Recording sailing results with OCR and IOS shortcuts

iPhone shortcuts and automation scripts are great to automate certain task. 

We are developing a script that helps race committees to record the finish time and sail number of a yacht by simply taking a picture when it crosses the line.

The IOS shortcut will prompt the user: 

1. To take a picture.
2. It will record the current date and time.
3. IOS inbuild OCR will extract any letters and numbers from the image. 
4. Select a specific sequence by matching 3 letters (country) and unlimited numbers followed by 1 letter if present.
5. Append the data to a Note file or add a line in sequence to a spread sheet.

This allows accurate time recording and sail number recognition in one swift sequence.

Lecture at CCYC Wednesday 14th of January

Foil pressure and turbulence

Searcher Ker 46 Leeway Angle research

We did some major research into a clients problems in light air performance. It was evident from recorded data that the yacht had excessive Leeway angles in lighter wind speed and in particular below 7kts. Modern yachts are depending on the keel and rudder surface to provide lift and rudder angles are critical to make the rudder provide that share of the total lift of the foils. After research it was apparent that the yacht had negative or neutral helm in the light and a balance problem. Increasing rake and moving the mast heel back should solve this problem and improve the performance.

Sydney Hobart '23

https://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/tracker/

Merry Xmas

Carbon in construction & architecture

 

Cutting-edge computational technologies combined with constructional principles found in nature have enabled the development of a digital building system. The pavilion’s loadbearing structure is robotically produced from advanced fibre composites only. The resulting building is exceptionally lightweight and provides a distinctive spatial experience.

In biology most loadbearing structures are fibre composites, made from fibres such as cellulose, chitin or collagen, and a matrix material that supports them and maintains their relative position. The performance and resource efficiency of biological structures stems from these fibrous systems. Their organisation, directionality and density is finely tuned and locally varied, in order to ensure that material is only placed where it is required.

The BUGA Fibre Pavilion was designed to transfer this biological principle of load-adapted, highly-differentiated fibre- composite systems into an architecturally-conceived structure. Manmade composites, such as the glass- or carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics used here, share their fundamental characteristics with natural composites.

The pavilion covers an area of some  400 square metres and has a free span exceeding 23 metres. It is enclosed by a transparent, mechanically pre-stressed ETFE membrane.

The primary loadbearing structure is made from just 60 bespoke fibre composite components. Weighing 7.6 kilograms per square metre it is exceptionally lightweight, approximately five times lighter than a conventional steel structure. The elaborate testing procedures required for full approval showed that a single fibrous component can take up to 250 kN of compression force, which equals around 25 tonnes.

The black carbon filament bundles, wrapping around the translucent glass fibre lattice, create a stark contrast in texture. This architectural articulation is heightened by the gradation from sparser carbon filaments at the top towards their denser application on the slenderest components that meet the ground. The pavilion thus exposes its underlying design principles in an explicable, expressive manner.

....the art of design. The Boatspeed Doctor design office in full swing

 Bowsprit mount for the Velocitek ProStart for Cool Runnings 4

Tiller extension handle catch

Nacra 17 differential rudder set up

 New Nacra 17 differential rudder set up. Smart and simple.

Happy New year

X-Yachts magazine article

Jochem Visser is one of those rare professionals who not only competes at the highest level, but can also communicate and share their skills with amateur crews.

The Dutch sailor is a talented helmsman, tactician and navigator, and has won three world championships and nearly 50 national titles. He has sailed to victory in all the major events on the big boat circuit, including the Admiral’s Cup, Rolex Sydney-Hobart, Fastnet, Newport Bermuda, and Copa del Rey.However, it is his skills in boat optimisation, campaign management and coaching which make him so sought after by teams who want to gain an edge in both onedesign and handicap racing, and he has specialised in X-Yachts for over 25 years.

Read the rest of the X-yachts magazine article here

The world of monohull sailing will never be the same.......

Sail GP sail simulator

The future of things to come in sailing. After Team New Zealand's great success using a simulator in their design stages, a simulator is now seen as an expert design and training tool.

Cool Runnings, what it feels, looks and sounds like @ 33 kts

Good impression of what it looks, feels and sounds like onboard Cool Runnings at higher speeds.

Note: Keep an eye on the ferry going along on the left............

Cool Runnings Open 7.50 / HP30 FOR SALE

FOR SALE

Open 7.50 / HP30 “Cool Runnings” DEN 004

Hull nr. 004 build by JPS productions

Sales Contact: jochem@boatspeed.info 

Price: EURO  39000,-  or GPB 34.000,-(incl. VAT)

Description

Very well maintained Open 7.50 with excellent race track record and comprehensive inventory of sails and extra’s. She comes with a road trailer with storage for equipment and sails. She sports the latest set of North Sails from April 2017 which have only been used for 5 days.

This boat had several extensive refits with the last one completed in 2016 which included a full re-spray and high finish of hull and foils. This Open 7.50 has had an exceptional track record winning trophies in events like Spi Ouest, Tour Belle Ile and twice winner of the infamous Cento Miglia. She also turned eyes in the new UK HP30 class not only winning races but also showing her pedigree as the smallest boat taking line honours in the class consistently.

She is a true thoroughbred and the current owner’s attitude towards excellence is clearly displayed in her finish with remarkable detailing. She has the latest type of EVA foam based non-skid in the cockpit and is very well maintained throughout.

