Dinghy development: GPS tracking for dinghies

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GPS tracking for dinghies

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14067
Printed Date: 25 Jun 25 at 2:12pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: GPS tracking for dinghies

Posted By: Wetabix
Subject: GPS tracking for dinghies
Date Posted: 22 Dec 24 at 9:15am

I used to use a Velocitek Speed Puck which had a really good replay facility which would generate polar diagrams. Now that people are using mobile phones for tracking, is there a comparable program/app that will do the same job and allow me to see my track/tacking angle and downwind Vmg? If it would work with a Foretrex that would be a bonus. xmas wishes, George Morris (Findhorn, Moray, Weta117, Phantom 903)

Replies:

Posted By: Wetabix
Date Posted: 27 Dec 24 at 2:32pm

OK: no response there - how about I am trying to download resQ to my android phone but Play Store doesn't recognize it. Does anyone know if it still exists?

Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 27 Dec 24 at 9:28pm

RaceQs?

I think she be deadybones.

Posted By: Wetabix
Date Posted: 27 Dec 24 at 11:43pm

I think you are right!

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 28 Dec 24 at 12:51am

In the absence of more recent recommendations I used the free version of this some years ago. The free version is still available, but very old. It seems that the paid for version is still being maintained and developed, but I can't comment on how good it is. The free one was clunky but usable. Its a Java app so whatever you run it on needs to be capable of running Java apps.

http://gpsactionreplay.free.fr/

Posted By: Wetabix
Date Posted: 28 Dec 24 at 8:03am

Thankyou very much - that is exactly what I was looking for. Whether it is what I want/need is another matter. At 30 Euros it is competing with other more modern ones which are currently active. All I wanted to do was see if my very old wooden Phantom runs DDW faster or slower (Vmg) if you head off to one side a bit!

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 30 Dec 24 at 6:27pm

The 30 Euro version was last updated (V7.0) on 1st November 2024, so that's reasonably active! The free version (v3.3.3) was sufficient for me to do an evaluation of downwind angles on my IC with some carefully structured testing. I don't think I've ever come across a boat that actually was faster on an exactly 180 degree run, but personally at least I've found I never seem to be happy sailing one, I always seem to find one gybe or the other preferable, using the test of throwing the boom across and seeing if anything changes. If one feels better than the other you can't be at 180!

Posted By: Wetabix
Date Posted: 30 Dec 24 at 7:01pm

Thanks - I've read their blurb and installation all sounds rather difficult. Actually I may still have my old SpeedPuck Action Replay software loaded but haven't got a suitable track to load up and try out as my SpeedPuck is producing unplayable tracks. Having been given a smartphone by one of my children I was hoping I could use that but have so far not found out how. Thanks for your reply - I like the try it and see what happens method but after some 11 years of sailing what is basically a 'slow asymmetric' (a Weta) I confess that I am not very good at it and I don't think wooden Phantoms are actually compatible with GPS but I thought that I'd give it a try. Someone told me to let the kicker off downwind and that seemed to make a huge difference although I can't really see why. I usually find myself sailing with the apparent wind well off 180 degrees ('cos you unstall the sail go faster) but am surrounded by Aeros and Lasers running by the lee. I fear I have not learned much in the last 80 years or so....!

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 30 Dec 24 at 9:00pm

Try this. Be warned I wrote this nearly ten years ago, so the state of the art damn well ought to have improved, but its all I have to hand.

https://devboats.co.uk/sailing/gpslogging/" rel="nofollow - https://devboats.co.uk/sailing/gpslogging/

Posted By: Wetabix
Date Posted: 30 Dec 24 at 9:07pm

Ahh..I recognize that. That's what I used to get from my SpeedPuck. I'll have a look at Gps logger, try it out on my bicycle and see if I can play it through the Velocitek Control Centre which I still have. (Everyday a new IT Faff, but I am learning!)

Posted By: Wetabix
Date Posted: 31 Dec 24 at 5:52pm

Nirvana! I have downloaded Java, downloaded both the Pro and legacy versions of GPSAR, put GPS tracker on my phone, sailed a track (on 31 Dec!), shared it with my computer and 'analysed ' my Polar. I would attach a screenshot if I knew how. Thanks v much. Next stop the Olympics........

Posted By: Wiclif
Date Posted: 01 Jan 25 at 4:54pm

Jim, George. This post interests me as a past user of the Speed Puck and the Velocitek software.

A very basic question. How can I get the information from my Speed Puck to my computer?

A long time ago, I had the Velocitek Speed Centre software which I could not get transferred to my last computer. I have put this on my Windows 11 computer (as well as the GPS Action Replay one) but the only way I can view old files is to try to open it on the old Velocitek software and then export it to my computer, and THEN open it on the GPS Action Replay,

I can't open and view the old files directly, and I can't access any info from the Speed Puck itself (assuming it hasn't got wiped somehow)

Posted By: Wetabix
Date Posted: 01 Jan 25 at 5:55pm

I have not actually downloaded a Velocitek file from the speedpuck for a few years. My .vcc files were in a directory named My Velocitek Files which transferred across to my new laptop a few years ago (caution - I now seem to have two such directories since migrating all my files across). GPSARPRO seems able to read .vcc files but in any case I think the old Velocitek Control Centre still lurking in my computer can save as .gpx. I'm afraid my head is still spinning from the five day gps faff and I do not have a clear picture of what I have done. Suffice that I can now go sailing with ONLY a telephone for company, my wife can see where I am on Google Maps, the coastguard can see where I am using RYA safeTRX and I can record my track on TrackLog and at some point email it to my computer and open it with GpsAR and analyse my technique or lack of while sitting in front of the fire with a scotch.

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 01 Jan 25 at 6:54pm

I fear I've never had anything to do with a speed puck. According to the docs post 2021 Speedpucks should appear as a USB drive if you simply plug it into a PC with a suitable USB cable. Older ones apparently need to use the Control Centre app for file transfer. So yes, it does seem as if what you have to do is to connect the old Velocitek software and use it to download the files to a PC to use GPSAR (or whatever).

Posted By: Wiclif
Date Posted: 01 Jan 25 at 7:37pm

Thanks both for your comments. It is a long time since I used the Velocitek on the computer.

Jim, I thought that the files on the Speed Puck should appear as a USB stick, but no. From memory the old Velocitek software retrieved the files directly from the Speed Puck, but again, not.

I will have to go and experiment some more