velocitek 39 Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Start ahead and stay ahead with the All-New Velocitek ProStart. The best distance-to-line tool just got better, with a backlit, bonded glass display, zero-latency navigation, and 75 hr. battery. Learn all about new the ProStart from Velocitek's Founder & CEO: The start of a race is a one round, 5 minute, knife fight. In a world of swiss army knife instruments, the new ProStart is the machete you need to eviscerate the competition and own the start. The design of the new ProStart was driven by feedback from thousands of users. We kept the intuitive start specific user interface that you know and love, and added a Gorilla glass display, high-speed GPS, rechargeable battery, and a groundbreaking new magnetic compass. The new ProStart’s backlit, bonded, super high-contrast GorillaⓇ Glass display gives you the best visibility of any self-contained instrument in all conditions. Behind the display, the ProStart features a high-speed, multi-constellation GPS receiver, a new unrivaled tactical-grade magnetic compass, and a 6-axis inertial measurement unit. These advanced sensors are powered by a 75 hour rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The result is a simpler, yet more capable ProStart with unrivalled accuracy. This is the instrument you need to start better and win races. The new ProStart is available now. Each new ProStart is manufactured, calibrated, and tested by Velocitek in San Mateo, California. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Clockwork 11 Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 I see a wireless symbol on the bottom of the display. Does it have wireless connectivity? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 @Clockwork That's the same "GPS available" icon that we've used since the original ProStart. We wanted to keep the visual language the same. Here are the icon definitions from the manual: You can find the full manual for the new ProStart online here. Aside from satellites, the new ProStart does not connect wirelessly to other devices. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Irrational 14 412 Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 That's a nice looking instrument with everything better than the previous. Problem is my current Pro Start still works flawlessly. There should be an upgrade/trade in program 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Irrational 14 said: That's a nice looking instrument with everything better than the previous. Problem is my current Pro Start still works flawlessly. There should be an upgrade/trade in program There is! Please send a DM for details. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
psycho tiller 240 Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 I've had my Pro Start for almost 10 years now. Still works perfectly, never had a problem with it and always does what it's supposed to. But that rechargeable battery on this new model might be hard to pass up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F18 Sailor 321 Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 21 hours ago, velocitek said: @Clockwork That's the same "GPS available" icon that we've used since the original ProStart. We wanted to keep the visual language the same. Here are the icon definitions from the manual: You can find the full manual for the new ProStart online here. Aside from satellites, the new ProStart does not connect wirelessly to other devices. Not sure if its possible, but any chance of getting a screen with GPS heading and magnetic heading overlaid? This pretty immediately shows if you have current running down the course. Another useful feature would be to turn the GPS off for one design classes that specify compass only. I also understand if this isn't possible with the sensor fusion algorithms at play. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted July 22, 2020 Author Share Posted July 22, 2020 @samc99us, thanks for your message. At the moment, you can choose between Magnetic Heading or COG for your direction output. We'll take your suggestion into consideration. Making a ProStart legal for classes that specify compass only is a tricky one. The hardware is in the box and there's no changing that. For the strictest classes, we offer the Prism: https://www.velocitek.com/pages/prism Quote Link to post Share on other sites
samsonite 25 Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 19 hours ago, velocitek said: You can find the full manual for the new ProStart online here. You nerds wrote a manual? That’s so 2015 of you. In the 2020 marine electronics game you just post renderings, tell the people what you think they want to hear and boom! you’ll be famous! 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
silent bob 1,256 Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Does it fit the original mounting cradle? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted July 22, 2020 Author Share Posted July 22, 2020 Just now, silent bob said: Does it fit the original mounting cradle? Yes, the new ProStart fits the original mounting cradle. Good question! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