Footage of her in action on the following links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu20yXK_4_U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kqe2ost2b0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYEzqSj-gIE

Inventory

Equipment:

• Mecanorem trailer with storage boxes (x2) and sail storage tubes(x2), Custom hull cradles and equipped with all the legal requirements for towing her including a revolving warning light. Trailer has been well maintained with new tyres 2012, new brakes, brake cables, tow hitch and wheel  bearings in 2016.
• Comprehensive  cover (2012) which can be used during transport as well.
• Tack Tick Racemaster with Boatspeed & Compass  heading. Includes deck mounted solar charging panel.
• New Harken winches (2015) and 2x winchhandle.
• Rudder transport covers.
• New rudder bearings and pins 2017.
• Extensive set of spares and spare running rigging.
• Spinlock tiller extension.
• Onboard waterproof toolbox with handtools and  race spares.
• Aluminium keel lift serviced 2017 with dedicated storage on trailer.
• Spare sail battens.
• Gennaker drop bag for cockpit with fastenings.
• Loose Rigging tension gauge.
• 2016 ORC rating certificate and 2017 IRC rating certificate.
• Open 7.50 Class compliance certificate

Safety equipment:

• Anchor with chain and line in waterproof bag.
• Bucket and bailer.
• Paddle with adjustable handle.
• Hand bilge-pump.
• 4x red Handflares.
• Safety mirror .
• First Aid set.
• Safety knife.
• Foghorn.
• 5x Spinlock Zero Buoyancy aids (2013)

Sails:

Sail	Brand	Year	Condition (1-10)
Mainsail	North 3DI Raw	2017	10
Genoa Medium	North 3DL	2017	10
Genoa Heavy	North panel	2017	10
Gennaker AP	North Superkote	2017	10
Code 0 / A5	Incidence Panel	2013	9
Genoa Medium	North 3DL	2015	9
Gennaker AP	North Superkote	2015	8
Gennaker AP	North Superkote	2012	7
Mainsail	Incidence	2013	8
Genoa Medium	Incidence	2013	7
Genoa Heavy	Incidence	2013	8
Mainsail	Incidence	2009	5
Genoa Medium	Incidence	2009	5
Genoa Heavy	Incidence	2009	5
Various other training sails (+/- 14 sails)	Incidence, Epsilon, North, Le Bihan, Technic Voile, Daoulas	2000-2008	unknown

CFD v Reality

CFD image courtesy of Mario Caponnetta

Foiling high speed stalls

Team Cool Runnings (CR4) experienced a high speed stall when foiling in the Solent in late October 2017.

We've been studying what could have caused this as it happened at a top speed of about 34 knots in relatively calm/flat waters of Southampton river.

This picture shows the sudden speed loss as the cavitation forms around the foil and quickly develops into a massive speed brake as the volume of the air bubble increases.

The picture (courtesy of Mario Caponnetto) below shows quite well one of the root of the causes. As
the cat accelerated she also flew very high and with that the drift/leeway increased drastically causing a very high angle of attack on the lower leeward end of the v shaped foil carving through the water. In CFD simulations you can see in red the area which is most prone for starting cavitation. As we reached higher speeds, quite suddenly in a gust, the rake settings were to high and coupled with the our wind proof trampoline*it lead to a bow up high ride. This increases the leeway dramatically as ever less surface of the asymmetric shaft side of the foil is supporting the high side forces of the rig. This is even made worse by the shallow apparent wind angles these boats endure downwind ( less than 30-40 degr AWA).

In layman terms we went to fast flying to high. The foil spat the dummy at us when there was hardly any lateral area left for either uplift or stop us from skipping sideways. Lesson learned.......fly low = fly save

*  Windproof trampoline assist our endplate effect of our Aero skirt and minimises  losses and tip vortex around the bottom of the mainsail.

Numbers & Graphs.......optimising for 2018 ORC/IRC Worlds The Hague

With the unique combo of the ORC as well as IRC rated Worlds coming up in July 18' in The Hague there are some interesting challenges for those who want to optimise their yacht. Where each of the individual handicap rules has its own perks now the game will be find the best road between these two offshore handicapping rules.

Jochem (aka The Boatspeed Doctor) explains; " The question is not to optimise for either rule but to find a medium which allows you to keep average good scores in both. Each boat will be rated both under IRC & ORC. The scoring will be determined by equally weighing the score of the yacht in both rating system for each race. This throws up a few challenges as one is time on time and the other time on distance, one is a constant multiplication factor while the other varies with wind strength and course type. The key is to determine which of the two rules creates the biggest deviation relative to the boats true performance, in which wind range and on what course type. It's all about eliminating high scoring races in either rule coupled with a risk management strategy for the expected fleet in each class."

Team Cool Runnings 2017 fun on foils

Team Cool Runnings 2017 fun on foils with program 2018 from Jochem Visser on Vimeo.

The only way forward is up #4

Team Cool Runnings has progressed to a foiling cat. The team went through a steep learning curve and driver and team captain Jochem Visser definitely had to enhance his skill set.........

The ETF 26', drawn by the talented and part of TNZ winning AC team Guillaume Verdier, is a definite weapon. The foiling cat comes in less than a third of the weight of het bigger foiling sister the GC32. She has so far shown great potential and has definitely kept us on our toe's. Topping out at 34 knots after one season the Team is more than keen to enter the ETF circuit for 2018 and preparing hard to get boat and team in the best shape.