Club Starting procedures

 At Crosby we have an automatic box which contains a starting clock which works on the 5410 timings, but will do pursuits. Connected to a hooter box.  It even gives a minute lead in for the OD to get ready with the flags.  The flags are on an old laser top section, which has a drain pipe at the bottom. On the five hoot, five flags go up, and on conseq minutes a flag drops into the holder. At go there are no flags.  means we can set watches off any flag !  no sailing past asking " how long to go "    Modelled on the Americas cup start system and works well so far.  Our resident 80yrs old OD can even work it !!  Simples.......

Originally posted by Oli Originally posted by JimC I was thinking I ought to write a smartphone app that does the sequence and calls out a countdown and the flags combined with taking a video. Then you could point the camera along the line and have a video of any OCS and have the timing automated... All you'd need to do would be obey instructions on what flags to use (it would call them out too) and it would be portable electronics that wouldn't need to stay on the boat. ive been waiting ages for someone to do this as i don't have the required skills myself.  would suggest that the user can put in their own start sequence timings though as not all clubs use the standard...

You would need to make sure the smartphone had the correct lens or else the distortion would lead to inaccuracy. A 45mm lens would probably be the most accurate.


Edited by tgruitt - 05 Feb 14 at 10:38am

http://www.autohoot.com/pdf/008-027_1WEB%20AutoHoot%20II%20sales%20flyer.pdf
Auto hoot is its name.