March 2011 Archive

Kitefoiler mast test – March 11

3/11/11

Today we tested the new kite-launching mast on the Kitefoiler for the first time. The setup includes the K1 winch with custom platform, two carbon windsurfing masts with extensions, and an intricate system of pulleys.
Don, Joe, and Dudu successfully launched the kite three times, but had difficulty transitioning from launch controls to sailing controls. Overall, the test went well, as each successive launch improved upon the last. However, they attempted a fourth launch, but the kite lost air after hitting a sharp carbon piece on the bow.
Today was also the first test of some of the new modifications to the boat, including steel reinforcements on the rail moldings and bronze bushings and smaller wheels on the […more]

New Logger Thermal Test

3/2/11

Jamie put the logger components in a new box (orange, on top) that is even smaller than the old box (silver, on bottom). Right now he is running a program on the Android phone to record the temperature to make sure that the electronics will not overheat in their new closer quarters.

The graph shows the temperature recorded by a Nexus S phone, using software that we wrote to log its battery temperature. (The PC either has no non-CPU temperature sensors or they are not visible to the OS.) The phone battery temperature is typically a few degrees higher than the ambient temperature. While the temperature did not fully stabilize during the 2.5 hour test, it appeared to be leveling […more]