Real sailing with shifts

Speaking of windshifts and puffs in the Fizz Cup round three, - here's a link to a nice post by Tillerman. It's all about real sailing in real weather with real winds. Oh, and about a wonderful win. Tillerman sails the laser out there - in the real world. Lovely little toy.

elMegro trying to catch up :-)

I never really found a laser in SL that looks like the real thing. This post here is the closest I got, and it's not really that close. Anyway, what Tillerman writes about, is what we can recreate in SL with the Flying Fizz and the WWC, and that's precisely what makes it so interesting.

Fun with rule 18

Here's a bit of fun with rule 18.

It's not from the Fizz Cup itself, but it is from a recent graded Fizz Race. Bea gave me the facts, the graphics and the question earlier this sunday. I will leave it open for a few days, then add my response.

Facts:
In position 2: Yellow enters the zone on a port tack. Blue, still outside the zone,  hails "Starboard".

In position 3: Yellow tacks in the zone onto Blue lee bow (Blue not in the zone yet). Yellow passes head to wind, then fetch the mark on a stb tack. Blue has not to change her course, and thanks to a higher speed, Blue comes overlapped windward ahead to Yellow (Position 3 to 4).

In position 4: Overlap, Yellow inside hails for mark room.

In position 5: Blue doesn't give mark room to Yellow, and rounds the mark. Yellow has to slow down to round behind Blue and protests.

Protest Hearing: 
Yellow says:
- I protested under 18.2 (a) and (b). (First in the zone, overlapped, inside…)

Blue will argue with rule 13 and 18.3, stating that 18.2 can't apply because she was fetching the mark when Yellow tacked. (If two boats were approaching a mark on opposite tacks and one of them changes tack, and as a result is subject to rule 13 in the zone when the other is fetching the mark, rule 18.2 does not thereafter apply.)

Decision: 
Judges will agree with Blue, and will dismiss Yellow protest arguing with 18.3.

Yellow appeals:
Yellow appeals, stating that this case is not a 18.3 case, that she fully respected 18.3 because she didn't cause Blue to sail above close-hauled to avoid her nor prevent Blue from passing the mark on the required side, and that Blue did not become overlapped inside her, but outside.

Your decision? (Beware of FUD ;-)

My decision would be to DSQ Blue for breaking rule 11. See comments for insights.

Fizz Cup round three

Fizz Cup round three is coming to an end. On saturday we had three races in group one and three more in group two. From what I hear, all races were close, especially the fight for first, second and third place. Apparently, the conditions were tough. There are quite a few DNFs and DNCs on the scoreboard.

Joro taking first.

My internet provider had trouble with a router, so I was unable to get inworld till the last moments of the third race in group two. Talk about bad timing. These images are therefore from the finish of race three in group two. Above you see Joro winning. Incidentally, Joro won all three races in group two. That's very well done given the conditions. Dahral finished 2, 2, 4 and Hii finished 3, 3, 2.

Hii2news taking second.

There was some talk among the racers about the local winds being weird. However, if someone hates the windshifts, there is always someone else loving it. I mean, - if you're not in the puff yourself, that other team over there surely got there by chance! Not by skill, right? Hehe, I am really not sure what to make of it, but granted... we're not that used to local wind variances in Second Life.

Krysha takes third.

Strange actually. Local wind variances have been featured in the wwc and the Flying Fizz since I dunno when. 2008 at least. What it does is this: It enables us to create WWC, Winds, Waves and Currents that change over the course according to geography and ocean floor. Just like in RL. We've seen windshifts used a little, but the local wind variance feature has remained allmost untouched.

Dahral making fourth.

That's all history now. However, care must be taken to create realistic conditions; The objective is not to make the course impossible to sail. Realism is the objective. Adding local wind variations changes the game from a simple race of boat speed and boat handling. Now, there are real tactics involved. Reading the course, figuring out how that dude got to the top mark first by choosing another route. That makes racing so much more interesting.

Skyblue comes in last. The others gave up.

I guess this changes the game from arcade level to simulation. I like that. It is fun to see, that the top sailors win anyway. Maybe not quite as consistently, but - as in RL - even under difficult conditions, those same top sailors usually come out on top; Or are they just permanently luck-struck? I don't think so. In group one Ox finished 1, 2, 2, Miwha made DNF, 1, 1 and Liv came in as 2, 3, 3, so there you go.

I won't claim I know Flamenco, but I tried...

What I didn't miss was elMegros fabulous spanish party. Right after the last race, we went - ehh - somewhere to dance. I arrived in my jeans and a top, but after seeing Silbers fantastic dress, I had to do something. The beauty of SL is that you can teleport back home, look through your closet, change, and teleport back to the party in a matter of minutes, so here we are - all dressed up.

eLMegro showing us how

What's even more beautiful is, hehe, that noone can see me wearing docksides under this dress. Jeeezz, the thought of doing the Flamenco all night in high heels. All that stomping. Phew. Thanx for a wonderful party elMegro; And for a great race setup in the Gulf of Moles.

More about the Fizz Cup here. The official results are here. If you are fed up with racing, then check out the new Bolero here.

Dry training is fun

Dry training isn't sailing without capsizing. It isn't sailing in sunshine either. Nono, - usually dry training sucks. Big time. It is about lifting weights, interval training, running, training balance, and maybe go over a few cases to sharpen up on the rules, when your arms are no longer able to lift anything but a piece of paper anyway.

Grab a favourite boat

That's all changing. Today, virtual sailing is good enough to provide live tactics training. Starting tactics and infight tactics can be trained intensely under specific conditions; Winds, shifts, currents, waves. The excact same conditions can be recreated, which is very usefull for training a specific maneuvre. Everchanging conditions can be created too, to create realistic conditions reading a course.

Laylines drawn  on the water

That's not all. Hawk has been doing some fantastic work with "painted" starting lines. It's just like the ones they use in the AC races. Only we had them first, and ours are better. Our lines can be seen not only by the spectators but also by the sailors.  That way we can choose to have lines on the "court". Just as they do in tennis. Have a look at the image above, where I am rushing towards the starboard pin - on the layline.

Just tacked...

And I know for sure, that I am on that layline. Not a shred of doubt in my mind, I can lay that mark. In fleet race, those lines are usefull for planning a good start; In match race, they are critical. Countless evening classes are held every day explaining new match racers about those lines. Be here at a certain time, don't go there, get over here, chase him out there, do the dial up in this section et.c. et.c.

Full speed ahead!

That's actually very hard to explain in a live RL situation. When you are out there, and you must steer, trim, balance, track time and position for infight, all this while the wind howls, sails flap and waves are spraying every other second, the other skipper yells starboard and ur jibman just lost the genoa-sheet, it gets pretty intense. Who cares about those lines? Turns out - those who care, they usually come out on top.

The helicopter view

And there's more. The timer is floating over the line, so everybody knows the time. Some boats even have an onboard display, that feeds from the RD's timer. Check the shot above. Helicopter view is great. In SL the coach, the judge and the RD can fly over the course and watch and comment on the action. My dad couldn't do that, when I was in the Opti. Better yet, rounding marks and using rule 18 is easier, because the zone is painted on the water too.

Relaxing after a training session in a nearby marina

So how do you get in on the action? Easy! Create an account in SL. It's free. Go through the SL training courses. Takes an hour or so. Search for Tradewinds and get a free boat, maybe even buy one. The QSM40 I am sailing above is very nice. Check the calendar on slsailing.co for a race, and you are on your way. Those shots here - they were taken in Fruit Islands. Beautiful area for leisure sailing too, - when ur done training and racing. See you there...

