Interesting, and thanks for putting the effort in Ian. Am I right in thinking that you are now using the balanced start line as the leeward set and doing away with the leeward bouy? From a racing point of view that seems perfectly sensible, either sail the course as a very narrow triangle (rounding both leeward marks or round only one leeward bouy.
As to stability I suspect that the alignment of the two will swing as compared to the course… typical gusts on our good sized pond can be just a few feet wide (as seen moving across the water). Extending the tube up the course further may help but then there would be a floatation problem at that point. Maybe the three bouy set will prove to be the one, with a wind sail on the leeward centre bouy… but if the above works in practice all the better!
I was talking about that with a friend yesterday Bob and on our lake with the typical wind we could not use this course even though we have access all around… unless… we realised we could take the windward mark out onto the lake with our usual bouy launching tug so that the course will set more parallel to the bank.
With the start line being set at the leeward end and across the course any situation where the course is launched downwind from the bank where the skippers stand has an obvious problem. So casting the course out parallel to the bank could be the best way?
I have yet to try the new version and wont for another two weeks as next week I am off to the south island to sail in the NZL 2006 regatta for EC12s.
The reason the floats are the shape they are, is for stability.
I think that a thinner block of foam noodle would not keep things level with the pressures from the windage against the length string drag combined with the tipping moment of the various bits.
The anchor weight is a small block of lead approx 500 grams attached so as to allow ajustment for different depths of water.
The block of blue foam is an idiot prevention devise (if I throw all the retrieval line in and don`t hold the blue foam block end, it would at least float and allow me to fish it out.) :snorkel: The DUH factor prevention system.
The balanced “start line” is the leeward mark of the course.
The best idea would be to use the two buoys as a leeward gate which can be rounded either way. This is now a common course design for full size.
For the timed individual runs, any position relative to the buoy can be used as a start or finish position. So sailing from the side of the course or the end is practicable.
Five times around, thats all it is. Dosent matter where you start as long as its five times around.:propeller
Ian - sometime last year you were going off sailing and were coming back to put so finishing touches to the Internet course. There are now people who are publicly committed to using it (the guys in Buffalo NY, for example).
If you don’t have time to finish your experiments, let us know. I have half a technical college waiting to be set the task of perfecting such a course if necessary. Only condition is that the flags on the leeward marks are Welsh, not NZ. You really want dragns alll over the place? :zbeer:
Even worse, do you want the instructions in Welsh? Could look like this.
Rydym nawr wedi cyhoeddi ein Cynllun Cydraddoldeb i Bobl Anabl a’n Cynllun Gweithredu fel sy’n ofynnol dan y Ddeddf Gwahaniaethu ar Sail Anabledd 2005. Cyflawnwyd hyn ar ôl cynnal digwyddiadau i gael y cyhoedd i gymryd rhan ynddynt ac ymgynghori helaeth, cyn llunio’r cynllun drafft ac ar ôl ei gyhoeddi.
Please dont tell me we are sharing a brain Angus,.....:headache: About four hours ago I finally got around to taking some photos of the finished version 3.2.3 of my internet course.:crazy:
It will work just fine.:reyes:
Here are the photos, ask any questions.:rasta:
Note that the start/finnish line version of the internet course is not to be used for the NZ Postal classic.
only a windward and leeward mark with either a rigid rod(or similar) or line between them.
I don’t want to have to disallow any entries because the wrong course type was used.
I have written an article on the construction of the various types of “Internet Course” which should appear on the official website in the near future.
Ian - after publishing - and being on the web for a period of time, I would like your copyright approval to reprint in some future issue of AMYA Quarterly publication - since it may help US sailors to understand a different concept in racing. One that can be done anywhere at anytime - and a whole fleet of boats need not attend for a local race.
Bill - if you want to take this on as part of FOOTY promotion here in US, I will gladly step aside and let you run with it on the Footy Class article page. It may make more sense there - but John Davis (Editor) may feel it needs a wider audience than just “current” Footy class members.
In the interim and harking back to the original ‘floating line’ course…
What diameter float discs and area of windage sails on the leeward bouy have been found to work well in moderate winds? We are preparing to build a course but don’t want to re-invent. Do I remember correctly that the 50’ line had floats attached along it’s length?
I’ve seen both types mentioned, but think there’s a problem with the sinking line: how does one account for the fact that as it sinks it will reduce the distance between the marks?
Of course, some line length can be added, but the the amount of sinking would need to be closely controlled. Is this possible to do accurately?
I’m considering building a course rig in anticipation of Angus’ “Looking-glass Trophy for Footy Class Yachts” challenge in July.
So am I Bill… I think I will build the surface line version for simplicity and the fact that the line with small floats will give a good visual as to how straight the course is and where it is moving to if it is on the move.
I suggest that a sinking line would not have enough pull to overcome the opposite pull of the leeward mark and it’s wind sail. Just my perception, I have no proof :rolleyes:
:snorkel: The 
:zbeer: