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Thread: New Boat 4 Sled

  1. #6271
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    Sep 2007
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    Capitola,CA
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    Last evening on my sunset walk to the Fossil Cliff something arose from clear and empty sky to the southeast. It took a moment to figure out what I was seeing: a rocket launch from Vandenberg AFB, 200 miles south. Though I couldn't see the slivery space ship at that distance, the thin white line separated and became a large bright cloud in the sky reflecting off the last of the sun's rays.

    Returning to CBC I checked the Vandenberg report and realized I had seen a Space-X Falcon 9 rocket launch carrying 22 Starlink satellites into orbit. It reminded me 47 years ago that Voyager was launched into outer space. And is still going, even communicating back to Earth at an astronomical distance into deep space.

    For a treat at CBC, can anyone name the navigator for Voyager who designed the solution of aiming the NASA rocket around planets in our solar system, using their gravitational pull to sling shot Voyager on its epic voyage. Hint; both he and his family sailed and raced out of Inverness YC. And the tradition continues...
    Last edited by sleddog; 03-19-2024 at 06:56 AM.

  2. #6272
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
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    Bodfish, CA
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    436

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    The navigator was an extremely talented scientist with a slide rule and a working knowledge of celestial navigation.

    In my first college physics class in ‘67, we calculated the trajectory of a rocket with the objective of hitting the moon. My first introduction to computers was a machine that key punched cards that gave directions to the computer. The 20-40 cards would have to be in the correct order. The cards were dropped off and someone would feed them into the computer. Most of the time, an error report would be received. A success would be a tabulation of numbers with results of multiplying 6x7, 6x8, 6 x 9, etc.

    We kept using the slide rulers until the first Hewlett Packard hand held calculators came out a year or two later.

    Ants

  3. #6273
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Los Osos
    Posts
    62

    Default Rocket plume

    Quote Originally Posted by sleddog View Post
    Last evening on my sunset walk to the Fossil Cliff something arose from clear and empty sky to the southeast. It took a moment to figure out what I was seeing: a rocket launch from Vandenberg AFB, 200 miles south. Though I couldn't see the slivery space ship at that distance, the thin white line separated and became a large bright cloud in the sky reflecting off the last of the sun's rays.
    As it happened, Skip, I took Vicky's iPad out onto the driveway to watch the launch online as well as to then see it climb out. Launch was 1928 PDT. (Just 13 minutes after official sunset) I watched the broadcast with one eye and looked southeast with the other. H.E. was 194'. A bright orange plume jumped into view on a bearing of 163 M, clearing the nearest of the Irish hills, distant 4,920 ' , elevation 725'. It was somewhat surreal to be watching it go up while the iPad had a feed from the rocket looking down at the surf-highlighted shoreline. We could see the stage separation as well as when the booster began to boost back toward its planned landing on the barge west of Cedros Island.

    I pondered the differences between our sailing south along the Baja coast engine-less, with sextant, compass and clock, 'lo, those many years ago - and now seeing a "routine" rocket launch, which navigates taking in even quantum mechanics to be accurate.

    Glad you saw it.

    The MAGICians

  4. #6274
    Join Date
    Dec 2021
    Location
    Inverness
    Posts
    182

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    Quote Originally Posted by sleddog View Post
    Last evening on my sunset walk to the Fossil Cliff something arose from clear and empty sky to the southeast. It took a moment to figure out what I was seeing: a rocket launch from Vandenberg AFB, 200 miles south. Though I couldn't see the slivery space ship at that distance, the thin white line separated and became a large bright cloud in the sky reflecting off the last of the sun's rays.

    Returning to CBC I checked the Vandenberg report and realized I had seen a Space-X Falcon 9 rocket launch carrying 22 Starlink satellites into orbit. It reminded me 47 years ago that Voyager was launched into outer space. And is still going, even communicating back to Earth at an astronomical distance into deep space.

