HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: sailing simulators
Date: Thu, 08 Oct 1992 08:17:00 -0800

TV/From: ddwa_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (The Viceman)
  /Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

TV/I received a copy of Posey's Cold Cup Challenge (GCH), as well as
  /Gold Cup 2 (GC2), "through the grapevice", if you know what I mean.

TV/As a student, I am not willing to spend $55 for a game like this,
  /(especially since it's not copy protected) but as a sailor who has been
  /racing for 6 years, I'd say the program is a novelty, and great for
  /buffing up on your downwind Gybing during the winter.  As for the
  /other programs that come along with the package, I wouldn't know.

LH>        Actually, I believe it *is* copy protected.  By law.  I'd
LH>be pretty stupid not to know that software piracy isn't rampant,
LH>but I'm still disappointed when I see msgs like this!

I agree, we shouldn't bite the hand that feeds us. I thought for a long
time that getting without giving, be it shareware or commerical was the
way to go. It isn't, software companies, groups, indiviuals require the
support of those who take advantage of their talent. So i now contribute
for the software i keep and use. If i am not going to use it i erase it.
So far i sleep better at nights and now have someone to talk to when i
can't figure out where my fingers belong on the keyboard. It makes sense.
From: terry@gtm-inc.com (Terry Gerritsen)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: GPS
Keywords: Happy
Date: Thu, 08 Oct 92 07:10:50 EDT
Reply-To: terry@gtm-inc.com (Terry Gerritsen)
Distribution: na
Organization: G.T.M. Incorporated, Kingston, ON (613) 546-3078
Content-Type: Text

olson30@netcom.com (John Sully) writes:

> keith@iscp.Bellcore.COM (Keith Hawkins) writes:
> 
> 
> 
> >Terry,
> 
> >Would you recommend GPS over Loran.
> 
> I don't know about reception conditions on the east coast, but
> here in central California, the Loran reception can be spotty
> at times.  We have frequent troubles with signal quality in
> the Santa Cruz area and I understand that the problem gets
> worse down by Big Sur.
> 
> I would recommend GPS.
> 
> John

I recommend GPS over Loran because of the same reception conditions we
have here on Lake Ontario as you have in California.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terry Gerritsen         |  G.T.M. Incorporated              (613) 384 0162
terry@gtm-inc.com       |  Kingston, Ontario           Fax: (613) 389 4594
                      "Transportation is our business"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: tomw@stephanie.megatek.com (Tom Wright)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Info sought on Trimble computer based communications system
Date: 16 Oct 92 22:53:18 GMT
Organization: Megatek Corporation, San Diego, California

I know much more about computers than I do about boats (although I
did a fair amount of sailboat racing in the Mid Sound Fleet in Long
Island Sound way back in the '60s when I was a teenager), so I have
been approached with a question by a neighbor with no computer
knowledge who is a professional boat captain (he handles a large motor 
yacht for some rich person). I have not actually seen the following
system in action, so if I say something that is not true, please let
me know.

My friend's boat has a "Trimble Navigation Galaxy Inmarsat C/GPS" that
includes satellite communication and a PC for composing, sending, receiving
and printing messages and weather reports. Unfortunately, (according to 
my computer-ignorant friend) the system monopolizes the PC it uses, and
he would like to use the computer for other things besides this use.

This leads to a couple of questions:

1) Is this behavior due to an over-helpful AUTOEXEC.BAT starting up
   the communications package when they boot, or is it actually required
   that this application always be running (so messages aren't lost)?

2) Regardless of the answer to 1), it would be nice to have the system 
   on and ready to receive messages while one is doing other work. This
   sounds like a ideal application of OS-2. Run this application in one
   window, and do word processing or whatever in others. The true multi-
   tasking in OS-2 would (hopefully) give every application the cycles
   it needs to perform adequately. Has anyone tried this? (Microsoft
   Windows would not work because the user has to control giving CPU
   cycles to DOS applications.)

And finally, (getting a little further afield)

3) Assuming 2) works, are there good systems in existence that one might
   also load in this computer that link up to sensors for various things
   on the boat and automatically keep track of all sorts of things you
   might want to keep track of? (For just one example of the sort of
   thing I mean, you might want to have accurate measures of fuel 
   consumption to tie in with GPS for accurately computing mileage and 
   range at different speeds).

