Jessica Watson has returned.
May 17th 2010, 5:55 pm
#91
Worongary
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: GC hinterland
Posts: 10,288
Re: Jessica Watson has returned.
but all a sat nav does is tell you where you are and which direction your heading c/w speed etc
no electronic gizzmos can
put a reef in the sail when the winds getting up
deploy a drouge to slow you down when the swells huge and your surfing down the wave
trim any of the sails for speed
keep you from brooching in rough seas
theese are all done by the skipper and its a skill and experiance nothing else
May 17th 2010, 6:05 pm
#92
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,397
Re: Jessica Watson has returned.
you can haveall the fancy elecronic gizzmos you wnat
but all a sat nav does is tell you where you are and which direction your heading c/w speed etc
no electronic gizzmos can
put a reef in the sail when the winds getting up
deploy a drouge to slow you down when the swells huge and your surfing down the wave
trim any of the sails for speed
keep you from brooching in rough seas
theese are all done by the skipper and its a skill and experiance nothing else
but all a sat nav does is tell you where you are and which direction your heading c/w speed etc
no electronic gizzmos can
put a reef in the sail when the winds getting up
deploy a drouge to slow you down when the swells huge and your surfing down the wave
trim any of the sails for speed
keep you from brooching in rough seas
theese are all done by the skipper and its a skill and experiance nothing else
Single-handed navigation the oldfashioned way doesn't leave much time for the reefing, trimming etc!
May 17th 2010, 6:08 pm
#93
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,733
Re: Jessica Watson has returned.
True - but satnav *does* save you from spending a lot of time precomputing altitudes, going into the almanac, shooting the stars/sun/moon, plotting the lines, working out why the cocked hat is 500nm across, reworking the numbers, re-shooting... etc.
Single-handed navigation the oldfashioned way doesn't leave much time for the reefing, trimming etc!
Single-handed navigation the oldfashioned way doesn't leave much time for the reefing, trimming etc!
May 17th 2010, 6:54 pm
#96
Account Open
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 4,298
Re: Jessica Watson has returned.
to cut a long story short, the guy was a bit of an amateur so he decided to try and fake the voyage by drifting around the atlantic for a few months.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Water_(film)
May 17th 2010, 10:14 pm
#97
MODERATOR
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Redneck Wonderland
Posts: 9,932
Re: Jessica Watson has returned.
As I understand it the rules stipulate that the course must be at least equal to the circumference of the earth at the equator. That doesn't include tacking to windward or tacking to avoid a weather front.
Otherwise one could sail the shortest course at the lowest possible latitude. Though I'm sure there's also a rule forbidding sailing below a certain latitude.
As her publicist says she's crossed the equator & crossed all meridians for all intents & purposes a complete circumnavigation, though technically a couple of thousand Nautical Miles short of the earths circumference.
The majority of people won't give a monkeys about the shortfall, the yachting fraternity will forever wonder why she didn't just sail a bit further north of the equator
I do think she's being treated harshly on here. It's an amazing feat for one so young. I can't believe anyone can say it's easy because of the invention of GPS. One big dollop of water in the cabin & she's have been relying on her sextant, compass & dead reckoning. Her yacht was borrowed & her folks remortgaged their house to fund the trip so hardly a spoiled little rich kid. A lot of people had faith in her & even Kevin Krudd soon changed his tune when she reappeared in the Tasman Sea
Otherwise one could sail the shortest course at the lowest possible latitude. Though I'm sure there's also a rule forbidding sailing below a certain latitude.
As her publicist says she's crossed the equator & crossed all meridians for all intents & purposes a complete circumnavigation, though technically a couple of thousand Nautical Miles short of the earths circumference.
The majority of people won't give a monkeys about the shortfall, the yachting fraternity will forever wonder why she didn't just sail a bit further north of the equator
I do think she's being treated harshly on here. It's an amazing feat for one so young. I can't believe anyone can say it's easy because of the invention of GPS. One big dollop of water in the cabin & she's have been relying on her sextant, compass & dead reckoning. Her yacht was borrowed & her folks remortgaged their house to fund the trip so hardly a spoiled little rich kid. A lot of people had faith in her & even Kevin Krudd soon changed his tune when she reappeared in the Tasman Sea
May 17th 2010, 10:55 pm
#98
Account Closed
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,784
Re: Jessica Watson has returned.
Almost any sea voyage pales into insignificance compared to Lieutenant Bligh's trip after being chucked off The Bounty and he has been villified by history..... He not only crossed a massive expanse of Ocean with little food or water but mapped charts, and very accurate ones, on the way. funny old world
May 17th 2010, 11:04 pm
#99
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Jessica Watson has returned.
Almost any sea voyage pales into insignificance compared to Lieutenant Bligh's trip after being chucked off The Bounty and he has been villified by history..... He not only crossed a massive expanse of Ocean with little food or water but mapped charts, and very accurate ones, on the way. funny old world
May 18th 2010, 12:04 am
#103
Account Open
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 4,298
Re: Jessica Watson has returned.
Almost any sea voyage pales into insignificance compared to Lieutenant Bligh's trip after being chucked off The Bounty and he has been villified by history..... He not only crossed a massive expanse of Ocean with little food or water but mapped charts, and very accurate ones, on the way. funny old world
