A Great App

I have discovered what looks to be a really fabulous app for sailing -  and it is free.

Go to RaceQs.com and check it out.

All you need is a smartphone - either Android or Iphone (or Ipad) and you can get a great track of your race or wherever you go.  A GPS also works.  Blackberries don't work.

I tried it today with my Ipad (in a waterproof covering) strapped to the front deck of my Laser with a bungee cord and it worked beautifully - with my track accurately recorded and with different colors for my speed - my top speed was 10 knots on a reach.

Then you can upload the track to the RaceQ website (free) and do all kinds of neat stuff with it. I am sure I have a lot to learn about the possibilities, but even on the first day, I am pretty excited about it.

If other sailors were in the same area at the same time (like during a race) and have also uploaded their tracks, then all show together.  There are avatars for each boat and, if you fix the phone or Ipad to your boat, you can get all kinds of neat info on what you did, with a 3D boat. (I am still trying to figure out how to get the big keelboat to look more like a Laser - but even I can't, still a cool app.)

I hope I can convince a number of sailors in our club to do this and then we can see our races afterward.

And the same folks have some very interesting training videos based on some of the races uploaded.

Give it a try.