Skipper Johnson said:Has anyone used this - is it any good?
Also - Is there any downside to buying a compass? By this I mean, will this hinder my progress by relying on equipment rather than feel etc?
Merrily said:Is the Tacktick a digital compass? Rule 22 of the ILCA Rules says that electronic and digital compasses are prohibited.
As far as an analog compass goes, I have one, and it doesn't inhibit my progress, but it doesn't help me much yet either. I'm too busy with everything else that needs to be done to look at it, so far. I hope to spend some time this year with practice in using it to see whether I'm lifted or headed. It did help when I sailed at Masters MWE because the first mark, at half a mile, was so far away you couldn't see it easily.
Skipper Johnson said:Thanks for the feedback re the electronic compass. I thought the compass might help with me headers / lifters. On a lake navigating to the next buoy is not an issue. But what I do find confusing when beating is:
1) I know when I am headed, but should I tack straight away? What seems to happen on the lake is the wind almost immediately shifts back and when I go about Im headed on the next tack! Double whammy.
2) I can be on a header but maybe I was sailing above the median prior and the "header" is really just taking me back to the median. I can't see how, without a compass, I could detect this.
Cheerio
Merrily said:1. On our gusty lake, full of cats paws, too, I've heard to count to ten before tacking when headed, because of these quick shifts.
2. I didn't say it wasn't useful! I'm just not skilled enough to get it all done yet. Watching for gusts, right sail shape and keeping the telltales flying right, using body weight to steer, tactics, the mysteries of strategy--it's a lot to take in for a newbie. However, one accomplished sailor at my club doesn't use a compass. He sights stuff on the shoreline to tell if he's headed, at the median, etc. That is a skill in itself, and it seems like the compass would be easier.
Skipper Johnson said:Our lake, especially when it's light winds, can be a nightmare. Example on Saturday - I was on a dead run, a guy from directly ahead was also on a dead run coming toward me! Nuts!
SFBayLaser said:To me personally, the very best book I have ever read on wind shifts is "Positioning: The Logic of Sailboat Racing" by Stuart Walker. ..
Merrily said:Well, SFBayLaser recommended the video "Hot Yachts, Cold Water" to me, and it is excellent, so I thought I'd give this book a look-see. I've been saving my pennies lately, and so looked for it at a library. I found it, but not locally, through a university library and it is on its way. Then, just out of curiosity, I looked it up on Amazon. $149.99!!! It's even more at ALibris. It's out of print, but still--
That must be some book. Can't wait.
Merrily said:Is the Tacktick a digital compass? Rule 22 of the ILCA Rules says that electronic and digital compasses are prohibited.
As far as an analog compass goes, I have one, and it doesn't inhibit my progress, but it doesn't help me much yet either. I'm too busy with everything else that needs to be done to look at it, so far. I hope to spend some time this year with practice in using it to see whether I'm lifted or headed. It did help when I sailed at Masters MWE because the first mark, at half a mile, was so far away you couldn't see it easily.
Skipper Johnson said:Which compass do you have Mezza? And are you happy with it? Can you recommend any others etc etc
Merrily said:Mezza? Is this like "tinnies?" I googled Mezza and came up with "small appetizers," "emu oil," or a website about the fear of gelatin.
Anyway, I have a Nexus 103R compass. I slides onto a bracket on my deck, and it has tactical numbers on it which seem harder to me to use than one with degrees. I got the compass thrown into the deal when I bought a Europe Dinghy last winter. (Note to self, stop buying boats in the winter.) See the bottom of this page:
http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d3000/e1872.asp
Skipper Johnson said:Thanks. Along with adding the "ee" sound to the end of things, we also like to shorten espcially people's names and add za on the end.
eg Sharons are Shezzas, Barry becomes Bazza, Terry is a Tezza and Merrily becomes Mezza