Everyone drill a hole in your boat

[TimPorter]

I am probably jumping the gun but I heard today that the motion to allow for using SOG and SOW at the same time is likely to pass.  If you plan to sail in a place with current this is a significant advantage.  Looks like if you didn't buy electronics that support this you may be going back to the store.  In places like Hampton or SF Bay knowing when you are in the current and not is comparable to sailing with a mainsail or not.  The change will pretty much require everyone that sails in those areas to drill a hole in their boat to install the paddlewheel and purchase electronics that do the calculation for you.   I am hoping people just didn't realize what they were voting for and will respond here.  Would love to have an active debate about the topic and hear people's reasoning. 

[Clay Babcock]

I'm personally a fan, both in terms of the functionality it brings as well as update to the class.

As an FYI, we are adding support for BT-based speed/depth transducers (the Airmar 810 and 900) to the Atlas this week as a beta, targeting anyone going to Charleston (highly tidal) Race Week or the M24 event the week after.

[Travis Gregory]

Like any change in the rules, as members understand the change and implications better we can always adjust. In the future, we should start this kind of discussion thread before the vote.  I think everyone would find that helpful.

Tim, I think you or someone who sails in current should elaborate further on how the advantage would be derived so that others who may not understand can learn.

I think the original intent of the class rules on electronics was that folks would have speed and heading only.  No other electronic help. Simplicity. I like it! Although I think Clay's point of modernizing is a good one as well. 

I have thought about switching to a paddle wheel before this change came about because the velocitek is slow to respond to speed changes.  I like to see speed changes when I tune the boat.   On the flip side, I can't bring myself to drilling a hole in the bottom and won't be adding a paddle wheel.

I don't agree that it would be the same advantage as a new main sail.  Maybe it would if I can't see what you are doing.  We can test that if you come out to SF Bay to race with us at your next opportunity!   

Interested to hear other thoughts on the topic.

[TimPorter]

Fundamental change is having both GPS and SOG allows for devices to calculate the current.  It will be able to tell you the direction and velocity of the current.  In areas where the current is large (SF, Hampton, Chesapeake, etc.) the difference in being able to easily identify the current is knots of boat speed.  It isn't any more complicated than that. 

Current is one of those things that is difficult to "feel" so having a little device that tells you what it is makes a larger difference than something like the wind where you can feel what is going on. 

[Clay Babcock]

Fundamental change is having both GPS and SOG allows for devices to calculate the current.  It will be able to tell you the direction and velocity of the current.  In areas where the current is large (SF, Hampton, Chesapeake, etc.) the difference in being able to easily identify the current is knots of boat speed.  It isn't any more complicated than that. 

Current is one of those things that is difficult to "feel" so having a little device that tells you what it is makes a larger difference than something like the wind where you can feel what is going on.

Agree with all of this with one interesting observation.

We’ve added the ability to use wireless airmar senders to monitor actual speed thru water, and a lot of our top boats are telling us that it’s valuable pretty much everywhere,  and not just in the ‘poster child’ style areas where you think current really comes into play.