GPS detection of OCS?

Originally posted by yellowwelly Is GPS accurate enough?

No.

"I got caught out that way in 1989 or 1990 in the Bosun nationals. Being a military regatta they were using a rifle and blanks for the starting gun and the plug went clean through my mainsail"

You're lucky it wasn't the old starting cannon! That had a much bigger wad (plus the gunpowder stains).

Colin

Originally posted by Brass Originally posted by Mark Jardine Originally posted by Rupert I prefer the idea of a high powered rifle set about 6" above the water. Any boats with holes in the bow were over. Any helms with extra holes in the bum were a long way over. I got caught out that way in 1989 or 1990 in the Bosun nationals. Being a military regatta they were using a rifle and blanks for the starting gun and the plug went clean through my mainsail. Well over early and embarrassingly close to the committee boat were we?

If anyone was going to get caught on that start line, it was me

Originally posted by Presuming Ed Some might say that sailing in the Bosun nationals means you should get properly shot. But then sailing in the Bosun nationals is probably enough of a penance as it is.

Back then there were a good number of them racing (49 in the 1990 nationals if I remember rightly) and it was the one event I beat a certain Steve Cockerill in!

You do have a point though!

Not sure if they still do it, but Thorpe Bay SC have been known to use a shotgun - blank rounds and aimed up and away from the line. Quite something to see someone stood atop the committee boat aiming a shotgun at the sky.