Expedition Navigation Software 
1 - Fergal
- Administrator
Offline 
- From: Galway, Ireland
- Registered: 9/09/2015
- Posts: 159
Recommended Reading
I've been playing around with Expedition for the last few months and using it to consolidate, record and tweak data on a Farr 44 (Bravura). What I have realized is that I need a deeper understanding of navigation and weather concepts to fully appreciate the power and the intricacies of Expedition. Additionally I'm hoping to use Expedition in the future for a Transpac trip and need to build my knowledge and confidence.
Do you have recommendations for books and other articles that would help an Expedition user build a foundation of Navigation and weather knowledge?
Last edited by fergal (9/15/2015 2:43 pm)
- GRaines77
- Expert
Offline
- From: San Diego
- Registered: 9/15/2015
- Posts: 11
Re: Recommended Reading
David Burch Navigation
Lee Chesneau
North U
Will Oxley's Book
Bowditch (historical)
- VentusNavigation
- Moderator
Offline
- Registered: 9/10/2015
- Posts: 95
Re: Recommended Reading
Will Oxley's book is a "must read' for Expedition!
- Fergal
- Administrator
Offline
- From: Galway, Ireland
- Registered: 9/09/2015
- Posts: 159
Re: Recommended Reading
Agreed - here is a link to Will's book on Amazon. For Kindle download:
- •
Thread Starter- jbehen
- Expert
Offline
- From: Hampton, VA
- Registered: 9/16/2015
- Posts: 54
Re: Recommended Reading
When I first started playing with Expedition, someone told me it takes two years of using and playing, to really get a good grasp of the core functionality.
Three years in, I have to say that is a fairly accurate assessment.
That said, all of the books recommended are great for different reasons.
- willoxley
- Moderator
Offline
- Registered: 9/15/2015
- Posts: 51
Re: Recommended Reading
Thanks for the kind words about the book. When I find some spare time I intend writing a second edition to reflect updates to Expedtion.
Thoughts on new chapters include:
A gentle introduction to Expedition.
A bit more on paper vs electronic charts after recent incidents
A bit more on weather and accessing gribs
A chapter on Ensemble routing
Perhaps some specific chapters about the big races... Bermuda, Transpac, Fastnet, transatlantic,
More on Sailing Performance software.
I'd welcome other ideas. Perhaps we should start a thread on this if sufficient interest.
- Joe P
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 9/16/2015
- Posts: 2
Re: Recommended Reading
Will,
I think the Chapter on Ensemble routing is a great idea. Please share a draft on this when you have it!
Thanks
Joe
- jbehen
- Expert
Offline
- From: Hampton, VA
- Registered: 9/16/2015
- Posts: 54
Re: Recommended Reading
willoxley wrote:
Thoughts on new chapters include:
A gentle introduction to Expedition.
I would love to see that chapter! I didn't think a gentle introduction was possible. 
- DuncanR
- Expert
Offline
- From: Up and down East Coast Aus
- Registered: 9/16/2015
- Posts: 465
Re: Recommended Reading
I do agree with jbehen above, it does take 2-3 years to understand at an inuitive level how Expedition works and the important linkages. It isn't that they aren't logical, it is just that they are that complex. Nothing beats usage.
Will, having said that, there are to me three areas where time goes:
1. What/how/ does the crew briefing process take place before a big race? I have some fairly complex reports, charts etc that I use, sometimes with great success;
2. Linked to this is probability. Expedition w weather and current inputs produces seductively complex and "precise" routing results .... but it is based on a forecast only. So what variations to bring into play, and how best to communicate the range of possibilities to crews?
3. Post-processing of results. As noted bu Will, I use SPP software, and produce various outputs for each race - a route from Google Earth, a race statisical analysis, a cumulative performance file, and maybe updated crossover chart. Polar review is sort-of an annual thing. And it isn't the mechanics of doing this, it is the point of the outputs etc.
Cheers
- GRaines77
- Expert
Offline
- From: San Diego
- Registered: 9/15/2015
- Posts: 11
Re: Recommended Reading
Ensemble routing is a good topic. Or expanded in to the whole uncertainty or probability concept of routing. I recall Will had a discussion on variation of parameters (eg. Twd and Tws) in the book. This idea expanded to reliability of different models, etc. to get a confidence in or probability of a range of resulting outputs. This is something that I have been interested in learning more about. If it exists, at this time. For the advanced chapter.
For the Gentle Introduction, I normally focus on just the charts and marks when showing another crew member how to use the software. There is a little delima that Exp is so complex that no one but the navigator knows how to use it. But a few others on the boat should know the basics. The Gentle Introduction would be a good read to get to something like this.
Let's keep ideas flowing as we are ready for the 2nd edition :-)