Which compass?

[Tim Carter]

On my way......  Where does he live again?  ;)

Anyone who can run over to Justin's house.. pick up my 5 EFG shirts from October and UPS them to me (using my acct number) get's one - next day. 

;-)

So my satcom based ECDIS nav system is definitely out? ;-)

The TC has its hands full as I hear there's some specific boxes coming out this year that will be pretty cool. New GPS chipset is in beta and will release Q2....Loads-o-functions.

I personally like the Nova360 but it's out of stock all the time, so pretty much a moot point.

Anyone try a RockBox? Any Good?

Most importantly, how do we get Jeff Jones to make a ton of multi-mount mast brackets for the class :-))

[Dave Nickerson]

Dave,

Is there some interpretation floating around that dictates what needs to be turned off in the SC1/etc?  I'm hearing here that nothing does.  True?

Olaf - I'm not aware of any interpretations that says you have to turn off any functionality currently on the SC-1.  Paul Z may have more history.

[Matt Sole]

There are no interpretations as there are no functions that need to be turned off. That was part of the deal of limiting what electronic boxes would be allowed. You can use the start line feature if you wish, VMG mode, timer or what ever. Its all class legal.

If a new class rule is adopted, in my view it must grand farther in those who already own an SC-1, speed puck and tactic, to be able to use full functionality.

It is unfair to those who have purchased these units on the basis that they were able to use full functions, to suddenly limit their use. If you want to impose new rules it has to fair to all not just those who want a cheepo unit that doesn't do very much.

[Paul Zimmerman]

The rule allows full function of any approved device.  If one wants to spend their time fiddling with a device then there head is in the boat not out of the boat looking at what the guy next to you is doing.  In one design all you need to do is look at the boats around you. Shit, I need to go faster!!!

[Brad Boston]

Explain to me why we care what people use again? There are good units out there that are not to expensive and work really nice.

What is the reason for not allowing people to use what they want? The Sc1 all ready has everything but it does not work 100% of the time. That is why they fixed it and called it the Prostart..
Brad

[Olaf Bleck]

Explain to me why we care what people use again? There are good units out there that are not too expensive and work really nice.

I'm guessing the core reason goes back to keeping the cost of competing down.  I think with a more generically written rule pending, what you use will be a non-issue provided it's not tied into a suite of instrumentation.

I personally had heard that various functions weren't permitted, but I guess that wasn't the case.  So I'm going to dig out my SC-1 manual and see what else it can do.

[Brad Boston]

If we are working this hard to keep cost down does this mean that we all need to stay in the cheapest Motels possible?  I see people staying in the Court Yard all the time when they could be in the slums saving money. What are we doing here....Lets relax on the rules a little like this how we got this many people into the class in the first place.

This is my rant.
Brad

[David Furna]

think I may put a fish finder on my Viper....or better yet...an underwater camera so I can watch the grass build up around the keel in Biscayne bay next week!

Brad, all you need to put on Jackpot is a rear view mirror....

[Drew Harper]

If we are working this hard to keep cost down does this mean that we all need to stay in the cheapest Motels possible?  I see people staying in the Court Yard all the time when they could be in the slums saving money. What are we doing here....Lets relax on the rules a little like this how we got this many people into the class in the first place.

I stayed at Holiday Inn Express Last nite, so I must be faster/smarter today :-)))

This is my rant.
Brad

[Jim Sears]

For me, the best part of the box is being able to "watch" the virtual race later and try to analyze why I missed so many shifts....

-Jimbo

[Drew Harper]

Velocitek now supports course logging on a MAC...woohoo !

[Jason Hyerstay]

I like electronics, gadgets, and computers. Personally I want to be able to use what I want from gps or compass data. I even think we should be allowed to use iPads and iPhones if they can be safely mounted. Device saturation and competition will bring the prices down on all these things.

On the racecourse, this stuff is all naturally self-limiting. The more time you spend with the gear, the less time you are watching outside the boat, or watching the sails, etc. Let us choose our gadgets! They are all cheaper than new sails, which some can afford every year, and some of us can't. If I buy a gadget, I can take it with me on the Viper or on my dad's C&C 99, or wherever, just like I take my phone, my GoPro, my sailing watch, etc.

I would also say that this class is full of tech saavy people, so let's not fear the future or the electronics. It won't be an arms race.

jason

[Steve LeMay]

We have talked about this in the Republic of Tejas. Our answer is use what you want. If someone wants to put a 30k B&G on their Vipe, Great. They will be instrument fixated and probably get their asses kicked trying to ping the line. Head /lift modes and kt meters on planing boats dont make the sailor. Training, looking at .10 cent yarn on your jib and hiking your butt off does.

[Tim Carter]

+1

I think Steve has sailed the Viper a bit....

Head /lift modes and kt meters on planing boats dont make the sailor. Training, looking at .10 cent yarn on your jib and hiking your butt off does.

[Drake Borer]

Yes I believe that Steve knows a thing or two about sailing the Viper...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EJ8fq921KM&feature=related
2008 I believe that is you?

See the attached to get the feeling about this rule in the Lone Star State


As I go through this thread, I see more proponents for allowing all instrumentation.  Brad Boston  (I believe he knows a thing or two about sailing Vipers..) makes a valid point.  I think the rule is based on the perception that it will hold off some sort of financial arms race.  I believe this is a misperception.  As Paul  Zimmerman stated earlier (I also think that he knows a thing or two about the Viper), instrumentation is more or less worthless (or at very most, of limited help) on this boat.  I have been reminded time and again that the class was founded on the premise that sailing should be fun.  I agree wholeheartedly with this.  Some rules are necessary and are impactful.  Some rules aren't, and unfortunately, with rules come the necessary means and infrastructure needed to enforce them (not fun).

In my case, I was given a Rock Box AMPD as gift.  I use it.  It works...all the time unlike my Speed Puck.  It hasn't made me any faster. It comes with all sorts of cool functions that I have never used.  VMG is worthless on a lake with consistent (or inconsistent) shifts of up to 20 degrees.  Pinging the line...!  Are you kidding me,  with the size and reactivity of these little boats you are far better off keeping your head up and finding a hole to stick your nose in.  The Rock Box also has a nifty remote.  Really?  A remote that would take ten times longer to use than it would take to simply reach up and touch the device.  Hell, if I used the thing I would spend half the day looking at pretty numbers and the other half swimming  after I fell in the drink.  Have you ever given a set of keys to a baby?  We don't even take the remote with us.

A rule on instrumentation will not have any effect on the imagined arms race as instrumentation does not skew the playing field.  A rule on instrumentation will at some point cause some gnashing of teeth, which is not fun.

My 2c