The unique Bolero

The Bolero is a very nice replica of a knockabout sloop. Nice and easy sailing. Windvane with colourshift to indicate trim. Low lag, easy sim crossings plus beautiful animations made her a good choice for some relaxing sailing. Now, there is a major update called the Bolero II.

The unique Bolero II sailing in the North Sea.

So here she is. Notice any differences from the old Bolero? I'll tell you the defining difference. It has telltales. Yes, working telltales. Not only is this the first bwind boat with telltales; It is the first boat in the history of SL sailing, that comes with realistically moving telltales. They wiggle as you sail - just like real telltales.

Balduin and I getting ready for a test cruise.

So many people have told me, that telltales are impossible to build in SL. It has been a little hard to understand, as both the Flying Fizz and the Shelly Fizz featured working telltales since 2008. When I've talked about wiggling telltales, I've only recieved rolling eyeballs for an answer. Thank you, Balduin, for breaking that barrier. You rock! So, - want a close up of those tales?

Beam reach with spin.

I love this picture. It captures the very essence of sailing the Bolero. Main is trimmed right, spin is up, we're actuallu going pretty fast, and yet we sit back, relax, - and have time to talk while sipping hot coffee from the thermo. The spin is also great. It looks great, it is easy to trim, and it collapses visually while making a terrible flapping noise. I am telling you, everybody on board knows when the trimmer is not paying attention. Want a closer closeup?

Bolero II with spin up in the North Sea.

Yeah! I will leave it up to you to try the collapsing spin. Ofcourse that never happens to me, so no pictures, hehe. The overall sailing experience has also changed. Notice the windvane is gone? No need for that any more, and you can type hud to get a nice hud, if you absolutely must have a hud. I don't like huds. As I've mentioned before, I want to sail by feel, not by staring at numbers. It's kinda like the difference between chatsex and the real thing.

Me sailing the Bolero II in Fruit... with a friend.

See? Upwind sailing is a breeze. Almost the real thing! RL sailors will note, that the telltales are usually placed in the jib. Balduin told me, this is a compromise. You cannot see the jib when sailing. I hope the next version will have the telltales in the jib - plus an option of steering while sitting on the side deck. That's how we do in RL anyway.

My view when sailing

Here's a shot of what I see. Obviously, telltales in the jib would not help alot. Its almost completely hidden behind the main. On the other hand, the mouselook sailing works wonderfully, because you can see what you need to see. For realistic sailing mouslook mode is key. Making the layline is best done by looking through your eyes; Not by having a camera hanging behind the boat.

Entering Mango Marina

The Bolero II is a wonderful boat. Not yet perfect, but it is a huge step towards realistic saling. Besides the telltales and the collapsing spin it has been updated to be more lively. It's simply reacting more to winds and waves, so the experience is more like sailing a small boat. The steering is also more accurate and course corrections affect the direction almost instantly.

On top of that, the sails luff, the sailing sound changes with speed, there is full wwc support so currents and waves, windshifts and all that plus the new windprint command, which guves you an instant detail of wind direction and force. Get all the great details at Balduins website.

Mooring in the North Sea marina.

What we're still missing is balance, - and the ability to let the crew trim the jib. Above, you see me mooring the Bolero right at another boat, the Trudeau One. Very much similar to the Bolero. It has balance, but it has no telltales. The race is on. Who will provide the most realistic sailing experience? Rumours has it, the next version will have both balance and trim by crew. Till then I will enjoy the unique features of the Bolero II, and remember... it still comes fully equipped with a double berth inside, cabin lights and more.

The Trudeau Twelve

Everybody knows what a T-1000 is, so here's a post on the T-12. Something entirely different. For starters, it's a boat from the past, not a robot from the future. Let me just add that it is a pretty boat, kinda Cat-like. Here's a picture:

Miauw...

See? Cat-like. It is of course the Trudeau 12. That's probably why it looks a bit like the Trudeau LeetleCat II, only this one has a jib. Once again, I was actually at Tradewinds YC to test Traps navigation thingy, but sailing the T-12 was too much of a temptation. I can get back to that (lovely) Nav thing soon enough.

