Boat Sim

jerryrlitton · #1 05-10-2012

I need a boat simulator. Situation is my GF and I (Abu Dhabi, UAE) are very active in dragon boats. She has expressed interest in being a sweep (think helmsman) and has no idea which way a rudder/steering oar goes to make the boat do what she wants it to do. You can only simulate so much with paper and pencil on the dinner table. The boat is too big for one on one instruction and working with the crew during a practice is not totally out of the question but I think a little sim time will go a long way towards competence and confidence. Any ideas?

Jerry

justflie · #2 05-10-2012

I'm a newbie and am enjoying Sail Simulator 5. I bought it on Amazon through a download for about $30. Excellent program that got me through the cold, New England winter.

oh, and it has a free demo you can download to try out. I don't bother with the multiplayer. I just sail around until I'm ready to sleep!

Faster · #3 05-10-2012

My wife is a 'steer' on a local cancer survivors' Dragon Boat team... as a long time sailor she had the concept down as far as tiller steering goes, but she was surprised to learn that Dragons are steered as much by the rotation angle of the steering oar as by rudder-like action.

Our local organization puts on several 'steering clinics' every year.. and all 'steers' have to be certified for regatta participation. Nothing like that in your area??

jerryrlitton · #4 05-10-2012

Regretfully we do not have those clinics here, we don't even have drummers. I think I will go to a toy store, buy a plastic boat, install a chop stick with a paper clip and make pirate noises in the pool. Hopefully it is not as hard as teaching someone to fly....

DivingOtter · #5 05-10-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerryrlitton

Regretfully we do not have those clinics here, we don't even have drummers. I think I will go to a toy store, buy a plastic boat, install a chop stick with a paper clip and make pirate noises in the pool. Hopefully it is not as hard as teaching someone to fly....

hey, I used to be a helicopter CFI, it wasnt hard teaching people to fly, just hard signing off that first solo!

jerryrlitton · #6 05-10-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by DivingOtter

hey, I used to be a helicopter CFI, it wasnt hard teaching people to fly, just hard signing off that first solo!

You are right. I am a CFII and the hardest part was to act like the first solo was no big deal. Just walk away and hope you taught them all they needed on THAT flight.

Barquito · #7 05-11-2012

How about a Radio-Flyer wagon. Push her in it backwards. She holds the handle like a tiller.

ottos · #8 05-11-2012

I know nothing about dragon boats, so forgive this if it makes no sense. Would you be able to illustrate the steering principles in a canoe ?

Faster · #9 05-11-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ottos

I know nothing about dragon boats, so forgive this if it makes no sense. Would you be able to illustrate the steering principles in a canoe ?

That could work, esp if you took a regular dinghy oar (longer and more similar to a Dragon Boat sweep) and lashed it aft. Not really indicitave of the mass and length of a real dragon boat, of course.

As a sailor, though, one has to resist the tendency to use it as a tiller/rudder, and try to see how rotating the blade imparts the steering forces..