psycho tiller 240 Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 1 hour ago, samsonite said: You nerds wrote a manual? That’s so 2015 of you. In the 2020 marine electronics game you just post renderings, tell the people what you think they want to hear and boom! you’ll be famous! Also actually having a product to deliver when you launch is so 2010. Standard operating procedure in 2020 is you launch a new marine electronic device before it's even been produced, hype it up, tell everyone how awesome it is, only deliver about 10 prototypes and only offer half the functions you initially said it would have. This is how you get people talking about your product! . This whole deliver what you said you would and when you said you would is some new world shit. I mean, sounds crazy to me but I'll try it! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bandersnatch 0 Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 I have 2 older units. 1 where part of the LCD screen died and 1 that no longer picks up GPS. Any chance of a trade in????? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Varan 2,134 Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 How about a fully functional sc2? That should be worth at least 50% off. Edit: As a testimony of Velocitex"s longevity. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FlatlineE32 0 Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Ordered on Tuesday night and have tracking info the next afternoon. Impressive! Stoked to see it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
allweather 70 Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 About ordering, is there a european vendor or do I have to ship from the US to germany and the potential hassle that could be? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted July 23, 2020 Author Share Posted July 23, 2020 2 minutes ago, allweather said: About ordering, is there a european vendor or do I have to ship from the US to germany and the potential hassle that could be? Thanks for your interest in the ProStart! We do have European retailers and distributors. It sounds like you're in Germany. We do not sell direct into Germany because of an exclusivity agreement with Kohlhoff. Kohlhoff is our importer in Germany and Austria: https://www.kohlhoff-online.de/main/contact_us Quote Link to post Share on other sites
martin 'hoff 989 Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Does this mean the old ProStart devices can be bought on the cheap now, mildly scuffed? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
allweather 70 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 On 7/23/2020 at 7:00 PM, velocitek said: It sounds like you're in Germany. Yep, baltic waters are my sailing venue of choice. Thanks for the fast reply, going to check out Kohlhoff now. Would have done it sooner, but have been on the water the past few days and dearly missed a mast mounted instrument Well, when I wasn't too busy learning to single hand. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rambler 488 Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Does anyone known whether the new prostart any more waterproof than the old one. I had one drown in a capsize and have been wary of them ever since, even though I've lusted for a replacement. It was a few years old, so I didn't think I had a hope on warranty, even though it was little used (we normally race on a narrow river where neither the compass nor the distance to start feature was all that useful, so it was only brought out for major 'away' events). It was one reason I've been following the progress of and comments on the Varcross But the other problem I had with it was the lack of a mounting (at that time) to suit dinghies and skiffs. The factory mounting required a track. Is there now a 'w' mounting or similar to attach to a non tracked mast while still letting lines (downhaul etc) pass behind it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 @Rambler The new ProStart is assembled in house and each unit goes through a battery of non-destructive tests before they are shipped to the customer. The new ProStart also made out of new and better materials. On the dinghy/skiff/ 'w' mounting request, this ought to fit the bill: https://www.velocitek.com/products/w-mast-bracket Quote Link to post Share on other sites
allweather 70 Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 About the mast brackets, are there any files for their dimensions? I'll need to see which if any at all fits my mast and control lines that need to run through it before ordering one along with the prostart now that it is available locally. Otherwise I would forego buying the bracket and have one made to size by a metalworker I know for a few beer but something ready to use would be convenient too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted August 25, 2020 Author Share Posted August 25, 2020 @allweather The Mast Bracket is 50 mm tall x 95 mm wide x 57 mm deep (mast to cradle). The back of the Mast Bracket is 50 mm wide. The Mast Bracket is designed to work with bullet or D cross section masts. The W-Bracket is 66 mm tall x 95 mm wide x 49 mm deep (peaks of W to cradle). The V in the back of the W-Bracket is 20 mm deep. The W-Bracket is designed to work with teardrop and round cross section masts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
allweather 70 Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 Alright, I should get my Prostart and W-bracket in a few days and race it on a short local circuit. Let's see how it will go. Thank you for the measurements, that reassured me of the fit.(I then realized that I am allowed to return parts for refund minus the five euro shipping cost if I had gotten it wrong) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darth reapius 280 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 On 8/27/2020 at 7:52 PM, allweather said: Alright, I should get my Prostart and W-bracket in a few days and race it on a short local circuit. Let's see how it will go. Thank you for the measurements, that reassured me of the fit.(I then realized that I am allowed to return parts for refund minus the five euro shipping cost if I had gotten it wrong) But how did it go? