If you’ve seen a lot of my posts, it’s clear that a lot of my Glowforge designs have been to support my company SailZing.com’s product business. Our latest product is a set of boat models that we call Fleet Kits for use in sailing schools and protest meetings to show various scenarios.
Most of the kits for sale previously had just a single sail and were low fidelity, but cost a lot. We chose to make several sets to support everything from the Scows and Optimists that we sail and up to a yacht shape for offshore.
The Glowforge allowed me to do a lot of prototyping and enough production for now. The finished result is awesome!
Can you go into details on how these are used?
They look super neat but my “barely enough to be dangerous” knowledge of sailing means I do not quite get them. Is this to mimic boat/sail position?
Sure. The boats are used to replay a situation, for example a rules infraction.
Each party is one color with four boats numbered 1 through 4. 1 is the first position and 4 is that color’s final position to portray a sequence. Many rules have specifics that relate to when you achieved a certain position for rights to be granted.
Check out our rules section for some rules details and animations that perform a similar role to the fleet kits.
The kits can also be used to explain the fundamentals of sailing to students. They also make fun toys for kids old enough (and SOME adults - small parts).
The arrows are for wind direction or direction of travel? If wind it might be worth it to include something like one of those blowing clouds to indicate that
No files. I was just sharing what can be done with the automagical Glowforge. I think that shared files are “generally” in the “Free Laser Designs” category.
The arrows are for Wind and Current. The wind arrow is longer and thinner with a “W” and the current arrow is shorter and stubby with a “C”. Once you know what they indicate, it’s not hard. I engraved the words on them, but to save operations, I engrave the magnet holes (for magnetic whiteboards) on the same side. So that puts the words on the backside when on the whiteboard.
For my lake sailing, I don’t have to worry about current, but offshore and on the Mississippi River, it makes a huge difference. My wife used to sail in the San Francisco and Monterrey bays and current matters.
