Tuesday, December 9, 2008

The Web and Sailing

The Nintendo Generation is not afraid to use technology to enhance sailing.

I grew up as part of the Nintendo Generation.  Born in the late 1970s as a child I cut my teeth on Atari, Intelevision, Coleecovision, and by the time I was seven Ninetendo came out and every kid I knew was hopelessly addicted.  With a background in visually based video gaming we took to computers, especially Windows, with its visually based operating system.  As we figured out computers the web came to life in its primordial but recognizable form in the mid-1990s.  Computers were not merely the world of geeks and social retards but accessible to almost everyone.  For my entire life I have been engaging technology for entertainment, education, work, and socializing.  How does this tie into sailing, a sport that took hold at the turn of the century and who's beginnings date back over 4000 years?

To me the two are inseparable.  In 2001 when I first became introduced to sailing I did all of my research online.  I learned all I could from websites, and forums.  I found my first boat for sale online.  I sold my first boat online (the website is still up: click here).  I found my current Yacht Club online, and I found boats to crew on online.  I even found most of the equipment and crew for my boat online.  I can not imagine my growth as a sailor or enjoyment of sailing without the aid of these technologies.  In the next section I am going to go over some of the technology I employ to enjoy sailing.

Information/Hobby Sites:

Pre-blogs many people out there created simple websites dedicated to there hobbies and sailing was no exception.  They created journals of their cruising or racing exploits, and discussed boat repair and improvements they had made.  There were numerous basic owner's association sites with details on all aspects of popular craft.  These sites provided a ton of information in the early days and have helped me allot.  While these sites still exist they have recently taken on other forms such as blogs, or found user driven sites like facebook and others.  

Here are a few examples:
  • Stella Blue - This guy has WAY too much time on his hands.  It is  website dedicated to a man's C&C 38 and the host of modifications and projects he has made.  Worth a look. 
  •  C&C 27 Owner's Association - A old style owner's association website. 

Tiddly Cove's Website features Tiddly Winks; a blog with a variety of information posted by the club.

Blogs:

Blogs are basically online journals or sites with posts and can be subscribed too by readers.  This site is itself a blog, and the Tiddly Cove Yacht Club's Tiddly Winks are blogs.  Today most people do not build dedicated hobby sites in the same way they used to.  They create online blogs so they can chronicle whatever they wish.  There are often a lot of ways to customize your blog with gadgets, videos, pictures, and many other features.  In the case of sailing there are numerous blogs of individuals sailing journeys, boat repair projects, and any other aspect of sailing. 
Why start a blog?  I use mine to chronicle stories aboard the boat.  I find that it builds a sense of community around the crew, who sail with me.  My family and distant friends can keep in touch.  I also use my blog to post race results, announce events, and highlight boat projects.  
It's funny you think who would read your random ramblings on sailing (obviously if your reading this you are) but people do.  I recently met someone in a Yacht Club bar who started talking to me about my blog and I had not told them about it.  Additionally since I race I am on occasion looking for crew so I direct potential new crew to my blog.  It gives them a chance to know what kind of boat and crew I have thereby increasing the chance of a good fit.

Here are a few examples:


Classifieds:

It used to be if you wanted to find a sailboat you went through the newspaper, or boating magazines, or a classifieds paper like the Boat Journal.  Today searching for a new boat or equipment is done almost excursively online.  I can't imagine anyone attempting to buy or sell a boat with any of the low tech options alone.  I for one have equipped my boat with a lot of its gear buy using craigslist, a free online classifieds.  

Here are some online classifieds used by sailors:

  • Yacht World - The site to list your boat on.  You have to be a broker to list a boat but this is the first place anyone looking for a used boat in North America goes.  
  • Craigslist - There 'For Sale' Boating section may not be visually stunning but the deals you can find if you are looking to dig are amazing.  
  • Boat Journal -  Even the old paper rag now has its postings all online.
  • eBAy - Has boats and equipment auctioned off on it.  

Google Maps is a easy way to scope out your cruising/racing ground.  Google Earth is another option to chart courses.


Sailfow is one of the most accurate weather websites I have used for the Vancouver area.

Weather/Navigation Sites:

While I still go down to the boat and listen to the weather reports over the VHF; this is the last thing I do.  Before sailing I check the weather on the Environment Canada website.  Get a detailed modelling forecast off of a website called sailflow, check out the wind meter at the Jericho Sailing Centre and check the predicted tides.  I am also able to use my iPhone to check this information if I am away from a computer prior to heading down there.  Sites like google maps or its down-loadable program google Earth are great mapping tools that allow you to check out from a satellite's point of view almost anywhere on the globe.  I always take a look to get a rough idea of where I am going when planning a cruise.

Here are some links:

  • Environment Canada - EC posts weather forecasts and warnings on their site and updates them throughout the day.
  • Sailflow - Hands down this is the best weather site for the Vancouver area.  It is hard to believe but their predictions are often right on target.
  • Xtide - This gives you tide and current predictions for the Vancouver area.
  • Google Maps - This site gives you a satellite view of any place on the planet.

The facebook TCYC Group.


The famous Sailing Anarchy website combines a blog style front page with a hugely popular forum.

Community Sites:

This is perhaps the most powerful part of the web's impact on sailing.  Community is a tough thing.  Big yacht clubs have seen aging populations and a drop off in club life.  Little or virtual yacht clubs have always struggled with this.  Walking around my marina there is often a lack of activity or life.  However people are finding new ways to get together around sailing online.  
Juggernauts like facebook have huge numbers with numerous sailing groups which allows people network, communicate, and express plan activities.  
In my case our Yacht Club has a facebook group.  We are able to plan events using facebook and invite others to attend.  I often post google earth maps of the location of the meeting and post relevant documents.  We currently have over 80 people belonging to this group.
Forums are simply online areas to discuss any topic you like.  There are a number of sailing forums out there.  I use them for meeting new people or crew, planning events, and even asking technical questions on topics from rigging to diesel mechanics.  The most popular is the Sailing Anarchy forum.  Sailing Anarchy combines a news type blog and a forum.  They have recently tried launching a online virtual yacht club.  Our Yacht Club has recently launched a sailing forum which we hope to be the central area for club interaction and participation when not out on the water.

Here are some forum links:

  • Sailing Anarchy - The largest sailing forum out there.
  • Sailnet - A general sailing forum and a good place to ask technical questions.
  • TCYC Forum - My yacht club's new forum.
Here are some Yacht Club sites (some contain crew pools):


Here are some Yachting event sites:


Here are some Sailing Association sites:


General Research:

The web has a disgusting amount of information on it.  I was recently asked how I learned to do all my diesel engine maintenance.  I told them that I had learnt it all online.  When I rewired my shore power completely I did it with online resources to guide me.  When I installed a GPS which I bought off craigslist, I researched it online.  Numerous industry experts or amateurs have posted detailed information on almost any aspect of sailing.  I look online before starting any project and usually get a ton of useful information.

Here are some research links:
While I am certain I have only scratched the surface of what online tools are out there to help sailors I hope this may be helpful to someone.  If nothing else it gives you something else to do on cold rainy winter nights.  

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