Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » Technical Support » DCs & The SOL Clock

Six Easy Pieces
The arcane chronometry of SOL
(with thanks to Richard P Feynman)
1. All commands, whether entered via sailonline.org or sol.brainaid.ie or the Zappe android app – delayed as well as immediate (but never the less slightly delayed) – are executed via the DC Editor.
2. There is full synchronicity between the DC Editors seen on sailonline.org, on sol.brainaid.ie and on the Zappe android app. You are looking at the same thing in each case.
3. The commands execute at the NET Times registered in the DC editor; always.
4. If you are using the hh:mm:ss clock on your pc to check and count time, this clock may be out of sync with NET Time; go to http://www.timesynctool.com/ to find out how to remedy this.
5. Only the commands entered (or corrected) via sol.brainaid.de are always WYSIWYG; the commands entered (or corrected) via sailonline.org generally are, but not always; the commands entered via the Zappe app never are.
6. These discrepancies can change from session to session, but are constant during a session; establish what it is, do the maths and enter an adjusted time to get the time you want.
Clipping along
In the chat on this subject, here is what I posted:

Kip: Getting the PC synched with internet time is step #1. Once I have that, I'll bring up a clock on my PC that displays hh:mm:ss and watch the minute turn over on both the PC clock and the SOL client.

I want the PC clock and the SOL client to turn over on the minute with a second or three of each other.

If they are not together, it's time to re-synch the PC time and reload the SOL client.

Once the time is within 'tolereance' levels, I'll use the 'delay for' dot on the predictor line and bracket the point at which I want to turn -- that is, set 2 DCs ... one early and one late.

Then, bracket again at a different 'delay for' setting. By refreshing the DC tab in the SOL client, you can see the different 'early' and 'late' times generated by following the orange dot.

But THEN, I go with Dingo's approach. I'll pick a DC time from the list of 'late' DCs that I can use as a backup if I don't make it to the PC for the rounding. But if I really care, I'll get up and stay hands-on.
A key point that I did NOT make clear in the chat is that setting three or more early/late DC pairs are needed to start seeing a pattern for a particular rounding.

That is, I'll set an early/late pair for {let's say} 40 minutes out, for 38 minutes out, and for 36 minutes out ... then go to the DC tab in the SOL client, refresh, and look at the early/late pattern. If the pattern looks good, I'll pick a time from the 'late' column and set the DC. If the pattern still looks random, I'll set some more early/late pairs and try again.

But this is just to get a 'safe' DC -- one that will allow me to get another 30 minutes sleep. It won't get me around a mark or past a headland as quickly as hand-sailing would.

--- Last Edited by javakeda at 2015-07-30 11:13:12 ---

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

PIC Coastal Classic Yacht Race 2025

Welcome back to Auckland for the 2025 PIC Coastal Classic! In partnership with the New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club, Sailonline is thrilled to race this iconic 118nm dash to Russell. First sailed in 1982 and inspired by early powerboat runs, it’s now a legendary multihull showdown. This year we race Ocean 50 foiling trimarans—fast, agile, and built for offshore performance. Expect tactical challenges, adrenaline-fueled downwind legs, and nail-biting lulls. Finish line rewards? Bacon butties, rum, and bragging rights in beautiful Russell!
Race #1950
INFO by brainaid.de
Ocean 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Oct 24th 22:30 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Port Huron to Mackinac 2025


First run in 1925, the race from Huron to Mackinac is considered to be the world's longest consecutively run freshwater sailing race. Let's go - 260nm in X-362 Sport's awaits!!
Throw away unnecessary ballast from your boats. Fresh water has less buoyancy, which means greater draft and greater resistance to movement, which means lower speeds, etc.😊
Race #1959
INFO from brainaid.de
X-362 sport PARTICULARS
NAM_AWIP WX Updates:
0245 / 0845 / 1445 / 2045
Ranking:
ARQ4 - ARCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Monday,
October 27 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Oct 20th 17:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Sinbad by Balloon 2025 - Carnarvon to Dondra


From here, our home in Bharatavarṣa is now north west of us – said Sinbad to his fellow balloonists. Perhaps we can ride the wind first further north, and then catch the winds that every year bring the rain, perhaps not. It’s 2600nm and we could be aloft awhile, so, Master el-Quarters, victuals only, no sandbags, provisioning the giant hamper. It will be not a picnic!
Race #1886
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC - SBB
Race starts: Oct 15th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Alicante TIMED Race 2025

Welcome to beautiful Alicante on Spain’s Costa Blanca. Dine on some local tapas and paella before racing your America’s Cup foiling winged-sail AC72 catamaran on this 208nm race out to and around Isla de Formentera returning to Alicante after rounding the mark at Cap de la Nau. There should be some very fast times! This is a TIMEDrace so you may RE-REGISTER HEREto try again after finishing a run. You will have 13 days and 11 hours to test your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #1958
INFOby brainaid.de
AC72v2 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ4 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
25 October at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Oct 12th 12:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Marion Island to Fernando de Noronha 2025

The adventure continues as we launch the next to last leg of the RWW series. This leg takes us from Marion Island to Fernando de Noronha, an island in the world heritage archipelago with the same name, 220 nm off the coast of Brazil. This race doubles up as #7 of RWW and #10 of OCCH. A 4400 nm journey of endurance, strategy and pure adrenaline. The RWW series is as whole, part of the 2025 ocean championship. Get ready for this exhilarating challenge as we set sail on the third to last leg of the 2025 Ocean Championship Series! This leg will be raced aboard the Judel Vrolijk 62, pushing sailors to their limits as they navigate the open ocean. Do you have what it takes to conquer the Southern Atlantic? Join us and put your skills to the ultimate test!
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1955
INFO by brainaid.de
JV 62 PARTICULARS    
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230    
Ranking: OCQ4 - RWW - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Thursday,
October 30 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Oct 06th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Camel or Balloon 2025 - Khartoum to N'Djamena


As there is a lull in the calendar, your PRO has decided to risk an experiment – a balloon race over land, using a workaround to eliminate the recognition of water/land transitions. If it fails, the server may crash, and we abandon PDQ, hopefully after leg 7 of the ABS race to Suez has been decided, and before the start of the 1st OCC of Q4. Camel or Balloon – c 1000 nm from a field on the north bank of the Blue Nile at Khartoum to a field on the north bank of the Chari River at N'Djamena!
Race #1956
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: none
RACE CLOSE: Sunday,
October 26 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Sep 28th 09:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CollegeFund
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Kipper1258
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member BRENTGRAY
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client