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 » Problem with course selection in new client.

Last night at apx. 3:30 to 4:00 AM PST (11:30 --> 12:00 UTC) I had set alarm to wake to make course change at Lizard Pt. to finish. I spent about 30 minutes triple checking course adjustments to make sure that I had set a CC to hit the finish line just north of the south mark.
As I had to get up early and leave this morning, I was not able to check on finish till apx. 10:30 AM PST. When I did I found that my boat had passed to the south of the bottom mark and my boat was wrecked on shore.
Is the CC setting using the helm tool setting the course on Great Circle course or direct CC? If so please explain.
There are many times when we must by necessity be away from our computers and must trust that when a course is set it will be accurate. It just cannot be a moving target. When we set a precise course especally over such a relitively short distance (apx 40 Nm) we expect it to happen. :(
Possible Solutions:

Set a course with a "little in the bank" = aim higher just in case, just like IRL sailing. If you aim at the mark, you'll need to tack to get around it.

Allow for a little leeway.

These ancient rules must be followed.

Just shows again how SOL is very similar to the real life situation!


--- Last Edited by Paul Rosser at 2008-12-10 20:44:28 ---
If it breaks, it's not strong enough!
I'll look at the code and come back with a straight answer.
Although I prefer the new flash tool over the old client, I have to say exactly the same happened to me as mentioned by captjack1942 as well last night. I zoomed in all the way over the finish line and saw my own '6 hour ahead line' crossing easily the southern tip of the finish line - with some head room. However, I also crossed the line and kept going until I hit land the other side. I woke up and sailed back over the line a second time before it was registered.
Maybe - the finish line could change colour like the rhumb line when you are on course to hit it?
Me and Jakob looked at the code. The "pick course" tool is not using great circle, but the value is rounded to two decimals (as shown in the box). That was unintended and a mistake - I will rewrite that code as soon as I've got some spare time.
Thanks Kalle, Yeah a tenth of a degree is way more than enough. IRL you're lucky to get within 5 degrees of a course line. :-)

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race 2026


When the winter weather turns cool in southern Australia, sailors head up to the warmer tropics. Sailors from all over the world make their way to The Great Barrier Reef for the big winter regattas at Hamilton Island, Airlie Beach and Magnetic Island.
This year's B2K will start on 20 June to offer an event suited to a broader range of boats. Sailonline is, once again, joining with the racers from RQYS to race the 343 nautical miles from Brisbane to Keppel Island, this time in our First 44.7. It might be winter down under, but all you will need is shorts and t-shirts.
Race #2026
INFO by brainaid.de
First 44.7 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Jun 20th 01:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Newport Bermuda Race 2026


The 636-mile Newport Bermuda Race is one of the oldest regularly scheduled ocean races, and with the Fastnet and the Sydney Hobart Race, it is one of the three great classic races of the yachting world. First raced in 1906, now in its 54th biennial, the Race can again also be participated in online. In real life, the race is open to entry in four different division – Double-Handed, St. David's Lighthouse, Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, and Finisterre Division – which in the past we have also offered online. This year, however, our online race will be all-in one-design in silky swift Club Swan 50 yachts, so that your results can count towards SOL’s SUPerBUDdy title, whilst hopefully still giving you a chance of overall line honours against the fastest yachts of the real-life Gibbs Hill Division, especially if you can find some forecast winds that don’t quite work out that way on the real water!
Race #2038
INFOby brainaid.de
Club Swan 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Jun 19th 17:05 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Shetland Race 2026 - Leg 1


Get ready to tackle the North Sea as we sail from Norway’s stunning outer Korsfjorden to the rugged Shetland Isles! Welcome to an exciting new chapter for this classic 190-nautical-mile ocean route, bringing our global community together for a true test of strategy and seamanship.

This year, the race is a proud stop in Sailonline's 2026 Super Buddy Championship, which features our real-life racing partnerships over the calendar year. We are stepping aboard the Linjett 33, a sturdy Swedish cruiser-racer designed by Mats Gustavsson and built by Rosättra Båtvarv. Seasoned veteran or eager newcomer, prepare for intense competition.

Plot your course and see you at the start line!
Race #2039
INFO by brainaid.de
Linjett 33 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
SHE - RED - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Jun 17th 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Bluefin Tuna - Mexico Gulf to North Sea 2026

Join us and follow the Bluefin Tuna, as they migrate from their spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico to their feeding grounds in the North Sea off the coast of Norway. This 4300 nm race is part of our Ocean Championship and the final race of OCQ2 2026, and also the second leg of our Migration series. We will be sailing in our Gunboat 90. Race #2035
INFO by brainaid.de
Gunboat 90 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ2 - MIG - OCCH - SYC
Race starts: Jun 08th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Thessaloniki to Port Said 2026

Welcome back to the Eastern Mediterranean for the fifth race of our Magical Mediterranean Series. Only marginally less unlikely to be ever raced in real life during SOL’s lifetime than our previous race from Tobruk to Iskenderun, this 710nm race takes us from Greece’s ancient northern port of Thessaloniki through the Aegean island maze, south east into the Levantine Sea to a finish in modern Port Said, in splendid Swan 65s!
Race #1977
INFO by brainaid.de
Swan 65 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: MED - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Wednesday,
June 17 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Jun 06th 15:00 Registration Closed

▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member bonknhoot
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member HoratioPugwash
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member YANN
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CollegeFund
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member sassy63

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

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

The mobile client