So I Built This Website

[rebel heart]

My friend was sailing across the pacific and wanted to put a map on his website so he could make updates to it. I wanted to do the same. So I built this little site: Home Page

1) You can sign up free/easy.
2) You send it a little code packet that provides your location and possibly heading. Updates happen every ~30 minutes. I'll crank that up in a bit.
3) You can embed the map and the atom feed on your own website and use it however you like.
4) There's an api (ws xml service) for someone who's really motivated.

It also emails you back the closest weather observations of your area. If I can hook up grib forecasts maybe I can do poor-man's-routing.

Let me know if you have any questions. It's buggy but I think I got it working at least for what I wanted to do with it.

Looks like this on our blog: Rebel Heart - Sailing, cruising, liveaboard blog and website - CurrentLocation

[rubyjean]

Way Cool, I guess I'll have to figure this out myself. Thanx sailor...Michael..

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by rubyjean

Way Cool, I guess I'll have to figure this out myself. Thanx sailor...Michael..

It addresses a pretty specific need so I could see it not working for everyone. But if you want a map on your website of where you are, it should fit the bill.

[deckofficer]

I zoomed in on aerial and saw you pinned N Harbor Drive. That means one of two things, the boat is on the street, or your nav skills for pin placement needs a little work.

I was hoping to see an overhead view of your boat because the res is that good.

[rubyjean]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

It addresses a pretty specific need so I could see it not working for everyone. But if you want a map on your website of where you are, it should fit the bill.

Thanx, will be doing this, just not a great puter wis. Does'nt look that hard. Michael

[Capt.Don]

RebelHeart,
A couple suggestions,
1. When you add a new vessel, ask for email address and current position
2. Email the code, built "skypacket" and empty html page to use on websites
3. I think you mentioned a reply email - this would be good.
4. Make an inquiry page, enter id or code, submit returns last XML or text position
Good job!!
Don

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

I zoomed in on aerial and saw you pinned N Harbor Drive. That means one of two things, the boat is on the street, or your nav skills for pin placement needs a little work.

I was hoping to see an overhead view of your boat because the res is that good.

Fixed! I got lazy and rather than use the GPS (I know, really lazy) I just geocoded the street address of the marina.

Originally Posted by Capt.Don

RebelHeart,
A couple suggestions,
1. When you add a new vessel, ask for email address and current position
2. Email the code, built "skypacket" and empty html page to use on websites
3. I think you mentioned a reply email - this would be good.
4. Make an inquiry page, enter id or code, submit returns last XML or text position
Good job!!
Don

1 & 2) Got the registration email going, I put a manual "update location" form on the website as well (on the vessel's page).
3) Email reply is working. Kind of boring right now, sends you the 5-10 closest weather reports near you.
4) You can see the latest position reports on the vessel page on the right hand side; that's what you're talking about, right?

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Fixed! I got lazy and rather than use the GPS (I know, really lazy) I just geocoded the street address of the marina.

Eric, not trying to be picky, but your pin is in the finger pier that separates your slip from your neighbor. The boat on the south side is a bit beamy, and the one on the north side looks to have a bowsprit. Which one is yours?

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Eric, not trying to be picky, but your pin is in the finger pier that separates your slip from your neighbor. The boat on the south side is a bit beamy, and the one on the north side looks to have a bowsprit. Which one is yours?

North side, with the bowsprit (which is currently laying on my finger... sigh). The pin is actually the middle of the pin, since you're telling the map "center this pin on this position". Since the "center" of the pin is the middle of the pin, if you zoom in deep enough you naturally look at the base of the pin, and there's the rub.

So I've been meaning to find a new map marker. Something less 3D looking since that should solve the issue.

[deckofficer]

Don't get me wrong, it is a cool map and features. Knowing where in the marina complex you are helps me understand what your daily routine might be, as to grocery shopping and taking the little one to the park. Your work boat, is it in the same marina? That would be sweet, no driving.

Looks like you have tennis and basketball not far away.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Don't get me wrong, it is a cool map and features. Knowing where in the marina complex you are helps me understand what your daily routine might be, as to grocery shopping and taking the little one to the park. Your work boat, is it in the same marina? That would be sweet, no driving.

Well then I'll give you a little tour of my world! Green dot is the boat, the sport fisher I work on is maybe three hundred yards and a five minute walk. The cat charter place is a mile or so (walking along the water). Little blue line is a beam reach I can sail the dinghy to the dinghy dock and grab breakfast. The whole little body of water there is called "America's Cup Harbor".

[deckofficer]

Like I've said a number of times, "Good life". I guess you don't play tennis or shoot hoops, because one court of each is a close walk from your boat. How far is the grocery store?