Learning new skills...

[Chris Miller]

I bought myself a set of splicing fids for x-mas this year. I've been spending an hour here or there trying to teach myself the basics of splicing double braid. I finally figured out what I was doing wrong (helps to stick the pointy end in the right spot!) and corrected it. Then I built one of my dogs a cool new "sailor dude doggy" leash. This evening I did my new traveler lines.
It's really a fun feeling to learn new sailor skills...
Anybody learning anything fun?

[Sean Engle]

...Anybody learning anything fun?

I'm learning all about beam deflection and load tracing!!! Want me to explain? :p

//sse

[Guy Stevens]

Before you think that this is not sailing related, let's imagine that beam which is cantalevered is actually an unstayed mast, say from a freedom, hunter or the like. And that the graph was inadvertantly printed sideways.

What would the deflection of the beam, I mean mast, be on such a rig, with the uniform force of wind, and how would we cut the sail to take advantage of it????? (I know that the loading is not uniform due to the drag of the wind on the surface of the water, but this is a simulation, if it were really sailing, then the prof would have given Sean a sailboat to play with for the day instead of a calculator and a poorly illustrated book).


I always tried to make those dry engineering classes more fun. Had a prof that would bring in real world examples. Turns out that he was a sailor too, and that in the end he would explain the examples to me based on masts and rigging.

Have Fun,
Guy
:-)

[rwthomas1]

Nice rope work! My wife asked for and received a set of fids for Christmas. Once she learns how to work with single and double braid I won't have too! We have also signed up for a 12 week navigation class. Moving from a small daysailer to the E38 it seems prudent to learn navigation skills. Looking forward to it, it starts next week. RT

[Chris Miller]

Hey Rob, what course are you taking? Powersquadron, sailmaker, other local?


Guy and Sean,
I crew on a race boat full of aero engineers... I studied music in school, so I insist we have some art discussions immediately after anyone mentions Bernoulli!
Chris

[rwthomas1]

Chris,
Not entirely sure what course I am taking... My wife signed us up though our club and it is being offered by the USCG Auxilliary. Weeks 1-6 are basic navigation, then a mid term exam and certificate if you pass. Then another 6 weeks of advanced navigation and another final, certificate, etc. We'll see. RT