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Board » General Discussion » Sailors with routers

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Posted by
K3 (Bernd)


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2008-08-25 12:34:07
2014-11-10 09:10:58 - Re: Sailors with routers
For me it's like buncha's way to sail at SOL. When I'm sailing IRL, I don't care about my virtual boat. The same is when work disturbs my online sailing. I start days too late, I sail without routing, I abandon (virtual) ships because of the other activities and I'm happy when I stay in the top 50.

Use whatever you like to use. If you feel well while using ist, use it. There's at least one boat that searches it's way all alone. A masterpiece in engineering (when it's succesfull) but a different way to have fun than my way. I don't care and I don't need additional classes.

But there will be the day when I win a race!

ciao
Bernd
Posted by
Karri


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2012-11-12 13:17:29
2014-11-10 10:20:20 - Re: Sailors with routers
A lot has been written on the topic, I (an user of BWR routing software) agree with outlaw's post, and won't go into more details on how much use of router software helps. Do note though that all SOLers do routing, primary router being your brain;)

Regarding segregation of SOLers to different classes and the impact of that in attractiveness of SOL to newcomers, I think a separate category for "recreational" SOLers might be a good idea. Especially if implemented in the way described by kroppyer, that would probably not be a major effort and would not have an impact on "hardcore" SOLers. I think at least LiveSkipper has two separate rankings called "Open" and "Passion".
My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I'm right.
Posted by
Jawz


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2009-07-21 09:51:19
2014-11-10 11:19:41 - Re: Sailors with routers
I agree with karriv and Outlaw. I find the more I SOL the better I get, whether I use Router or not. I moved from SOTP to BW more than a year ago to confirm my SOTP thinking. In some cases I was confirmed, in others not and then I had to start questioning 'Why?'. A good example of this is what is happening now in the Southern Race, BW said go south and I disagreed then BW came around to my thinking.

Moral is...Router or not, its me that has to take the final decision.

Next point. Even amongst routers there are levels of performance, and in all honesty I still have so much to learn in this area. But Heck. This is my journey and I have been on it since 2009 when I started on SOL.

Another point. It might just be my personality (Competitive) but I find the need to learn and push myself harder and smarter to beat folks, or match, like outlaw/rumskib/rafa/karriv et al such a lovely challenge and it is what keeps me coming back for more. And because I know the commitment to time and thinking that it takes to get to the lead and hold onto it I have the most high respect for any winner of any race Ocean or Sprint or Timed.

Last point. I just cannot give SOL as much time as I would like (Work and Life) so I find these days I am either starting late or starting timeously but then rushing my decisions and having to play catch up. I started the SWR2014 Leg 1, 29 hours after the gun in position 419, decided that my challenge would be to see how many places I can gain, and finished in position 64!!! I cannot explain the sense of satisfaction this finish has given me. So there is always some joy to be had on SOL. How we make this available to the wider community is the challenge I guess and having a two tier system Passion and Open will be a good start

George
Posted by
JB


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2013-03-07 08:54:34
2014-11-10 13:38:14 - Re: Sailors with routers
Close to 100% of all the post about this subject are correct and fair.
I’ll make a small exception to some expressed intentions of making special SOL classes (ex.: the dichotomy of routers vs. non routers). That’s totally nonsense.
You can have a beautiful house, a beautiful wife (not the Talking Heads tune, folks) and a beautiful router but, if you don’t understand the weather, forget all that “beauty”. Before starting to learn any kind of routing, trying first to learn how the weather really works is much more wise and productive.
A SOL sailor that I admire much said: “read the wind”. I’m still learning.
Competitors here are tough. Thank Good they are, but, sorry SOLers, my first opponent is always myself. I find out pleasure sailing, sometimes alone (Sprints and TR’s), without any pressure to cover the rest of the fleet, or follow the winning path (what a mistake…) but, just discovering the game and their small tricks, which by the way, the majority makes secret of it.
Give first without the intention to receive latter.
For now, it’s only an idea, but, I would like to find out a SOL school, where the experienced SOLers would contribute with their knowledge and some of their time to teach others.
Somehow the initiative of putting race winners to log out their thoughts goes in that direction (“karriv” and Jan/”bonknhoot” are examples to follow).
“ita10267” (I hate to name persons like that) put the finger on some of the wounds when he mention a lot of things that can be improved before … the rest. Priorities oblige.
But small things can be done in parallel.
Think of that.


