GPS

[rick perkins]

I guess 13.1 means GPSs are not permitted but does anyone care?

If I use a GPS on my boat at Bristol am I likley to get protested or would there be an interest in the data gathered?

[Mikey C]

I'd say use it, as long as you dont look at it during the race... I put mine face down under the tiller so I cant see it!

[Fran G (Guest)]

I disagree with Mike.  If the rules say you can't race with a GPS then they're the rules wherever you put it.

Fran 3431

[rick perkins]

[JohnMurrell]

Agree with Fran.

Yes use GPS for coaching days, but racing - definately no.

[Antony]

If they have a VMG function then they are an aid to performance, hence we do not allow them.  Obviously in yachts they are allowed and used for this purpose so pretty easy to see both sides of the argument.

One to dicsuss again at some point at an AGM I guess, but personally I am pretty happy with the existing rules.  The class wrote the current rule expressly to allow the Tactic without permitting any VMG calculator (as i recall).

Antony

[THG]

A tactic costs as much as some of the AC boats you can buy!

Maybe just let the ACers have the GPS to help our VMGs...

Kean

[rick perkins]

[quote by=John_Murrell link=Blah.cgi?b=Cool1,m=1175205580,s=4 date=1175255930]Agree with Fran.

Yes use GPS for coaching days, but racing - definately no.
[/quote]

Why?

Dinghy sailing is a dynamic sport and I don't believe any benefit could be achieved through sailing a dinghy off instruments so why not have one to gather data that could benefit post racing analysis & coaching?

[James Taylor]

[RogerBrisley]

 If the rules say you can't race with a GPS then they're the rules wherever you put it.

Fran 3431

Absolutely Fran. As Kean says they cost as much as some AC boats so why allow cheque book sailing? Surely its all about helm and crew and as far as possible technical change should still allow the best helm and creww to win?

Roger
3334

[Alex D]

I think this is probably an issue that won't go away as recent wrist mounted GPS are becoming very small and accurate. I use one for running and this gives pace/speed/distance lap times etc. I ran a half marathon at the weekend and by the number of people using them, Garmin have sold a lot of these. The cost has been dropping.

Hovever to do the VMG thing you need to know which waypoint you are heading for so this is really only practical in training unless you locate all the marks before or during the race.

I still probably wouldn't use one other than for boat tuning as reacting to changes in wind & weather misses the point of trying to predict them.

[andymck]

Get real guys, many classes have allowed GPS recievers to be carried to get interesting data, even though they are specifically not allowed to be used during racing. This allows you to settle arguments about speed etc, and enter the speed comp. on Y&Y. You just make sure they are in a sealed opaque plastic bag, so no data can be read during the race. Even the most conservative one designs have thought this to be "interesting" and done it.
Would be interesting to see the tracking data too, to see shift patterns at different venues, but perhaps thats a step too far for a developement class!

Andy

[rick perkins]

[Mikey C]

Its not like they are expensive anyway, I'm pretty sure mine cost a lot less than a new jib, and is far more interesting!

The velocitec ones dont do pure VMG as such upwind although they claim they do, as they work back from your tacking angles/position. They don't know where your windward/leeward mark is. The Garmins will do it if you sail off and waypoint your marks before a race.

This is by far and away the cheapest diagnostic tool we can possibly have, and if you want to keep them banned, you'd better get on and ban two boat tuning as well, as we can't all afford to do that. Racing is usually the only opportunity to actually compare your speed and tactics against others and the ability to look back at it would be invaluable.

Also, post race coaching as done at the weekend could be made extremely interesting by overlaying the track logs from anyone with a device, then we can see where the leaders made their gains and the losers made losses. I'm just wondering if anyone knows just how easy this is to do.

[rick perkins]

[quote by=Mikey_C link=Blah.cgi?b=Cool1,m=1175205580,s=13 date=1175547065]
Also, post race coaching as done at the weekend could be made extremely interesting by overlaying the track logs from anyone with a device, then we can see where the leaders made their gains and the losers made losses. I'm just wondering if anyone knows just how easy this is to do.[/quote]

I am already doing this with the Musto Skiff's I will post a link soon with a java demo ...