#googleearth – Sailors with smartphones in their pockets can now get a birds eye review of their racing tactics thanks to Google Earth. That's what OK dinghy sailor Hugh Sheehy discovered last week in one of the final Dublin Bay Sailing Club races of the season.
Sheehy sailing in the handicap division against a variety of dinghies such as Finns, Lasers and radials included rival Paul Keane. Both Sheehy and Keane carried the smart phones afloat and were able to review their race afterwards.
The above youtube clip features the First leg of the second DBSC race. Keane's Laser track is in Red. The OK Dinghy in Green. It's not not clear why there's so much 'wobbling' in the OK Dinghy track, but we're sure its not tiller wagging!
The hope for the future, says Sheehy, is more sailors might carry smartphones out on to the water. Thanks to Google Earth's animated playback feature there'll be more chances to learn from your mistakes!
More on Hugh Sheehy's OK dinghy blog here