Sailboat Races

Hey people. I've built a new sailboat that uses the wind for propulsion (via a script, that is). It's called the Flying Tako and you can read about it in my post in the classifieds forum. For anyone who has ever sailed before, its operation is pretty intuitive. I was thinking of having a race, or series of races, some time in the next couple of weeks. I know nothing about real sailboat races, so it would probably be a simple affair. Everyone would race the same class of boat, though -- i.e., a Flying Tako. If you are interested in racing, helping me organize the race, or just trying out the boat, let me know below or IM me in-world.

I got a chance to sail the Flying Tako and its pretty cool. You actually have to know how to sail and use the wind and tact to your destination. If you steer dead into the wind, you wont go anywhere. It is the first "real" sailboat I have seen that actually uses wind for propulsion, definately worth a look.

Sailboat races are usually done on a circuit, passing outer bouy markers. A square or triangular course ensures varying wind conditions during the race and lets the real sailors shine. I have not ever promoted a race, but I am willing to help out. I hope to see more discussion, this is really an exciting advance in real sailboating in SL.

Yeah very cool.

What would be cool would some team races too, where you have a captain & crew.

I dont know a lot about rl sailing nor have I tried it in sl. However, I have flown, driven, jet skiied, powerboated and have gone swimming in sl. Im sure Ill get the hang of it.

I would be happy sailing in either individual races or be part of a team. Please let me know where to purchase my boat for the competition. IM me in world with more details.

Thanks!

Zorro

I agree, team races would be even funner . I'm thinking about making a sloop-rigged version (with two sails -- a main and a jib), where the helmsperson would operate the tiller and mainsail, and a crewperson would operate the jib. Right now I haven't thought enough about the rotations required for jib. The wind in SL (at least where I've sailed) is so erratic that a multi-sail vessel would require split-second coordination between crewmembers. But that could make it all the more fun!

This sounds so cool! I've done some racing in RL, and would love to try some here in SL. Will have to try out your boat soon--hopefully tonight, but more likely it will be tomorrow. Please, if you can, leave me an IM about when and where to give it a try!

Fair winds and following seas!
Robin

I'm selling the Flying Takos for $1 at my dock in Gray (28,150). The water there is pretty confined, so I recommend heading over to FairChang Island or Cayman if you want to practice. If anyone knows of a wide-open and semi-public place to sail where you can rez the boat and not have it returned to inventory after 30 minutes, let me know.

I think I'll give a demonstration/lesson either tonight or tomorrow night, so watch the event board.

Some time ago I requested the void great lake areas around the Alviso/Arena sims could be converted to water sims for public recreation. I got a very positive response from LL but so far nothing has been done. Maybe a little petition ?

there is a giant lake there now

/me goes to get a new sailboat




jester


.

good greif !! LOL amazing !

10 joined up sims of water! perfect for sailing !!

THANKS LINDENS !!

***More sailing practice: Friday, 6 PM, at Cayman.***
***Check the events calendar.***

Hey - thanks everyone for showing up at my impromptu sailing demonstration this evening. We really lagged out that server, eh? By the way, the instruction card that came with the boat should say:

- Use the left and right (or 'a' and 'd') keys to steer the boat.
- Use the forward and backward (or 'w' and 's') keys to sheet the mainsail in and out.

instead of:

- Use the left and right (or 's' and 'f') keys to steer the boat.
- Use the forward and backward (or 'e' and 'd') keys to sheet the mainsail in and out.

I hope everyone figured this out by this themselves, in spite of my shouting "use 'e' and 'd' to move the sail!" I will fix the notecard on the retail version.

I'm somewhat experienced, but still had a little problem. Even so, it's way ahead of the silly "other" sailboats in SL.

My wish list: I wish you could give it momentum to continue on course after sail is down. It's very un-natural to just stop cold, when a real sailboat will continue on for a good distance, allowing you to steer and maybe dock the boat.

I guess it is a little farfetched, huh?