Thanks,
Tom Wright
From: spencer@panix.com (David Spencer)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: shock absorber vangs
Date: 8 Oct 92 12:39:01 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC

stefan@leland.Stanford.EDU (Stefan Michalowski) writes:

>I'd like to install one of those spring-loaded
>shock-absorber things to support the boom (I hate topping lifts) but,
>for some reason, they're incredibly expensive.

We're thinking about one to replace the vang on our Sonar. On light
days on LI Sound (that's _not_ redundant for eastern LI Sound), when
there are a lot of powerboats chopping up the water, the boom can
really flog the main -- very slow. Even ignoring the chop, it would be
nice to have positive control of the sail shape.

We'd have to build it ourselves; the commercial models we've looked at
are too big and would add lots of weight above deck level.

Anybody have any thoughts on how difficult this would be? It doesn't
seem that hard in principle.

Also, any drawbacks? The only one I can think of is that we'd want a
mechanism that could float free when we don't want vang control and
that we could release quickly in a roll (though the Sonar is stable
enough that we've never had to pop our vang before ...)


dhs    spencer@panix.com
"There is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth
          doing as simply messing around in boats."
                 _The Wind in the Willows_
From: wtjones@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Bill Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Pirates
Date: 15 Oct 92 20:53:53 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA

Latitude 38 (local SF sailing mag) has had an article re: alleged pirates
in Mexico. I cant remember if it was on the Caribbean side or not.

The cruisers blew the two "pirates" away. It seems the cruisers have been 
cleared by the Mexican authorities, but, have been getting a lot of flak from
other cruisers.

Latitude 38 has followed up with another article from a retired police/cruiser
regarding carrying firearms and other weapons while cruising.

This month is a letter about experiences of checking in firearms (in this case,
a shotgun and ammo) into a number of areas.

If you use a broad definition of "pirate" you could also extend the term to
a number of carribean area authorities.  I've seen articles on that too.
From: thatchh@hplsla.hp.com (Thatch Harvey)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Lake Powell
Date: 5 Oct 92 22:36:23 GMT
Article-I.D.: hplsla.6140075
Organization: HP Lake Stevens, WA




       Keep in mind that Lake Powell is about 300 miles past NOWHERE!
It will take an extra week for you to drive there and back, and unless
you fly a small plane that can carry your family and a week's worth of
groceries, you will have to carry all your provisions with you.  Make up
a menu ahead of time, and try to stick to items that don't spoil easily.
Bring about twice as much to drink as you think you'll need.

              Thatch
From: bwb1@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (BRENT W. BENSON)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: What makes a boat a better pointer ??
Date: 9 Oct 92 16:58:55 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

In article <9210071606.AA28435@ssd.comm.mot.com>, krueger@COMM.MOT.COM (Kevin Kr
ueger) writes:
>Over the weekend, I sailed a 31 ft. Hunter on Lake Michigan.  What I noticed
>over two days of sailing is that the boat had better speed on close reaches
>than on any other point of sail.  I know from windsurfing and basic sail
>theory that beam or beam/broad reach should be the fastest point of sail.
>So I am wondering if there are certain designs which warrant a better speed
>when close reaching OR had we trimmed the sails incorrectly ?  Thanks for
>any responses.
>
>Kevin
>krueger@ssd.comm.mot.com
>
The point of sail should be with reference to the external (true) wind, i.e.
the wind observed if the boat is standing still.  The fastest direction is
approximately perpendicular to the true wind direction.  With the boat moving
forward at significant speed, the apparent wind is then well forward of abeam.
 The apparent wind is the vector sum of the true wind and the wind generated
 by the motion of the boat (a vector from bow to stern with magnitude equal to
 the boat speed).  Boats that sail with speed equal to the true wind have the
 apparent wind 45deg forward of abeam when the true wind is abeam.
 Windsurfers, catamarans, and other fast boats rarely have the apparent wind
 aft of abeam, even when they are on a very broad reach.
So you could very well be trimming your sails ok.  When you have the apparent
wind abeam, you are usually sailing well downwind (true wind) which is a
relatively slow point of sail.
From: pavlov@niktow.canisius.edu (Greg Pavlov)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Pirates
Date: 15 Oct 92 12:53:57 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Canisius College, Buffalo NY. 14208

