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Profile for Dingo



Name Dingo
Email Address johnhockings@outlook.com
AvatarUsers avatar
Posts94
  • Dingo's BWR Manual
    Board » Technical Discussion
    I've written a short manual on the use of BWR for Sailonline. The key ingredient is that Kroppyer has kindly developed a little programme to convert the saved BWR routing as DCs suitable for Sailonline. I'll see if I can get it added to the Sailonline Links on their website.

    https://drive.google.com/.../1m00l23AL-Zm--B.../view...
  • Re: In Memoriam - Finn Møller Christensen
    Board » In memoriam
    You will be very much missed in these waters dear Finn.
  • Re: qtVlm thread
    Board » Technical Support
    One configuration setting which is useful to adjust is under the advanced tab. There you can adjust the amount of detail shown in coastlines. For more detailed routes near land it could be useful to raise the level of detail.
  • A QtVlm beginners tutorial
    Board » Technical Support
    Attached is the gist of the email I sent to Satori who has indicated he will tidy it up and post it somewhere when he has the chance. Meanwhile, this might help get a few more SOLers into QtVlm and routing in a fairly simple way with instructions which follow the normal sequence of routing using QtVlm for SOLing.

    I'll monitor for queries and suggestions and try to incorporate what I can into the tutorial as time permits.

  • Re: "newby" doing Newport Bermuda Race - Expedition & Wx advice
    Board » Technical Support
    Some further notes: we're using effectively NOAA .25 gfs not nam wips as the latter does not extend far enough east. However, my notes above referring you to Brainaids site is the best source for your grib updates to use in Expedition. These Brainaid gribs already contain the smoothing which is applied by the simulator so that there are not jumps between one grib update and the next.

    Re the html5, the simulator used flash, and now we are developing an html5 version so that we are ready when flash is no longer supported. If you press the Go To Race button, you will get the old flash-based simulator, and if you press the html5 button you will get the newer version. They both are suitable for use and give the same results, performance, etc.
  • Re: "newby" doing Newport Bermuda Race - Expedition & Wx advice
    Board » Technical Support
    Hi, I'll try to keep the answer simple so you can participate in the sailonline Bermuda simulation and route using Expedition. You can get your polar and the latest grib for the Sailonline Bermuda race from http://sol.brainaid.de/sailonline/toolbox

    Here you will find the latest weather updates (they come at approximately 16:30, 22:30, 04:30 and 10:30 UTC, and are always available from Brainaids under the Weather tab.

    You can also downlaod the Expediton polar for your chosen boat from the same site, using the Polar button. You can also get the waypoint co-ords from there, and also you can enter your steering commands there using the DC Editor button.

    You don't have to make any changes to the grib you download from Brainaids - it's ready to use without scaling etc.

    There are no currents in the simulator.

    If you want extra, you can also look at http://solfans.org/wxinspector/ where, if you log on using your boatname and password, you will find under the Optimal Angles button, your max upwind and downwind vmg angles for the current wind, for those times when Expedition gives you dotted routing solutions (outside max vmg values).

    Hope that helps and fair winds.
  • Re: DC Checker Releases
    Board » Technical Discussion
    Me too, I thought I was going mad searching the settings. Did discover a hundred other options I'd never looked at before though. :)
  • Re: DC Checker Releases
    Board » Technical Discussion
    Thanks Kipper.
    I get agreement in client, AGL, and raw nmea data in QT. It’s just the boats instruments that have integer TWS only. I think it’s therefore a QT problem or I have an incorrect setting somewhere. I will try a new load and see if I get the same then.
    Spoke to matai, there was a bug in last version, which he's now fixed..will be updated soon. meantime, the previous version works okay 5.9.7 P2.


    --- Last Edited by Dingo at 2020-05-02 08:02:52 ---

    --- Last Edited by Dingo at 2020-05-02 08:15:25 ---
  • QT decimal points in wind speed
    Board » Technical Discussion
    Same issue here, can you let us know if you find the solution? Cheers.

    I have the latest version. I noticed something strange. The wind is currently 7.238knts in AGL, 7.24 in SOL and 7 in qt. However, if I open the polar in qt (from boat settings or clicking on the compass) the TWS is shown as 7.00knts and then if I turn off nmea, it then shows 7.24 knts. I wish I could go back one version of qt to try it there.

    Edit: installed 5.9_7 P2 and have decimal points in instruments back.

