/zeus2/launch.html?c=on-rb76

Click on 'Sailing Features'...

 

[DPH]

Interesting piece of kit, do like B and G instruments but wow prices!


Think you would still want to use with a laptop to get waypoints in quickly though so see this more as an instrument upgrade.

However, web site says it uses enhanced tides.
"Enhanced Tides—internal tidal calculations and Navionics® Dynamic Tides and Currents data (requires Navionics cartography) ensure a clear overview of tides and currents."

Be interesting how this would work in the solent, is the resolution good enough, i'e, are we safe crossing bramble bank on this line now!!!

 

[flaming]

I thought Zeus had been discontinued?

We run Deckman, though on a bit of an antiquated laptop setup now. It's absolutely bloody brilliant, shows laylines, charting, wind history, TWA on the next leg, time to layline, tides, you name it!

Which Corby 33?

 

[DPH]

Boat is Banshee.

OK, so Deckman is software by B and G again, There web site is useless for providing any info on it though.
http://www.bandg.com/en-GB/Products/Deckman/

Does it show charts adjusted for the state of the tide?

I think Zeus2 replaces Zeus which is dis-continued,

 

[flaming]

Boat is Banshee.

Ah, we've crossed tacks a few times then!

OK, so Deckman is software by B and G again, There web site is useless for providing any info on it though.
http://www.bandg.com/en-GB/Products/Deckman/

Does it show charts adjusted for the state of the tide?

Haven't seen it do that, but it may well be an option in deep in the menu. SIBS starts next Friday, could be one of those occasions where popping along to have a look and a chat might be a good idea?

I think Zeus2 replaces Zeus which is dis-continued,

That is remarkably logical for B&G...

Another option is this.

http://www.seatrack.co.uk/

 

[Lucky Duck]

However, web site says it uses enhanced tides.
"Enhanced Tides—internal tidal calculations and Navionics® Dynamic Tides and Currents data (requires Navionics cartography) ensure a clear overview of tides and currents."

Be interesting how this would work in the solent, is the resolution good enough, i'e, are we safe crossing bramble bank on this line now!!!

Unless I have missed something on my plotter's set up, tidal heights are shown as the height above CD (including whether it rising or falling) at discrete points (i.e. Cowes, Portsmouth) rather than the chart being redrawn with depths based on the tidal predictions.

 

[lpdsn]

Try putting the boat's instrumentation data out over WiFi and use a tablet for courses and marks.

Various options around. I've fitted a vYacht WiFi box, which cost me €112 IIRC. OpenCPN would allow you to keep a library of courses and waypoints.

 

[DPH]

Currently using seatrack, have also used it on another boat. Although in theory it should do everything I find it crashes too often and the user interface is one of the least friendly I've come across in any software. Laptop was nearly thrown overboard several times in Cowes week! Spoke to support yesterday who said it's normal for programs to hang from time to time!!!

Thanks for suggesting sibs, will be there to look at kit.

 

[Ingwe]

Try putting the boat's instrumentation data out over WiFi and use a tablet for courses and marks.

Various options around. I've fitted a vYacht WiFi box, which cost me €112 IIRC. OpenCPN would allow you to keep a library of courses and waypoints.

It really all comes down to cost - the above would certainly be the cheapest option to solve problems 1 and 2.

The next step up in cost would be a plotter with wifi so that you can access the info from a tablet, I think all of the current plotter's models from Raymarine, Garmin and B&G now have the basic race features you want - have a look at the various websites though as there look to be pro's and con's with each - I think Yachting World had an article comparing the software on each a month or two back. But in theory you can probably get a 7 inch plotter with charts and a tablet for under £1000.

And then you are into the specific race setups from B&G + a laptop for expedtion + a tablet and your into thousands of pounds as to get the most out of it I have a feeling you may need to change some of your instruments as well - but its probably overkill on a 33 foot boat as you probably aren't at the point where you can have a member of crew purely doing Nav and Tactics and not sailing.

For your third problem there are a couple of navigation apps available for phones / tablets that can do basic offshore routing eg I have been using SailGrib WR (there is a limited free version to try it and the full app is £24, but I think that it is only available on Android at present) for the past year or so and as long as you have decent polars for your boat it works quite well.

 

[DPH]

vYacht box looks like a great solution. If you only want NMEA0183 then it's only £80.

I think we could use the existing plotter to feed gps data into the network so no need to upgrade this.

Expedtion software looks better for a laptop on the nav station then the existing seatrack but not cheap at £800, also doesn't really work well with a tablet. They suggest using vnc to remote control the laptop from a tablet. Yuck.

However, maybe best leaving Expedition for off shore races and look at a tablet for entering solent waypoints and viewing race info. Will look at what's out there for Android.

Thanks for the help so far, getting a bit clearer in my head what's possible. Will look at SailGrib WR

 

[Jabs]

Have a look at SeaPro interfaces to a NMEA output. Courses are quick and easy.
Currents are taken into account.

Add your Polar and gribs and it all works!

The latest Raymarine software has sailing data as well, but although I am all Ray, I haven't loaded it yet so can't comment.

Also the guys at SeaPro are pretty hot on support. It's a small and enthusiastic company. Well worth a look.

Tony.

 

[tsekul]

I downloaded iregatta after reading a article in a mag. It seems really good if you can connect it to your wind instrument and log which I cant as neither are working particularly well at the moment !

I find the problem being its a bit to small to view on my iPhone so need an ipad.

Also as I am fairly new to the racing scene and we race double handed. I don't seem to be able to get the course in and start and pin and wind angle and tide as well as racing round the boat sorting sail trim in the 15 mins or so that the course is finalised. Next season will get a system in place. Also going to replace the wind instrument and find a log that works.

If you have your polars you can download them also it has a map tool that is available as a separate download.


Anyone else here had experience with it

 

[widgeon]

I used iRegatta on my iPad for a whole season including Cowes Week. I really like the combination of ease of use and facilities - best of all, I like the price in relation to systems like Expedition.

It took me a few races to realise that I needed to organise the crew so that I was free of other duties for the 10-minutes leading up to the start. We also hot in the habit of marking the committee boat and the ODM well before the previous start. This allowed me to get properly set up, leaving only wind shifts as the primary variable to decide tactics for the first leg - I did tactician too.

A Lifeproof water and shock proof case was well worth it's fairly steep price in ensuring that my iPad survived the whole summer (I had a second iPad onboard with all the software and marks installed ready to act as back-up plus a paper charts as the safety net).