In article <1992Oct14.190435.28093@cbnews.cb.att.com>, jrm@cbnews.cb.att.com (john.r.miller) writes:
> > -- 
> > I have heard 10th hand that there are pirates active in
> > the Carribean.
> 
> 	Har, haven't seen a pirate in the Carribean for years matey.
> 
  No first-hand experience, I'm glad to say.  But there have been references
  to this in some articles in boating magazines the last couple of years.  
  According to THOSE, people who boat to certain areas usually carry some 
  sort of firearms to ward off the bad guys.  Doewsn't seem to be like a
  fun way to boat....  a new definition for "fully equipped and ready to go" ?



  greg pavlov
  pavlov@fstrf.org
From: dudley@fir35.cray.com (Dudley Knappe)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: GPS
Date: 9 Oct 92 00:00:20 GMT
	<1992Oct8.161113.15143@progress.com>
Reply-To: dudley@fir.cray.com
Distribution: na
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
In-reply-to: gerard@progress.COM's message of Thu, 8 Oct 1992 16:11:13 GMT


In article <1992Oct8.161113.15143@progress.com> gerard@progress.COM (Gerard Bras) writes:

|>>interfer with its signal, or a GPS that is accurate to one foot, but cost
|> 
|> GPS is *not* accurate to one foot.  The civilian versions can rely only
|>  on something like 100 yards.  How important is this kind of micro-accuracy
|>  really.  A few hundred feet has always been close enuf for me.

	I had several successive reactions to this one.  

	When I first saw the reference, I agreed with Gerard.  GPS is not
accurate to one foot.  Then I remembered an article I had read somewhere
(Scientific American?) that the seismologists in the western states were using
GPS to track the drift of a fault line to @1 centimeter/year.  Of course, you
had to sit very still in one spot for a LONGGGGG time to get that kind of
accuracy.  The requirement is for reasonable accuracy for a moving vehicle.
But I imagined that this kind of report could be what prompted the original
claim of one foot accuracy.

	My last thought on the seismic fault tracking use was that the
seismologists were not using the GPS to find an ABSOLUTE location on the
earth, but were rather tracking the differential accumulated over the period
of months (in 3 dimensions).

	Just my two cents.

Dudley Knappe, Software Development Division            Cray Research, Inc.
Phone: (612) 683-5529                                   655F Lone Oak Drive
E-mail: dudley@cray.com or uunet!cray!dudley            Eagan, MN 55121
--
Dudley Knappe, Software Development Division            Cray Research, Inc.
Phone: (612) 683-5529                                   655F Lone Oak Drive
E-mail: dudley@cray.com or uunet!cray!dudley            Eagan, MN 55121
From: bsmith@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Brian Smith)
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 18:39:26 GMT
Subject: Re: dingy bottoms
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Loveland, CO
Newsgroups: rec.boats

In rec.boats, EPLUS17@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu (Richard Engelbrecht-Wiggans) writes:

    1.  Drip detergent into the water just in front of the bow.  Based on
    my (recent) experiments in the bathtub, this might leave a film of detergent
    on the surface of the water long enough for the boat to sail over it and
    get some benifit.

I read once, somewhere, that a boat will go faster through warm water
than it will through cold water (don't remember the physics--may have
been something to do with bouyancy).  Whenever any male member of my
crew needed to pee, I used to send him up forward to do it over the
bow, thus gaining and edge on the competition....

B.S! (what do you mean, I just made that up?) 
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: keith@iscp.Bellcore.COM (Keith Hawkins)
Subject: Re: GPS
Reply-To: keith@iscp.Bellcore.COM (Keith Hawkins)
Organization: Bell Communications Research (Bellcore)
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 92 13:19:49 GMT

In article <Bvx3Mz.5n7@kings.demon.co.uk>, lls@kings.demon.co.uk (Lady
Lodge Systems) writes:
|> In article <MARC.92Oct8142644@marc.watson.ibm.com>
|> marc@watson.ibm.com (Marc Auslander) writes:
|> >Unless the defense establishment caves on selective availability,
|> the
|> >Coast Guard will almost certainly install differential GPS.
|> 
|> What's the real chances of the DOD being leant on to drop SA? Are
|> there moves
|> afoot to do this?
|> 
|> Why on earth (or in orbit :-) did they implement it in the first
|> place?
|> I don't believe that the KGB can't steal the plans/parts/complete
|> sets 
|> for the military (P Channel?) GPS units so who are the DOD trying to
|> screw up?
|> 


Those who haven't succesfully stolen the  "plans/parts/complete sets"
for decoding. :-)

My original understanding of how this all worked was that the military
controls when and where
the highest accuracy "signal" is not scrambled and that the high
accuracy signal is sent
in the clear except during times of conflict.   During times of crisis,
the accuracy of
the GPS available to civilian receivers is downgraded through scrambling
below the point 
where targeting via GPS is possible, but still ABOVE the level where
air/sea navigation is still reliable. This scrambling also only occurs
over the region where the crisis exists.  