    --- Last Edited by Dingo at 2020-05-02 06:27:48 ---

    --- Last Edited by Dingo at 2020-05-02 06:50:43 ---

    --- Last Edited by Dingo at 2020-05-02 07:12:37 ---
  • Re: qtVlm thread
    Board » Technical Support
    Hi Matai, I've been trying to disable the beep sounds associated with routing, simplifying and optimising. I tried turning them off in configuration/routes/beep when routing/simplification, but this did not stop them. In the end, I had to disable the Windows asterisks default sound to remove the beeps. Can you confirm? cheers, John

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SSANZ Round North Island Race 2026 - Leg 3

Leg Three of our Round North Island Series, in partnership with SSANZ, keeps the pressure on! From Cook Strait, the fleet turns north for a 187 nautical mile passage up the east coast to Napier. It may look like a quick overnighter, but shifting coastal winds and the ever-lively Cook Strait demand sharp focus. In our responsive Sun Fast 3600s, a proven short-handed racer and powerful downwind performer, tactical decisions and precise timing will make all the difference!

The start time for this race may change at short notice to align with the real race. The confirmed start date and time will be announced via an in-race “L” flag message — Please monitor race communications closely.
Race #2013
INFO by brainaid.de
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Welcome all to the South China Sea and a virtual chase in Cookson 50’s of the Rolex South China Sea fleet, racing 650nm – as the local red-footed booby flies – from Hong Kong to Subic Bay on the southern tip of The Philippines’ Luzon Island. Chances are it will be a fast downwind ride, so see how you can keep up with the real-life fleet which we hope to be able to follow on our monitors.
Race #2016
INFOby brainaid.de
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Ranking: SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Mar 04th 03:20 Registration Open!
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SSANZ Round North Island Race 2026 - Leg 2

Leg Two of our Round North Island Series is where the real challenge begins. After Mangonui, our SOLers face a demanding 491nm passage around the top of the North Island and down the rugged west coast toward Cook Strait. Long miles, exposed waters, and relentless tactical choices will test every SOLer. In our powerful Sun Fast 3600s, a proven short-handed performer and true downwind flyer, endurance, timing, and smart routing will be key to success!

The start time for this race may change at short notice to align with the real race. The confirmed start date and time will be announced via an in-race “L” flag message — Please monitor race communications closely.
Race #2012
INFO by brainaid.de
Sun Fast 3600 PARTICULARS
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Ranking: RNI - SUPBUD - SYC
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Iceland to the Falklands 2026

Welcome to an all-new route, the first of three Round the 'Old World' of Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia. To give each leg of the ROW a bit of length we'll try to hug the coasts as little as possible, so starting in Iceland our first leg of the series, which will also be the final leg of our Quarter 1 Ocean Championships takes us 7200nm to the Falklands, the full length of the Atlantic end to end. To make sure we'll get it done within the month we'll be sailing our Maxi Trimaran.
Race #2010
INFO by brainaid.de
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SSANZ Round North Island Race 2026 - Leg 1

Welcome to Leg One of the Round North Island Series in partnership with SSANZ. The four-leg circuit of New Zealand’s North Island is a true test of short-handed skill, and it begins with the 150nm passage from Auckland to Mangonui. This year, our SOLers will be racing the dynamic Sun Fast 3600 – Jeanneau’s renowned racer-cruiser and a proven flyer downwind. A gentle opener on paper… but coastal tactics and shifting breezes will demand focus from the start!
Race #2011
INFO by brainaid.de
Sun Fast 3600 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: RNI - SUPBUD - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Thursday,
March 5 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Feb 28th 21:00 Registration Closed
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San Diego to Puerto Vallarta 2026

Welcome to California! Established in 1953 this 1000-mile run from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta on the Mexican Riviera has become a tradition and online as well the tradition strengthens with this the fourth time Sailonline is making the race available to virtual sailors. Let's see how our virtual SC70s perform against the real fleet!
Race #2015
INFO by brainaid.de
Santa Cruz 70 Particulars
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Race starts: Feb 28th 20:00 Registration Open!
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Beketov by Balloon 2026 - In Siberia


Way-back-when France and England, and Spain as well, were squabbling about who should control what of North America, only to lose the most of it to their own insurging colonists, their eastern European neighbour empire, Russia, was quietly assimilating vast, thinly nomadically populated territory of its own – Siberia! Amongst the many explorers and adventurers that served Russia so well in these conquests was the Cossack hetman Pyotr Beketov. Let’s pretend we’re he and eschewing horseback, let’s travel by balloon from Yekaterinberg to Krasnoyarsk – just a short 2000km (1100nm) section of the Trans-Siberian Express’ 9289km!
Race #1972
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: BOL - SYC
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March 4 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Feb 03rd 13:00 Registration Closed
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