while I'm on the topic..

way off topic, however... one of my favorite videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1gcvHBd7oc

have to share this video.  Here is the background info.  A few years
back sailboat design really took off, literally.  The combination of
carbon fibre for high strength in both hulls and masts, and a new idea
called the "canting keel" has created some incredible performance on
the water.

I know most people are not sailors, however I hope it's interesting.

There is a round-the-world race sponsored by Volvo, and the current
class being raced is called the volvo open 70.  These boats are
capable of >40 knots under sail in the open ocean.  This video
focusses on one of the boats "pirates of the caribbean" as it pulls
out of south australia and heads out into the southern ocean (the
roaring 40's).

I find it interesting to watch a 70 foot sailboat surfing at 40 knots
in 10 to 20 foot seas, although I am sure I would not be up for the
ride. 1 month of constant firehose in the face....no thanks.

What makes the southern ocean especially challenging, is that at these
speeds in those kind of waves, it is really hard to see "growlers",
which are mostly submered small icebergs.

Oh yah, it's made of carbon fibre and honeycomb core, but it's a bit
larger than my project!  Hah.

...Steve