Am I way off on this??

I'm not sure why anyone would need the ultra accuracy for navigational
purposes.  I agree
that the more accurate the better.  But within limits.   For example, if
I want to weigh
myself, I can use a traditional spring-mechamism scale with a analog
display.  Or I can
get more accurate readings with a electronic scale with digital display.
But I don't need
to get an atomic scale.  (An exageration of course, but you get the
idea.)

-Keith
From: bobc@hplsla.hp.com (Bob Cutler)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: wooden boat finishes (a big can of worms)
Date: 7 Oct 92 14:49:48 GMT
Article-I.D.: hplsla.6140076
Organization: HP Lake Stevens, WA

>
>I also removed epoxy varnish from the deck of the same boat using the
>hot air gun and a paint scraper, again care is needed not to gouge the
>wood, but it can be done and once it was sanded back and revarnished it
>looked really great. As with any job the more care, time and effort you
>put into the preparation the better it looks when it's finished.
>
>Chris Romans
>----------

Here are a couple of hints on word about paint scrappers and hot-air guns.

  1. Use a scrapper that you pull over the wood, not a putty knife that you 
     push into the wood.  The later is more prone to causing gouges, and
     just doesn't work as well.

  2. Keep the scrapper sharp.  I have a 10 inch flat file that I use to
     sharpen the blade after 10-20 minutes of use.  When you finish, use
     the file to knock of the sharp corners.  These will almost certainly
     cause deep gouges.  Never sharpen on, or upwind from the boat.  The
     metal filings will rust and ruin your new finish.

  3. Buy wood handled scrapers.  The plastic ones tend to melt over time.

  4. Use the smallest scraper you can for the job.  My favorite is a 1 inch,
     but a 1.25" or 1.5" will also work.  Don't try a 2.5", you can't get
     enough pressure, or exert enough control.

  5. Wear a glove on your scrapper hand. Don't forget to wear a mask.

  6. When using a heat gun always be aware of which way it's pointing.
     This may sound obvious, but it's real easy to get too focused on the
     part that you're scraping and not notice that your overheating
     something nearby.

  7. It usually doesn't take a lot of heat.  You should be able to remove
     paint or varnish without heating it to the point where it bubbles.
     All you need to do is soften the finish.
     
  8. If you own a wood boat and don't own a hot-air gun, sell the boat
     or buy a hot-air gun.

Bob Cutler
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: "Carlyn M. Lowery" <lowery@thumper.bellcore.com>
Subject: Navigation Software - Recommendations Wanted
Organization: Bellcore
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 92 21:47:24 GMT

In preparation for a trans-Atlantic crossing, I am looking for some
navigation software, for either Macs or IBM PC-compatibles.  I am
particularly interested in support for celestial navigation computations
 (i.e., so I don't have to look up all the numbers in the books).  I
expect that the navigation computers are good, but that seems like a
silly solution for those of us who have notebook computers.

So far, I've found ads for something called PC Astro Navigator Software
from Davis, for IBM PCs.  It seems to be the right sort of thing, but
you never know about usability until you try it.

If you have experience with any navigation software, please let me know
your thoughts.  Thanks very much!

--Carlyn Lowery
lowery@thumper.bellcore.com


Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: risbell@polari.online.com
Subject: Looking for info on Nor'Sea 27
Summary: Want info on Nor'Sea 27
Keywords: Nor'Sea27 seattle dealers price
Organization: Seattle Online Public Access Unix.  (206) 328-4944 (all lines telebit-equipped)
Distribution: Seattle
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 19:50:31 GMT

I saw a Nor'Sea 27 this summer, and am curious about this boat. Are there
any dealers in the Seattle area? What kind of price range is this boat?
Any info on how this boat handles, maintenance, etc would be appreciated.
From: roy@mchip00.med.nyu.edu (Roy Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Help in choosing a VHF radio
Keywords: Radio VHF
Date: 12 Oct 92 20:16:54 GMT
Organization: New York University, School of Medicine

bennett@erich.triumf.ca (P.Bennett) writes:
>>Could some of you netters that have had experience with VHF radios
>>please share your expertise?  What brands are best?  Most reliable?
>>Take punishment (both water [fresh] & pounding) and still work?
>
>Icom (you get what you pay for)