Off to see the islands...

Off we went. Rounded that little island out there, and tried different wind forces and angles. The boat has to be sailed pretty actively, which I like. I mean, it's not a car. What I don't like about the steering is the lee helm. Experienced sailors see that as an indication of bad setup of the mast and rigging. A slight weather helm means good trim.

Winging

The crew can move about to balance, and the beautiful sails must be trimmed, reefed even if winds are too strong.Downwind sailing is a breeze. Always is, but the T-12 can wing the jib, much like the Quest-2m; Nice option to have, when there is no spin to hoist. We're a bit off balance here, as you can see. However, I am not sure how to balance a T-12, so then again, maybe we're good.

reaching

The sailing is good. Nice sounds, realistic movement, and the fact that the crew has to be part of the balancing makes sure noone falls asleep. The windvane at the top of the mast works, but it is a little unstable, probably by design. Maybe it just needs ironing. Dunno.

Almost there

Feedback to the trimmer is not very realistic. The sails have no telltales, but there is a hud with angles an stuff. It is nicely made, but huds... they just aren't my thing. I want to feel the boat, not read it on a display. Yes, the sails flap when loose, but there is no indication of too tight; Except excessive heel. Those lines in the sail are reefing lines - in case you wonder.

Sails down, and off to explore the island.

All in all this is a very nice, easily sailed little cruising boat, and I'd choose it anytime for a comfortable afternoon cruise with tea and bisquits. Should you end up in vacuum, there is an inboard engine. If you get lost, there's a cockpit tent. However, inexperienced sailors might miss a trim indicator. For racing I'd miss a vane, compass, telltales and also vinddrift. Thanx for the ride, Trap.

Update: According to Orca the lee helm has been fixed.

Liveaboard

A few weeks back I was at Tradewinds, rigging my Flying Fizz, when something sailed by. That something caught my attention and made me think. Think liveaboard.

Liveaboard at Tradewinds YC.

Living on board is but a dream to most RL sailors. It's expensive to get a boat with the facilities needed for a 24/7/365 operation. Most people will have to sell their house, their summerhouse and the skiing lodge to afford a boat that big, and still it will get you nothing compared to the comfort of a real home. Oh, well the view might be nicer, but claustrophobia moves right in with you. Even on a Swan 65.

Psst, it's moored, so let's go have a look.

In SL it is different. Trudeau has affordable liveaboards, Cigaryachts has too. ReneMarine builds beautiful liveaboards, and Clay Ellison has something in the works as well. These four I mentioned here are so different, they actually deserve a post each.

View from the bridge

So what does this baby have to offer apart from the classic and classy look? Kitchen, bedroom, living room, library, lounging area and more. Oh, and it sails too, so here's the view from the bridge. I have no idea how many of the knobs and handles actually work, but there are lotsa details.This next shot is me in the the belly of the beast. Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom. It's all there.

Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom.

Looking aft from the kitchen through the living room, which is at the center of the boat.

Living room.

Finally, aft we have the library. Smells a bit too much of cigar maybe. Didn't find any brandy in the closets but I am sure it is there somewhere.

Cigar bar?

I guess that's about it. I took a million pictures because there are so many fantastic details, but this will have to do.

Outdoor lounging as well...

Oh, on top of the library and the living room there is a beautiful outdoor lounge area. Here it is. I'd get a few plants in pots to create some ambience. I know. Plants on board are considered bad luck by some people, but hey... we're moored. Besides, rosemary, lavendar and thyme grow quite well in salty air.

I am so ready to move in...

So, - how about it? Could this be home sweet home for you? Works for me, though I must admit, I'd hate to drop the skiing lodge ;-)

PS: I am told the builder is Twohead Janus. Sadly, the story goes he is no longer active in SL.