Some boats at the Glabal Challenge will have a gps, and I think it would be nice to gather the tracks and publish them eventually on internet.
You can see what happened during a race, vmg can be calculated, best 500 meters etcetera.
The program used is GPSar, to be found at http://gpsactionreplay.free.fr/
We have seen some pretty nice examples over here, http://www.catsailor.com/forums/showflat...true#Post112420
An example track from zandvoort can be found here: http://www.gruesink.demon.nl/appletGPSAR/gpsar.html
You should see something like this:



So if someone wants to see his own tracks, please bring your gps unit and pc-interface cable. After the races we can downlad the track on a PC We do have already cables for a Garmin12, Garmin Geko and Garmin Foretrex.The best would be if we could put it the same day on the internet , but i don't think we can do this. But sure it will be done after the Global Challenge.

Basically Geert is saying that we can GPS record each race held in the Global Challenge so internet spectators can later replay the racing. Not as good as the America's cup coverage using virtual spectator but close enough.

So please, all teams bring your GPS logger and a PC cable (+ special software if needed) so we can read out your personal race tracks and combine all tracks in a virtual replay of the actual race.

I think we have 3 GPS loggers right now and it would be so great to have all boats with GPS loggers. Most handheld GPS units can also log GPS points and communicate with the PC.

Wouter

This is a great idea. I was going to suggest using GPS Replay earlier but I thought it was all being worked out with another program. With GPS replay you don't have to have the program installed on your computer to watch the race, you only need it to make the internet files that will be uploaded to a site for others to view. It is a Java script(program?) that will run right from the internet, just click and it will play. JPG's of the sailing area can be added so that the viewer can see the shore and the buildings on it as well as the ocean of course. I have GPS Replay already installed on my computer and have viewed a few small races on it. Very Nice!

I think I will start a web site where anybody can post their Cat racing GPS Replay files. Geert, let me know if you need some web space and I set up a simple (meaning quick, to be adorned later) web site. Sounds like an idea, a single place to view replays of any cat race, even simple two boat races between friends. Let me know and I will get to work.

All you need now is for Garmin to sponser the races by supplying all the handheld GPS's (most companies love almost free advertisement) <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Maybe next time.

Just to let you know, I am in no way associated with GPS Replay or Garmin (after reading this post I can see that it sounds like a commercial), I just think GPS Replay is cool, it can also be used as a powerful learning tool for all cat sailors.


Miguel

I forgot to mention that in order to view GPS Action Replay files on your computer you need to have the Java Machine installed. If you don't have the Java Machine installed just Google it and you will find it and be able to load it from the net. It's free and will work on any computer.

Miguel