Page Title

Text Box: volumes of weather data required big computers and special archival techniques that were only available to government agencies or universities. Even in these environments consistent true global data sets spanning many years were difficult to find. In the past ten years, however, due to concerns about global climate change, scientists have made a tremendous effort to consolidate and reanalyze in a consistent manner weather data through several past decades. The weather data set used in this software package was derived from one of these reanalysis data sets. In the sailboat simulation system this voluminous data has been reduced to only the data of interest to sailors. Sailboat Simulator: The sailboat simulator in this package was designed to replicate the characteristics of a sailboat important to a transoceanic crossing. That is, details about acceleration are largely irrelevant. The sailboat dynamics are based on a set of four differential equations that incorporate such factors as wetted surface area, heeling moments, gravity wave drag etc. Actual hull hydrodynamics are ignored except through keel and waterline length considerations. I hope that you enjoy making armchair voyages with Virtual Passages and that it helps to provide some understanding of the world’s complex weather. If it does then it will make me feel better about the time I spent developing Virtual Passage rather than sailing. However, remember the words of my fellow Alabamian, Jimmy Buffet – “don’t try to describe the ocean if you’ve never seen it”. This new Version 2.0 has nautical charting available through Force9 a full function charting and navigation system. Additionally, several new features are available including a new graphical interface showing the boat direction, wind, current and actual direction Let me know what you think about Virtual Passage 2.0 and any suggestions for improvement. I hope to continue development so your input is critical. Watch the web page at www.virtualsail.com for updates and the inevitable fixes or contact me via email at info@virtualsail.com . Richard T. McNider April 22, 2002 Huntsville, Alabama