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CriticalPath 165 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 On 8/25/2020 at 9:58 AM, velocitek said: @allweather The Mast Bracket is 50 mm tall x 95 mm wide x 57 mm deep (mast to cradle). The back of the Mast Bracket is 50 mm wide. The Mast Bracket is designed to work with bullet or D cross section masts. The W-Bracket is 66 mm tall x 95 mm wide x 49 mm deep (peaks of W to cradle). The V in the back of the W-Bracket is 20 mm deep. The W-Bracket is designed to work with teardrop and round cross section masts. What if I want to mount the ProStart on a flat horizontal surface? Does the ProStart unit and cradle fit your Deck Bracket? https://www.velocitek.com/products/deck-bracket Cheers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Will1073 101 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 14 hours ago, CriticalPath said: What if I want to mount the ProStart on a flat horizontal surface? Does the ProStart unit and cradle fit your Deck Bracket? https://www.velocitek.com/products/deck-bracket Cheers! Aluminum L extrusion is a lot cheaper... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CriticalPath 165 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 34 minutes ago, Will1073 said: Aluminum L extrusion is a lot cheaper... I got the same response from a BQYC Sharkie today, so knock this off as another example of the fleet's cheap and cheerful mentality! I understand the compulsion to save money, but IMHO the aluminum L extrusion's a kinda agricultural-looking solution, or at least it would be if created by my handiwork. Cheers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 @CriticalPath, yes the ProStart Cradles fits the Deck Bracket! Yes, an L extrusion would also work but our brackets are anodized and powder coated for longevity in the marine environment. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhellan 2 Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Our reefing lines interfere with the mast bracket. Any recommended solution? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
allweather 70 Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 On 9/16/2020 at 7:38 AM, darth reapius said: But how did it go? If I had it I could say... As is the shop I ordered from pointed me to a note at the bottom of the page proclaiming they get sent out „first come, first served“ as they don‘t have stock yet due to the recent release date. Add in that my order fell of the desk(in part my fault) and I am waiting for the third week after paying. Maybe it still arrives before the boat gets hauled out, but temperatures have been plummeting towards freezing. 15 hours ago, jhellan said: Our reefing lines interfere with the mast bracket. Any recommended solution? Do you have a picture? Really helps assess the specific set up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F18 Sailor 321 Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Mine is here and working well. Watch the rubber o-ring where the USB charge port goes; you don't want to go sailing with that missing! Velocitek are sending me a few extra's, my suggestion is to include 1 extra with the extra charge port cap already in the box. Another question: besides chartedsail and Njord Analytics, is there any other way to look at the log files from this device? I am personally a bit frustrated with the file type-it is binary, and you must upload to Njord Analytics to generate a .CSV for use elsewhere. Even more frustrating at the moment is I don't see a way to simply grab distance sailed from the log file replayed in either chartedsail or Njord Analytics. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackolantern 595 Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Was super happy with a sneak peek usage of the new prostart in the IC37 nationals this past weekend. Used the original prostart for our first days of practice before the new one showed up and oh my gosh was it a different experience. So much more visible than the old display and updated so much faster. A pleasant surprise was the very simple “early/late” feature that isn’t trying to do to much. During the last minute of the start it seems to take the speed that you’re doing at the time (luffing, reaching, beating, whatever) and divides it with the distance to just show a binary early/late call on the right side Of the screen Wish I took a picture but the last minute of a starting sequence is not the time to have your cellphone out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted October 7, 2020 Author Share Posted October 7, 2020 6 hours ago, samc99us said: Mine is here and working well. Watch the rubber o-ring where the USB charge port goes; you don't want to go sailing with that missing! Velocitek are sending me a few extra's, my suggestion is to include 1 extra with the extra charge port cap already in the box. Another question: besides chartedsail and Njord Analytics, is there any other way to look at the log files from this device? I am personally a bit frustrated with the file type-it is binary, and you must upload to Njord Analytics to generate a .CSV for use elsewhere. Even more frustrating at the moment is I don't see a way to simply grab distance sailed from the log file replayed in either chartedsail or Njord Analytics. I'm really glad to hear it's working well. On the first 50 or so units we built, we had a problem with the USB port gasket falling out easily when the port gets opened. We have since improved the design of the gasket so it stays in place. The old gasket is black and the new one is white / translucent. Anybody that is having problems with the old black gasket can send an email to [email protected] and we'll send you the new one free of charge. The new ProStart logs magnetic heading, heel, pitch, COG and SOG every quarter second. Our initial plan was to log this data to GPX files (a universal standard for GPS data) but the files ended being so big that they were a pain to work with. After consulting with the leading replay apps, Charted Sails and Njord Analyitics, we decided to work with them to develop a much more compact, open binary format called the VTK Protocol. Adding a simple utility to our website that converts VTK files to CSV and GPX is on our to do list but at the moment we're pretty