	I used to think that.  When I got my boat I bought an Icom-M11.  The
first time it got wet (fresh water, got caught in a rainstorm), it died.
Sure, Icom fixed it under warranty, but still, it shouldn't have died just
because it got rained on.  It's a marine handheld; it's supposed to get wet
(and this wasn't even salt water).
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: marc@marcal.uucp (Marc Veeneman)
Subject: Re: Rhodes 19: Suckful or Excellent?
Organization: Marcal Systems Corporation
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 15:41:18 GMT

br@cs.cmu.edu (Bill Ross) writes:

>    My friend tells me he is considering buying a Rhodes 19.
>    Mostly, he would use the boat for daysailing
>    on the Chesapeake with 1-4 friends.  Occasionally, he
>    might overnight with a single friend.  He is an experienced

[some criteria deleted]

>    How does the Rhodes stack up against this situation?  What
>    other boats should he look at?

According to "Beachcruising" by Douglas Alvord, your friend should
look at the Capri 16.  I just did, and would like the comments of
any netters who are familiar with that boat.  I'm looking for
exactly the same characteristics your friend is, but am unsure of
the choice between, for instance, a Capri 16 and a Catalina 22.

I'll appreciate ALL comments, emailed or posted.

Thanks.
-- 
Marc Veeneman   Marcal Systems Corporation   Cary, IL  60013   U.S.A.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The only thing worse than disaster for most sailors is embarrassment.
		- Brion Toss, in "The Rigger's Locker"
From: steph@cs.uchicago.edu (Stephen Wilson Bailey)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: The 6th sailing question. (was: Re: 5 sailing questions)
Date: 16 Oct 92 18:38:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: candide.STEPH.92Oct16123806
	<BOWERS.92Oct14114008@rigel.dfrf.nasa.gov>
	<1992Oct15.171532.17391@netcom.com>
	<1992Oct15.214706.12481@klaava.Helsinki.FI>
Organization: University of Chicago Computer Science

I thought Conner said he lost in '83 because somebody overtravelled
the jumper strut hydraulics.

Oh well, I'm not going to ask him.

Steph
From: pd@x.co.uk (Paul Davey)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Butane on Powerboats?
Date: 13 Oct 92 12:34:03 GMT
Organization: IXI Ltd.
X-Disclaimer: This is not the view of IXI Ltd unless explicitly stated.
X-Copyright: The author asserts the right of paternity in this message.

>>>>> On 10 Oct 92 01:16:25 GMT, EPLUS17@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu (Richard Engelbrecht-Wiggans) said:

Richard> In article <Bvv8q2.LuH@news.udel.edu>
Richard> mike@ravel.udel.edu (Michael James Porter) writes:
 
Michael> Is butane lighter than air?  How well does it heat compared
Michael> to alcohol?  How dangerous is it?

Butane is heavier than air. (So is propane.)

I think butane has more energy than alcohol. 
I know it has more energy than propane.

A friend who uses a butane stove for light use at weekends reckons to
get a summer's use out of one 15kg cylinder.

All LPG gases are potentially very dangerous in boats.
(As is petrol/gas vapour.)

Careful installations and sensible checks are advisable.

(Propane is better for low temps - below 15 degrees Celsius).

--
    Regards,			IXI            Internet: pd@x.co.uk
	Paul Davey		Vision Park    UUCP:     pd@ixi.uucp
				Cambridge      Bang:     ...!uunet!ixi!pd
 "These are interesting times"	CB4 4ZR, UK    Tel:      +44 223 236 555
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: swist@doodly.mcc.dec.com (Jim Swist)
Subject:  Wellcraft Fishing Boats 
Keywords: fishing, recommendations
 
Reply-To: swist@took.enet.dec.com
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 13:06:46 GMT


I am familiar with Wellcraft as a maker of high quality performance
boats, and secondarily as a maker of cruiser types such as the St.
Tropez, but they are not a name which comes to the tip of one's
tongue in fishing boats.   Does anyone have any experience/comments
on the 236/250 Sportsman or Coastal series?

Also Powerboat Reports recent survey of Wellcraft owners cited poor
resale value as a negative for the entire line.  This seems inconsistent
with Wellcraft's supposed position as a maker of much better than
average boats.  High end boats like Gradys and Whalers (in the fishing
boat market) tend to have a pretty good resale value.

Or is it perhaps the case that Wellcrafts are not quite so high end
as I thought?