Sail Fair.
Posted by
Husse


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2010-11-21 15:27:24
2014-11-10 21:39:27 - Re: Sailors with routers
Even though this topic has been discussed in the past, so I think that this time has come up so many good thoughts in this topic! I hope some of the ideas become reality, especially some sort of tutorial or basic education. I have learned a lot from this discussion from all doubt many people. I have sailed dinghies and small sailboats in our archipelago, so if I'm going to sail on the oceans so maybe I need to develop myself and maybe learn sailing with software soon ...!
Husse
Posted by
JB


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2013-03-07 08:54:34
2014-11-11 10:06:17 - Re: Sailors with routers
Viva Husse,

Pls have a look on:

sol sailing school why not

_________________
edited to make link out of url to prevent column overlap

--- Last Edited by RainbowChaser at 2014-12-22 22:40:10 ---
Sail Fair.
Posted by
Karri


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2012-11-12 13:17:29
2014-11-11 21:26:14 - Re: Sailors with routers
OK, I wrote this in the Finnish chat of Southern Ocean Dash and it turned out so good that I decided to translate it here, even if I had decided not to go into the direction of benefits of using routing software:

Some thoughts on factors affecting the success in SOL:

I think the success depends on two factors:

1. Ability to estimate what is the strategically best route (long term route)
2. Ability to implement/realise that route optimally

Now, my feeling is that point 2 above has in general a bigger impact on success than point 1. That is, if we assume two routes (in the sense of 1 above), A and B, in many cases a well implemented A will beat B, AND (and here the and is important) a well implemented B will beat A. There are numerous examples of this from ocean races where very very very different strategic routes end up in very close finish times.

Using a router (mostly) helps in point 1 above. My experience is that BWR is not especially good in point 2.
My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I'm right.
Posted by
Husse


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2010-11-21 15:27:24
2014-11-11 23:04:15 - Re: Sailors with routers
Good Points and tought´s everybody
I have second thought´s about my idee with different classes, all our input and thoght´s have made it clearer,at least for me, about the advantage with just one group as it is today.
But i´m looking for a way to attract new sailors to SOL, it much more fun if we are more sailors.
Is it possible to have a SOL-router, that everybody can se, with simple instructions how to use it ??
I Think, and know, that a lot of people loose the interest in SOL when they see the same boat´s rushing along to the endpoint.
I understand the effort that people put in too understand routers and use them to make the best way to the endpoint, they have all my respect.
But i remember when my friend Mega30, introduced me to this game, i have sailed before, so i understod how it works.
But i´ve never used a router in my Life, i´ve looked at the wind, sail, see & the feeling of the boat.
I just think SOL should have an easy and understandable free router, soo that all, neewbies and oldies, could race on the same terms.
And if SOL could get more people interested in sailing, virtual or alive, it should be great.
I just have too thank you all for putting thoughts and effort into this thread, i hope it keeps on so we can develope SOL further
Husse
Posted by
Karri


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2012-11-12 13:17:29
2014-11-12 05:35:03 - Re: Sailors with routers
I'd be tempted to answer that there is a free, simple-to-use router available, namely BWR;)

The threshold for that isn't that high. Aaron had made a nice tutorial which got BWR up and running for me:

http://soltools.wordpress.com/bwr/intro-bwr/

Happy routing!
My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I'm right.
Posted by
Smo


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2009-05-02 21:49:04
2014-11-12 13:01:34 - Re: Sailors with routers
Now this is tricky .. as I like to beat routing sailors without router .. what group :)

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