tied up with increasing our manufacturing throughput and getting through the order backlog. Until then, if any developers in the SA community are interested in taking a stab at it, complete documentation for the VTK Protocol and some sample code for parsing it are here: https://github.com/velocitek/vtk_protcol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F18 Sailor 321 Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 Just sent an email before reading this post...I might take a crack at a python parser for the .VTK file. I could do it more quickly in Matlab, but the resulting code wouldn't really be portable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sarfata 1 Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 On 10/7/2020 at 5:49 AM, samc99us said: Another question: besides chartedsail and Njord Analytics, is there any other way to look at the log files from this device? I am personally a bit frustrated with the file type-it is binary, and you must upload to Njord Analytics to generate a .CSV for use elsewhere. Even more frustrating at the moment is I don't see a way to simply grab distance sailed from the log file replayed in either chartedsail or Njord Analytics. Hi @samc99us, Thomas, founder of ChartedSails here. I know we have had this discussion by email but for the benefit of everyone else, here is how to take measurements on ChartedSails: 1 - Click and drag on the timeline 2 - The distance (and average speed) are calculated and shown in the top left "Boat cards" There is more details on the different tools available in this blog article: https://www.chartedsails.com/blog/five-tools-to-analyze-your-sailing-sessions. best, thomas Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted October 9, 2020 Author Share Posted October 9, 2020 1 hour ago, samc99us said: Just sent an email before reading this post...I might take a crack at a python parser for the .VTK file. I could do it more quickly in Matlab, but the resulting code wouldn't really be portable. Please take a look at the Python sample code. If you have some experience with Python, you might be able to get what you need with very little effort. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F18 Sailor 321 Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 FYI, I've been playing with this all weekend. I'm not a programmer-I can use Python to do engineering type things, but am waaay more comfortable in Matlab. I've avoided jumping over to that though because most people don't have, want or can afford Matlab. Anyway, my focus has been on developing an executable that opens a GUI and lets you select the file to convert. I've run into a few road blocks but maybe by the end of the week I'll have something up and running. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sierrawhiskeygolf 18 Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 Is there a trick to connecting to the unit to download data? I use Mac computers if that matters (it shouldn't?). I have tried a few computers so far and when I plug the unit into the computer all the happens is the unit shows "USB" on the screen and charging icon, but I cannot locate the unit itself. I tired using Disc Utility as well to see if I could "see" the unit as a drive, no luck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Streetwise 74 Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 Will this unit ever gift lift/header numbers or indicators? It seems like the only thing from the Shift that I would be missing. Perhaps let us toggle between heel and shift indicators, or some other way. Then I can just have the new ProStart on my Viper 640, and leave my Shift with my RS Aero. BTW, I did confirm that the Shift is class legal with the RS Aero with all features. Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted October 20, 2020 Author Share Posted October 20, 2020 4 hours ago, sierrawhiskeygolf said: Is there a trick to connecting to the unit to download data? I use Mac computers if that matters (it shouldn't?). I have tried a few computers so far and when I plug the unit into the computer all the happens is the unit shows "USB" on the screen and charging icon, but I cannot locate the unit itself. I tired using Disc Utility as well to see if I could "see" the unit as a drive, no luck. If you're the guy who called earlier then you should be sorted. If you're not, please try another USB port on your computer (not a USB hub) and the supplied USB cable. From your description it sounds like the ProStart recognizes it is connected to power but the computer is not finding the ProStart. There are some USB cables which are power only. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted October 20, 2020 Author Share Posted October 20, 2020 3 hours ago, Streetwise said: Will this unit ever gift lift/header numbers or indicators? It seems like the only thing from the Shift that I would be missing. Perhaps let us toggle between heel and shift indicators, or some other way. Then I can just have the new ProStart on my Viper 640, and leave my Shift with my RS Aero. BTW, I did confirm that the Shift is class legal with the RS Aero with all features. Thanks We're completely tied up in manufacturing at the moment, but we'll try build this feature by the end of the year. Thanks for the request. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