    For a treat at CBC, can anyone name the navigator for Voyager who designed the solution of aiming the NASA rocket around planets in our solar system, using their gravitational pull to sling shot Voyager on its epic voyage. Hint; both he and his family sailed and raced out of Inverness YC. And the tradition continues...
    Hey Sled, So thoughtful of you to think of my dear father, Alexander Bratenahl, who was the navigator of Voyager I. In those days, he had no computer or other electronic help either, and- not unlike the compass and sextant that I grew up with- he had only longhand mathematical calculations to work with. When I congratulated him on it he brushed it off as " Just Engineering " He went on to work on Solar Flares and magnetic fields. He was a very good sailor !

  5. #6275
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    Sep 2007
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    Capitola,CA
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    Name:  viking ship.jpg
Views: 107
Size:  784.8 KB

    New boat for Jay: A 56 foot Viking boat built by Jay Smith of Anacortes over a 12 year period and launched yesterday at Skyline Marina. Big pieces of wood (oak & yellow cedar). She will have a sailing rig as well as twin electric inboard engines. Coast Guard approved. Quite an amazing job with a bit more tonnage than BobJ's new K1 dinghy

    Also a very skillful job by Associated Boat Transport driver who had to back down a long, narrow, tortuous gravel driveway and position the trailer perfectly underneath the shop roof (one corner disassembled). Lots of tree branch trimming on the way out.

    This might be the vessel for a "raid." She could carry the entire SSS Forum, and then some up the Napa River. Ants, you're in charge.

    photo by Vernon Lauridsen who volunteered many hours over the years in the construction.
    Last edited by sleddog; 03-22-2024 at 10:12 AM.

  6. #6276
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Saratoga
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    336

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    Quote Originally Posted by sleddog View Post
    This might be the vessel for a "raid." She could carry the entire SSS Forum, and then some up the Napa River. Ants, you're in charge.
    Dang! That sounds fun! Sign me up!

  7. #6277
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Bodfish, CA
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    436

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    Quote Originally Posted by sleddog View Post
    Name:  viking ship.jpg
Views: 107
Size:  784.8 KB

    New boat for Jay: A 56 foot Viking boat built by Jay Smith of Anacortes over a 12 year period and launched yesterday at Skyline Marina. Big pieces of wood (oak & yellow cedar). She will have a sailing rig as well as twin electric inboard engines. Coast Guard approved. Quite an amazing job with a bit more tonnage than BobJ's new K1 dinghy

    Also a very skillful job by Associated Boat Transport driver who had to back down a long, narrow, tortuous gravel driveway and position the trailer perfectly underneath the shop roof (one corner disassembled). Lots of tree branch trimming on the way out.

    This might be the vessel for a "raid." She could carry the entire SSS Forum, and then some up the Napa River. Ants, you're in charge.

    photo by Vernon Lauridsen who volunteered many hours over the years in the construction.
    Well, that certainly is exciting. Sure, I will help Raid the Napa River. Quanci and Lovely help would be appreciated.

    Thanks Skip for your connections and information that does not make it to Bodfish directly.

    Ants

  8. #6278
    Join Date
    Dec 2021
    Location
    Inverness
    Posts
    182

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    Quote Originally Posted by sleddog View Post
    Name:  viking ship.jpg
Views: 107
Size:  784.8 KB

    New boat for Jay: A 56 foot Viking boat built by Jay Smith of Anacortes over a 12 year period and launched yesterday at Skyline Marina. Big pieces of wood (oak & yellow cedar). She will have a sailing rig as well as twin electric inboard engines. Coast Guard approved. Quite an amazing job with a bit more tonnage than BobJ's new K1 dinghy

    Also a very skillful job by Associated Boat Transport driver who had to back down a long, narrow, tortuous gravel driveway and position the trailer perfectly underneath the shop roof (one corner disassembled). Lots of tree branch trimming on the way out.

    This might be the vessel for a "raid." She could carry the entire SSS Forum, and then some up the Napa River. Ants, you're in charge.

    photo by Vernon Lauridsen who volunteered many hours over the years in the construction.
    Maybe the nest race is the R2AK ? Ya never know- just sayin'

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