Good idea, Rmike. I'll try to implement that this evening. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Regarding sailboat races... My rough idea for a race is:

- Everyone starts from the same start line, with sails lowered. There will be a pole position for the first person to arrive.
- Sailors can start racing (by raising their sails) when the gun goes off (or whatever the SL equivalent) or a timer goes to zero.
- The race course will probably be unmarked; boats simply have to sail around an island a certain number of times. The first boat back across the line after, say, three times around the island, wins. I think we can just eyeball the winner without having to set up an automatic line-crossing detection system.
- In the event that we find a nice water sim, we could set up a course with buoys like Loki suggested above. Then we'd need a way to make sure boats didn't cut corners.
- Lag seems to increase with more boats in the water, so maybe we should first do multiple heats between three or four boats each, with first and second place from each heat moving on to the final race.
- I can't think of any need for rules or penalties right now, except that everyone must race the same class of boat (Flying Takos for now).

Any thoughts?

I was thinking the same thing. Kanker, let us know when there is an update.

I love my Tako! Way fun!

Oh.. and what's the mooring buoy do?

I just realized I was posting to the "other" topic related to the Flying Tako in New Products - Vehicles, and Machines... when I should have been in this one.

I think it would be good if the moderator/s could sort or join these two threads.

Does this seem like a good idea?


Here's the link:
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From the Events Calendar:

Just For Fun Sailboat Race
Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Time: 6:00PM - 7:00PM (60 minutes)
Location: Gray (42,150)
Host: Kanker Greenacre
Category: General Fun
Cover Charge? No

Event description: If you're free Wed. afternoon/evening, meet up with me, Kanker Greenacre, at my dock in Gray, then we'll head over to Fairchang Island for some "just for fun" racing. I'll make sure everyone has the latest "Flying Tako" and a PFD before the racing starts. In the coming weeks we're hoping to make this a regular organized event.

Kanker, you Rule!

I have been dying to see this in SL - I have been crewing on racing boats for years, and I love the bringing two things that I love closer together.

Now: There is no reason why we have to use the same rules in SL as in RL, but this is how it works there.

1) Racing is on the honor system. Nobody checks to see if you rounded the mark. They just trust that you did. (Amazing, isn't it?)

2) Sail boats take a long time to get up to speed, so the rule is that nobody crosses the line before the start. Instead, everybody tacks behind the line, attempting to plan their course so that they don't run into each other and so that they arrive at the line EXACTLY as the gun goes off. This is the best, scariest, and most exciting part of the race.

3) If you cross the start line early, you have to sail around the end of the line and cross again as a penalty.

4) If you loose somebody overboard, you have to go back and get them. No finishing the race til you pick them up. (This is a real rule. And, as a crew person, I am VERY glad...)

There are also quite a few "right-of-way" rules which I won't bother with here. They are mostly aimed at avoiding collisions and preventing damage. (If two boats touch... even a tiny brush of one sail against another... then both boats are out of the race. And, in spite of this, boats can and do come within inches of each other on almost every race. Takes nerves of steel.)

If you are interested, I can probably put together some simplified racing rules for SL... or I will just show up and race with whatever rules YOU like. I can't wait!

-Jamie Marlin

Haha! Those are some good rules. I think the first event rules should reward whoever can get their boat around the course. Keep in mind the real world has thousands of years of sailing experience. SL has what, a week?

Forgive please, I'm a dummy - what time zone are we referencing for the race?

Anyone?

Hiya Rmike-

I'm gonna be presumptuous and make an assumption. If it is in the official event calendar, then it is 'Game Time' which is the same as Pacific Standard Time. Completely unfair advantage for all you West Coast dwellers out there... but that is a discussion for another thread.

-Jamie

Hi i own the place called ZOuk City.

Go toRegion and tp to Zouk CIty and see if u like the water there for sailing =)

lotsa water . hoping to turn it into a seasports sim . Thank you =)

I launched my FT there tonight and sailed around a while. It's a cool place. Fairways are a little bit restrictive when it comes to tacking the sailboat, but useable. I found myself stalling at the edge of the sim several times. Maybe when adjacent "watery" sims are created, there will be really great sailing there!

I would really love to have one of your tiny island plots there, but owning land for me is still in the future.

I came upon this area tonight. I had to rez the boat near shore (in Chukchi, I think), but then I was able to sail across the sims pictured.
Sure was lonely out there