ActiveCaptain goes blue...

A

ActiveCaptain

New member
...blue with new Local Knowledge markers that is...

Last night I released the Local Knowledge marker type for ActiveCaptain (http://www.activecaptain.com). Although there are more than 30 different categories of markers, only bridges, locks, dams, and ferries have been enabled right now. I want to make sure everything works before turning on the bulk of the categories.

We've pre-loaded more than 1,000 bridges, locks, dams, and ferries. Most contain information of interest to cruisers: restrictions, bridge height, VHF contact channel, etc. Of course, as restrictions change, anyone can update the info and it is instantly available to everyone.

Access to the web site is completely free. There is no advertising (which accounts for *real* reviews of marinas - now over 1,900 reviews worldwide). You have to be registered in order to get the detailed information or change any of it. The registration is to cut down on spam edits (it works).

Feel free to write me if you have specific questions.

If you'd like to see a quick display, here's the beginning of the Atlantic ICW. Marinas are red, anchorages are green, and the new Local Knowledge markers are blue:
http://www.activecaptain.com/OTW.php?lat=36.816&lon=-76.286&zoom=5&type=1
 
Jeffrey, thank's for bringing this to our attention.
I see you have a DeFever 53PH. Aurthur DeFever has drawn some nice boats. His 45PH is on my interesting yachts of the moment list. While it has a rather plain sheerline the pilothouse has excellent sightlines and there aren't many displacement motoryachts in this size range with the advantages of twin engines.
 
We fell in love with DeFever's. The 53PH is one of the classic trawlers that DeFever drew up in the 60's. It's been a fantastic boat - we've put about 20,000 nm on it going back and forth to the Bahamas, Keys, and back home to Maine a few times.

I'm now very interested in the C-Ranger 25 Tug. I'm thinking that will fit nicely into our next chapter of boating.

Because I've gotten into the trailering thing, wait 'till you see the boat ramp database we're building for ActiveCaptain. It will be one of the future Local Knowledge types. It's hard to get all of the boat ramps but we have 1,000 already and will keep building it for the next month.

The secret behind ActiveCaptain is that it implements all of the things that *I* want for my cruising! :D
 
Hi Jeffrey,

Ooh Ooh! As long as you haven’t posted the Launch ramp info, yet, I’d like to give my 5 cents worth on what info should be provided for launch ramps. For what its worth, the following info is critical to me when deciding on a launch ramp where I can single handed launch & retrieve my 22’ cruiser. My criteria originated from a Maine Dept of Marine Resources brochure ( that is no longer produced) with additional criteria based on doing C-Dory gathering/cruises.

Boat Ramp Location with specific Street address

Boat Ramp Condition:
Gravel
Paved
All Tides
Part Tides

Boat Trailer Parking:
Overnight (Yes/No)
Adequate
Limited
None

Restroom:
Outhouse
Restroom
None

Dock/Float: (Yes/No)

Fee: (Yes/No)

Operation/Maintenance:
Private
Municipal
County
State

I’m using this criteria for this weekend’s gathering in Castine. I don’t know anything about the Castine Ramp. But, the Belfast Ramp is listed as:
Paved
All Tide
Adequate Parking
Restroom
Dock/Float (Yes)
Fee (Yes)
Municipal

That meets my needs. I want a paved ramp, all tides, parking ( preferably overnight), a restroom after a 3 – 4 hr drive, and a dock so I can launch from trailer to dock, tie up and move trailer.

So, what do ya think? Can the launch ramp info include these? I can provide about 60 Maine Ramps of info.

Rick

P.S. Does the Castine Ramp have a dock to float to when launching and recovering?
 
Rick from Maine":3mzkyygh said:
I want a paved ramp, all tides, parking ( preferably overnight), a restroom after a 3 – 4 hr drive, and a dock so I can launch from trailer to dock, tie up and move trailer.

So, what do ya think? Can the launch ramp info include these? I can provide about 60 Maine Ramps of info.

Rick

P.S. Does the Castine Ramp have a dock to float to when launching and recovering?
Click to expand...

Those are great fields for boat ramps. The first version is going to be more open text than that though. Some of that is due to experimentation but a lot has to do with obtaining info - a lot of what you want just isn't out there. Any of it can be expanded - remember that this whole thing is only 6 months old!

As far as Castine goes, the ramp is off the paved parking lot. The ramp itself is made of concrete grooved tiles. The tides here are 10 feet and it might be a little thin at very low tide depending on how much depth you need. There is overnight parking on the street and trailer parking at the Academy - see the map I posted a few days ago. There's a restroom on the town dock. There are floats right off the ramp for temporary tie up. Then there are longer docks available for 2 hour tie up (all free) right next to the temporary dock. There is a harbormaster/dockmaster on duty every day - they can help and give plenty of info. There is a Castine Town Dock marker in ActiveCaptain that gives more info - phone numbers, etc.

The major issue you'll face in Castine is that there will be too many people trying to help -- they'll end up getting in your way...
 
Rick,
I had written Jeff, about the same subject. Great idea, and we really need this information. I also asked about security and long term parking. For example in our area, there is only one really good ramp, and that is not widely publicized. There were about 200 boats using it when the Trailer boat association had the annual cruise, because of local members who clued them in.
 
Jeffrey,
Just came from trying to log on to that site. Would not accept my password. I did the " forget password thing" and it came back instantly. Same one...It was not loading " log on" properly. at 1st, after e-mailing you and confirming the password it came up with e-mail address first than it worked, I was logged in. but could go no where. Maybe Microsoft Problem?
Captd
PS: ActiveCaptain is a great idea. It is bound to get better and better. A free guide to every where. Wow!
 
Please consider providing support for mobile devices. I visited activecaptain on my Blackberry, and the home page loaded beautifully. Clicked on "On the Water" and it went off into never-never land.

Thanks,
Warren
 
Lori Ann":til5vec1 said:
Please consider providing support for mobile devices.
Click to expand...

That is all I'm working on. Check out the "Coming Soon" section of our latest newsletter released on Sunday:
http://www.activecaptain.com/newsletters/2007-07-09.php

Almost all the boating-related software I've written over the last 6 years has been for mobile devices. I wrote three of Maptech's Outdoor Navigator products and recently took back ownership of them. A lot of that technology is going into this next generation. Check out:
http://www.activemap.com

I'm now working on real nautical charts on mobile phones with all of the ActiveCaptain data overlaid on top with many additional features.
 
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