Boating Business – Software updates for racing sailors

Software updates for racing sailors

30 Aug 2015

Raymarine’s LightHouse release 14 includes three layline modes

Raymarine is another company that has launched its latest free update, this time to its LightHouse II operating system for its multifunction displays (MFDs).

LightHouse II release 14 incorporates tools to help sailors determine the quickest, most efficient ways to navigate while racing or cruising.

These include LightHouse QuickCourse that lets skippers display a new racecourse based upon pre-entered race mark identification codes.

LightHouse SmartMarks visual waypoint rounding indicators provide visual cues for rounding buoys in a port or starboard direction.

A virtual start line shows the position of the boat relative to the starting line, using latitude/longitude positions, waypoints and marks.

Three layline modes enable sailors to judge when to tack to make the mark.

These modes include mirrored true wind angle (TWA), user selectable fixed angle and polar data mode, which enables customised laylines to be displayed based on the vessel’s individual hull design. Wind and tide can also be added.

“With the latest release of LightHouse II, we developed our advanced sailing tools to make navigating under sail even easier,” explained Grégoire Outters, VP and GM of FLIR Maritime, parent company of Raymarine.

“Cruisers can sail smarter and racers can now get the winning edge by using our exclusive on screen visual aids to make better tactical decisions.”

Other developments from Raymarine include the launch of its new eS Series of HybridTouch MFDs that incorporate three high performance navigation displays.

Displays can be accessed from smartphones or tablets anywhere on board using eS Series’ integrated Wi-Fi and Raymarine mobile apps.

The eS Series can also expand further with support for multiple displays, Evolution autopilot control, entertainment, engine and digital switching integration options.

And other advance is shared between Raymarine and Navionics which have partnered to deliver new SonarChart live functionality to Raymarine Dragonfly PRO and Wi-Fish devices.

As with the Lowrance and Navionics partnership, the new chart appears as an additional layer over an existing map while up-to-the-minute details are saved and stored on a mobile device for continued private use and can be edited and refined over time.

SonarChart Live, for use with compatible Raymarine devices, is available through the Navionics Boating app for iPhone and iPad.

The new partnerships with Navionics have been made possible by advances in technology such as Wi-Fi connectivity, according to Navionics UK GM, Lance Godefroy.

And the chart layering is really ‘taking off’ with many lakes being covered for the first time.

“Connectivity is increasing and is being more widely used,” explained Mr Godefroy. “We have an app on our website which more and more people are downloading and using.

“It logs in real time and is being used as an instant way of getting an idea of what is underneath a boat. The more people that go over an area, the more the dynamic layer will change and improve.

“It’s particularly useful for vessels that may have a big draft.”

The software has already been used to good effect by fishermen on Chew Reservoir near Bristol who for the first time have had access to depth information.

“This community layer is continually improving as we receive thousands of logs,” explained Mr Godefroy. “We’ve put in fail safe mechanisms so if the data we receive is out of kilter with other aspects in the area we can’t use it.”

via Boating Business – Software updates for racing sailors.

Boating Business – New Zealanders win in Sweden

New Zealanders win in Sweden

31 Aug 2015

To the New Zealanders, the spoils of the Gothenburg ACWS – photo: Rick Tomlinson, rick-tomlinson.com

AMERICA’S CUP: The Gothenburg round of the America’s Cup World Series was won convincingly by Emirates Team New Zealand, taking the team to the top of the ACWS leaderboard.

ETNZ now has a commanding lead with 54pts. The Kiwis, led by skipper Glenn Ashby and prodigy helmsman Peter Burling, showed no fear, posting a 2-1 scoreline in the two double point races.

Two fourth place finishes dropped Oracle Team USA to second place.

Land Rover BAR won the first Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series on her home waters in Portsmouth. Two second place finishes on Saturday had the team poised for another top finish, but a poor start in the last race put the team in third place for the Swedish stop.

SoftBank Team Japan came home in fourth place, with a strong final race giving a boost to the team’s confidence heading into the next event in Bermuda.

Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Gothenburg – Final Results

Emirates Team NZ – 54

Oracle Team USA – 48

Land Rover BAR – 46

SoftBank Team Japan – 43

Artemis Racing – 42

Groupama Team France 37

Overall standings after first two events:

Emirates Team New Zealand – 72

Land Rover BAR – 65

Oracle Team USA – 64

SoftBank Team Japan – 56

Artemis Racing – 53

Groupama Team France – 50

via Boating Business – New Zealanders win in Sweden.

Boating Business – 15/16 Clipper Race starts

15/16 Clipper Race starts

31 Aug 2015

The Clipper fleet docked in St Katharine Docks for the start of the race

CLIPPER RACE: The 12 teams competing in the Clipper 2015-16 Race passed under Tower Bridge, London, at the start of the 40,000 nautical mile global race in front of thousands of spectators.

Home team GREAT Britain led the fleet under Tower Bridge which lifted twice to salute the crews following the race’s Official Opening Ceremony at the international Race Village in St Katharine Docks.

The yachts are now making their way down the River Thames in a Parade of Sail, followed by a fleet of spectator boats and RNLI support ribs with tens of thousands of supporters lined along the riverbanks.

The opening leg of the race takes the teams over 5,000 nautical miles from the British capital, across the Atlantic Ocean, including the challenging Doldrums, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Race 1, the Atlantic Trade Winds leg, starts Monday 31 August at 12.30 BST (11:30 UTC).

Following the first stopover in Brazil, the fleet will continue on via Cape Town, Albany – Western Australia, Sydney (including the world famous Sydney-Hobart Race), the Whitsundays, Da Nang – Vietnam, Qingdao – China, Seattle, Panama, New York, Derry-Londonderry and Den Helder – the Netherlands, before returning to London’s St Katharine Docks for Race Finish on 30 July 2016.

via Boating Business – 15/16 Clipper Race starts.

Boating Business – Glenn T. McCarthy

Glenn T. McCarthy

01 Sep 2015

US journalist Glenn T McCarthy has been trying to get the leaders of the sailing world to move the watersports venues for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games away from the faeces-riddled waters of Guanabara Bay…

Dear Country Leaders in Sailing:

You all are responsible for the choice to have the Olympics sail in Rio de Janeiro.  Last month you held the Aquece Test Event. How did it turn out?

Last year you had competitors fall ill, and run into trash stopping progress up the race course. Was it any better this year?

Here are the published results:

chicagonow.com/sail-lake-michigan/2015/08/is-rio-ready-for-the-2016-olympic-sailing-games-test-results/

If you are short on time and wish to jump right to the bottom line, here you go (speak up, have your voice heard):

CONCLUSION

No land based sport has such a table with 15 items in it as above. With athletes falling ill, needing surgery from disease, and running into trash stopping their progress up the field of play is identical to what happened in the 2014 Aquece Test Event.

There was no report last year of having a field of play shut down due to an overwhelming amount of trash on the water, but it happened twice in the 2015 Test Event.

Promises of improved water quality were made back then. The jibber jabber over water quality tests is something to take everyone’s eye off the ball.

No one has said there are lines drawn in the sand, “If the parts per million exceed “This Amount” we must move the venue. Without limits defined, this is just a political sideshow.

The 2015 Aquece Test Event has proven again that Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro FAILS at the ability to provide a Fair Contest for all the world’s athletes.

IOC, Rio2016, ISAF; your words of assurances have worn us out. Your continued statement that “The athletes’ safety and health is our utmost concern” is beautiful propaganda and Public Relations to tell the media, but you have shown no ability to assure the safety and health of the competitors.

It is clear that you do not care about the athletes.

Your time has run out, it is time to move the Sailing Games out of Rio, NOW.

Sincerely,

Glenn T. McCarthy

ChicagoNow.com/Sail-Lake-Michigan

via Boating Business – Glenn T. McCarthy.