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 » General Discussion » Router Shootout - Software Test (Review)

Page: Previous 1 2

How long did it take you to optimize routes in Bluewater using a grid size of 1.0nm, even 0.25nm, and such a small time-step of 0.1667?

I have only just given it a look, but most often it really doesnt like grid size < 10.0nm! almost useless...
I help develop the client interface for the best online ocean racing sim there is... __/)/)_/)__
Just resuscitating this old classic!

Does anyone use routing software IRL. If so, what is the favourite?
1st I will amend my previous question - having worked out how to get more high-res routes in BWR - as a test case I managed to route 120nm course with a grid res of 0.05nm, and 0.00833h time res, which is 30seconds! Sure very OTT, but I just wanted to see how far I could push it - its not worth waiting 30+ minutes for the job to complete for the extra enroute time saving - better to do that 'in-client' ;-)
[NOTE: to route such high-res, evem 1nm@5mins, you need to use smaller polar files (than brainaid's csv), such as produced by my PolarCreator/Converter for SOL, & 'trim' away excess wx data from the gribs - which Schakel kindly saved me from explaining on the soltools blog, by doing so on his own]

Now, I don't personally use any IRL (not that type of sailing) but I know a few who do, & a few I have also helped out with some setups and small custom utilities that tie into their router - 4/5 of those use Expedition, and the other used completely custom software.

In the process of aiding these guys I have been able to check out Expedition quite well, and if you can afford one of those yachts, then you can afford to buy it, and should - for anything & everything other than computing a basic route between 2 points given a polar and grib, it eats Bluewater alive - but given it costs 1200+ US smackos, and BWR is written by a sole developer, it should! Given its background, BWR is very good software indeed, and as I said, will produce just as good a route as Expedition...

So, for use in SOL - there is not much between the 2 (in terms of producing good route)
IRL - BWR shouldn't even be considered, given all the non-routing functions Expedition has. (unless budget is a concern?)

For instance, currently Expedition also supports NMEA and AIS data streams from COM or network ports, and will display the data very nicely (& customizable), and has a *few* other features that make it slightly nicer for SOL use than BWR - but I repeat, the routes from each will be well within statistical insignificance (of each other)... And BWR is showing indications of such support soon, but unlikely as aesthetically pleasing as Exp.

Expedition also has the ability to compute routes with a user specified scaling of the polar or wx data, for example you could tell it to plot a route multiplying all polar BS values, or TWSs by 90%. Also, you can load multiple gribs (ie, official SOL, standard GFS & PredictWind's GFS (even try CMC?)) and either plot 1 route using the wx averages, or see routes for all gribs, which can be useful when trying to plan 6+hrs ahead more accurately.
I help develop the client interface for the best online ocean racing sim there is... __/)/)_/)__

Page: Previous 1 2

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Marstrand to Cowes 2025


We invite you to another race, which will kick off the third quarter of our ARCH series. We'll set off from Marstrand, Sweden, which, along with Skagen, Denmark, marks the line commonly recognised as the border separating the Baltic Sea from the North Sea. The 650nm route will take our Ripitide 50 across the North Sea and the English Channel to Cowes, England. Watch out for the fast ferries crossing the Channel from Calais to Dover 😊.
Race #1935
INFO from brainaid.de
Riptide 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
ARQ3 - ARCH - SUPSOL – SYC
Race starts: Jul 28th 17:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Sinbad by Balloon 2025 - Baia de l'Oiseau to Carnarvon


How ever shall I return to report with clarity to my Great Sultan – asked Sinbad. It needs be told this island and all its fables shall be expunged from the annals of every thousand and one night. The wind howls – and sun be none (it’s Winter, Sin’bro, ed.) – and all days from the west, but let’s launch anyway and see if we can work our SOL Balloon north as the days pass aiming for Asthralaya, where The Mahabharata tells the ancients once tested mighty weapons, about a quarter and a million qasbah away (2500nm, ed.), perhaps one month.
Race #1885
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC - SBB
Race starts: Jul 23rd 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Tall Ships Races 2025 - Aberdeen to Kristiansand


Welcome to the third of four virtual Tall Ships Races in European waters which are concurrently being organized in-real-life by Sail Training International . This third race is from Aberdeen in Scotland east across the North Sea to Norway’s Kristiansand; circa 330nm in Sailonline’s magnificent 90m Barque.
NOTE: Starts and Finishes in tall ships racing are always offshore to avoid conflict with shipping and shipping lanes; online and real-life may not match exactly.
Race #1925
INFO by brainaid.de
Barque 90m PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: TS - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Wednesday,
July 30 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Jul 22nd 16:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Suursaari TIMED Race 2025

The first TIMED race of the northern hemisphere Summer takes us to the Gulf of Finland on a 165nm zig-zagging course beginning and ending in the seacoast village of Haukilahti and circling the island of Suursaari. It’s only appropriate that the boat for this race is Finland’s own Club Swan 50. 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 #1928
INFOby brainaid.de
PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ3 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
26 July at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Jul 13th 12:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Young Island to Great Nicobar 2025

The adventure continues as we launch this fifth leg of the RWW series, racing from Young Island to Great Nicobar on the edge of the Bay of Bengal. Get ready for a chilling start as we set sail on the seventh leg of the 2025 Ocean Championship Series! A 5200nm journey of endurance, strategy, and pure sailing excitement. This leg will be pursued aboard the Super Maxi 100v2, pushing sailors to their limits. Do you have what it takes to conquer the Indian Ocean? Join us and put your skills to the ultimate test!
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1929
INFO by brainaid.de
Super Maxi 100 v2 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ3 - RWW - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Jul 07th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Kipper1258
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member FreyjaUSA
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member BRENTGRAY
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  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