allweather 70 Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 On 9/16/2020 at 7:38 AM, darth reapius said: But how did it go? Well, no racing but I got my unit before the boat was to be hauled out for the winter and had some fun sailing for a couple hours before it got chilly towards the evening. To start with the W-bracket that I used to mount it to my mast. Works nice and is small to be unassuming when the prostart isn't mounted. However the supplied tapped rod to slide into the mast track and screw the bracket to turned out a little too big to fit(due to fittings limiting access on my mast). Will have to mill off 1-2mm to slide it past an obstruction and get a neat connection. Luckily the bracket also comes with a piece of rope that easily holds the bracket together with the non slip rubber on the bracket itself helping preventing slipping when you pulled the rope tight. From there it is just clipping in the prostart, maybe add a rope to the convenient mounting point for a safety strap, and go sailing. Which I did and enjoyed as hoped for. Very easy to read in all lighting conditions and the numbers really are big(especially on a small boat Buttons are easy to use even with cold and gloved fingers too. Tried out the line feature. Convenient but will take some getting used to as I never had such functioniality. For now half the fun, in particular when sailing on our own, is having the course and speed displayed at the mast. Even otherwise more relaxed crew got into chasing the day's top speed. Looking forward to next season with the device. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sierrawhiskeygolf 18 Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 5 hours ago, velocitek said: If you're the guy who called earlier then you should be sorted. Yes, sorted. Thanks. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Streetwise 74 Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Order placed. I love the Velocitek gear. Thanks. I am working on getting a Nautalytics Aero-bracket re-drilled for a a Shift. I would rather just buy a unit, if possible. Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Moab 112 Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Another Thumbs up for the ProStart. Used ours for the first time a few weeks back on a race that into the evening dark hours. All modes- daylight, backlit and red light worked great- very visible. Ran into somethin we had not thought of., and a nice benefit of the device. Very low key race, take your own time event. Was a reverse handicap start. The day prior, we learned in an amendment that the RC would not be on station at the start. The line was a mag heading from a buoy marking one end of the line to a point 0.25 miles away. Was easy to go ping the buoy as one end, then move to a point .25 miles away at the right mag heading and "ping" the other end. No need to worry about a transit or any of that. Relied on the distance to line and made an easy, not over early, start. Really nice having mag heading instead of GPS heading. One thing I would like is to be able to show both side by side. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Streetwise 74 Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 There are many brands entering this sector, but Velocitek has a proven track record of reliability and endurance. ProStart with magnetic compass is sweet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Streetwise 74 Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Streetwise 74 Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 @velocitek, what is the recommended lashing pattern? I can't wait to use this in May! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KC64000 23 Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 So I have a C&C29 with original instruments (depth/speed) which, surprisingly, still work (from 1984). I could go whole hog and replace them or just get a ProStart? I will race weeknight PHRF and some weekends each summer. I wouldn't get a wind data, but I don't think that will make a huge difference. I like the ProStart's start line functionality and it would be way cheaper than buying a whole "system", say from B&G. Thoughts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted November 13, 2020 Author Share Posted November 13, 2020 3 hours ago, Streetwise said: @velocitek, what is the recommended lashing pattern? I can't wait to use this in May! My colleague Charles, who designed the bracket, will weigh in tomorrow if I'm getting this wrong... I believe the best pattern we figured out is to lace it like a shoe, using the pre-installed loops as eyelets. Use a trucker hitch (https://www.netknots.com/rope_knots/truckers-hitch) where you would tie the bow if it was a shoe. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted November 13, 2020 Author Share Posted November 13, 2020 16 minutes ago, KC64000 said: So I have a C&C29 with original instruments (depth/speed) which, surprisingly, still work (from 1984). I could go whole hog and replace them or just get a ProStart? I will race weeknight PHRF and some weekends each summer. I wouldn't get a wind data, but I don't think that will make a huge difference. I like the ProStart's start line functionality and it would be way cheaper than buying a whole "system", say from B&G. Thoughts? If you start with the ProStart and you end up being happy with your existing system plus the ProStart you will have saved a bunch of cash. The magnetic compass on the new ProStart is more accurate (+/- 1 degree) than B&G's standard Precision-9 magnetic sensor (+/- 2 degrees). If you end up going full B&G after getting a ProStart, the ProStart will still be extremely useful as a starting tool. For example, at the Melges 24 Charleston Open last month the top 3 boats were all using the ProStart along with B&G / Raymarine instruments. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ultraman 49 Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 Get a ProStart to augment your old instruments. I have a full NKE System on my 40 foot race boat and we still have the ProStart mounted on the binnacle. Driver can ping the line, get the countdown, see Speed, Direction, etc. We can do all of this with the NKE and/or Garmin plotter too, but the ProStart's simplicity and ease of use trumps the others (we usually do both). I have had Velocitek SC-1 and Pro Start on last 3 boats. When it is time to sell: you unclip the Velocitek, slide old boat out of slip, drive new one in, attach Velocitek, go sailing. New ProStart looks great and is on my wish list, but old one from 2012 still works fine, so having trouble justifying spending money on something that's not broken. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted November 13, 2020 Author Share Posted November 13, 2020 15 hours ago, Streetwise said: @velocitek, what is the recommended lashing pattern? I can't wait to use this in May! There's no one prescribed method for the lashing. Our only recommendation is that you pass the lashing through all 6 eyes before you tighten up on the system. You can lace like a shoe with the two ends meeting at the top or bottom, and then use a hitch or a bowline to create a 2:1 for the final tie off. Dead ending at one of the corner eyes with a small bowline and then lacing through the remaining eyes will also work. Here too you'll want to add a hitch and a 2:1 for the final tie off. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackolantern 595 Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 15 hours ago, velocitek said: If you start with the ProStart and you end up being happy with your existing system plus the ProStart you will have saved a bunch of cash. The magnetic compass on the new ProStart is more accurate (+/- 1 degree) than B&G's standard Precision-9 magnetic sensor (+/- 2 degrees). If you end up going full B&G after getting a ProStart, the ProStart will still be extremely useful as a starting tool. For example, at the Melges 24 Charleston Open last month the top 3 boats were all using the ProStart along with B&G / Raymarine instruments. Plus if you're racing in the evenings, the backlight will make for a super easy, super visible screen when it gets dark! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sarfata 1 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 On 10/12/2020 at 8:08 AM, samc99us said: FYI, I've been playing with this all weekend. I'm not a programmer-I can use Python to do engineering type things, but am waaay more comfortable in Matlab. I've avoided jumping over to that though because most people don't have, want or can afford Matlab. Anyway, my focus has been on developing an executable that opens a GUI and lets you select the file to convert. I've run into a few road blocks but maybe by the end of the week I'll have something up and running. I have deployed last week an update on chartedsails.com/prostart - You can now choose to download your .vtk file in CSV or GPX format. No ChartedSails subscription or account required, this is free for everyone. And if you are concerned about privacy, your file never leaves your computer, it is converted in the browser. I hope this will be of service to some! cheers, thomas 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Salling 0 Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 I have a Shift and just bought a Prostart 2020. Is it possible to put them next to each other without disturbing the magnetic compasses? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted January 4, 2021 Author Share Posted January 4, 2021 On 1/1/2021 at 1:27 AM, Peter Salling said: I have a Shift and just bought a Prostart 2020. Is it possible to put them next to each other without disturbing the magnetic compasses? Yes. The new ProStart will not disturb the compass in the Shift. Change the ProStart to COG mode and you'll get the most out of your setup. To do this: Press and hold RESET for 3 seconds to enter user setup Press GUN twice to scroll through Declination and Bow Offset menus and enter Direction Output (heading or COG) Press either PIN or RC to toggle Direction Output from Heading "Hdg" to COG "COg" Press GUN to save the Direction Output selection and enter Damping menu Press GUN to exit Damping and the user setup menu and resume normal operation Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Salling 0 Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 OK. Thanks. But could you please explain why you recommend COG compass on the Prostart. What would be the use of that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
psycho tiller 240 Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 1 hour ago, Peter Salling said: OK. Thanks. But could you please explain why you recommend COG compass on the Prostart. What would be the use of that? Velocitek will correct me if I'm wrong but if your Shift is already showing compass heading it would be redundant to have both your shift and Prostart showing compass heading. COG will allow you to see if there's a current or a leeway component to your true direction of the boat compared to the compass heading displayed on the Shift. One way to think of it is your boat may be pointing directly north as indicated by compass heading but if there's a strong side current your actual direction of travel (COG) will not show you going directly north. In places where there are significant currents COG is often more important than compass heading if you're using your instruments to reach a mark. I suppose an overpowered boat in heavy winds could also theoretically end up sliding sideways too much so COG vs hdg could be useful in that case to see if you're actually tracking forward correctly or if you need to depower. Not sure how practical it would be to use it in that type of situation though. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScowLover 58 Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Is there a mechanism to power down if no movement happens for a while? Love the USB rechargeable battery, but when I forget to power it off, it'll be more challenging than swapping AA batteries to get up and running for the race about to start. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted January 5, 2021 Author Share Posted January 5, 2021 6 hours ago, psycho tiller said: Velocitek will correct me if I'm wrong but if your Shift is already showing compass heading it would be redundant to have both your shift and Prostart showing compass heading. COG will allow you to see if there's a current or a leeway component to your true direction of the boat compared to the compass heading displayed on the Shift. One way to think of it is your boat may be pointing directly north as indicated by compass heading but if there's a strong side current your actual direction of travel (COG) will not show you going directly north. In places where there are significant currents COG is often more important than compass heading if you're using your instruments to reach a mark. I suppose an overpowered boat in heavy winds could also theoretically end up sliding sideways too much so COG vs hdg could be useful in that case to see if you're actually tracking forward correctly or if you need to depower. Not sure how practical it would be to use it in that type of situation though. All good points. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted January 5, 2021 Author Share Posted January 5, 2021 23 minutes ago, ScowLover said: Is there a mechanism to power down if no movement happens for a while? Love the USB rechargeable battery, but when I forget to power it off, it'll be more challenging than swapping AA batteries to get up and running for the race about to start. The new ProStart does not have an auto-off. We've all raced in some frustrating drift-off conditions and we wouldn't want to make that experience even more frustrating with an instrument that turns itself off automatically while you're using it. The ProStart has a 75 hour battery so you'd have to forget to turn it off for consecutive days since the last charge before you run into an issue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Varan 2,134 Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 At the end of each day of racing, the crew gathers, beers are opened and we each guess what our max speed was. We consult the Velocitek to determine the winner, then turn it off. It's a fun ritual that ensures that the instrument is always turned off and properly put away. Remembering to recharge it after a few beers, well that's a different problem. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted January 12, 2021 Author Share Posted January 12, 2021 Whitbread Winner, America’s Cup Skipper, Olympian, and multiple World Champion Paul Cayard sails with the new ProStart. And you should too! New ProStarts are in stock and orders are shipping daily. We want to help you get a new ProStart quickly. We're offering free shipping (any shipping method, including international) through the end of January. Use this link to get free shipping: https://www.velocitek.com/discount/XE661EX2V4R5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sneaky Duck 17 Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Just listed on ebay a Velocitek Shift, and Tachtick Micro... lets see if I can free up enough funds to buy one of these new ones. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Salling 0 Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 3 hours ago, Sneaky Duck said: 3 hours ago, Sneaky Duck said: Just listed on ebay a Velocitek Shift, and Tachtick Micro... lets see if I can free up enough funds to buy one of these new ones. Why would you want to sell your Shift and Tacktic? In my experience Prostart doesn’t have the same functions to support you spotting headers and lifts. But maybe Velocitek will build in that feature in the firmware? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sneaky Duck 17 Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 5 hours ago, Peter Salling said: Because the star class doesn't allow multiple units in the boat. It's got to be all in 1 and especially as a new sailor to the class, I've been getting a lot out of the speed functions. I bought the shift because it's magnetic, and when sailing in areas with a lot of current, my thought was, I'd switch it over. Or use the prostart for training, super long starting lines.... whatever. Hasn't ended up being what I do though. I just stick with my current prostart instead of picking based on the day. perhaps if both used the same bracket i'd switch it up more, but they don't and it's an annoyance to unbolt it when i want to swap. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScowLover 58 Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 My new ProStart arrived yesterday. My first impressions: This oozes quality compared to V1. The button feel for the power/backlight button is very different. It requires considerably less effort. The tip on the included charging cable is not strong enough to be the "coin" that opens the charging port. Fortunately, it's Micro USB and I have lots of those. I plugged it in and it charged overnight. The little "charging" animation was still going this morning. Not sure if I'm at full charge, but the battery indicator says full. Shoveling my driveway this morning, I fired it up and pinged the ends of my driveway. The work flow is the same as the old one. No training required. I LOVE that the distance to line is now in 0.1m increments, not 0.5m increments. That alone is worth the upgrade. The digital compass behaves the way I'd expect. It reacts better than the shift and prism, which were both excellent. I can't wait to get on the water with this thing. The water is a bit hard in Wisconsin right now, but maybe the snow this morning won't have ruined the ice and I can set an epic top speed this weekend on an iceboat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sheethead 2 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Glad I stumbled upon this thread, I was on the fence, time to replace the TacTic. Def going with this Pro Start now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RedTuna 1,293 Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 On 10/20/2020 at 2:25 PM, velocitek said: We're completely tied up in manufacturing at the moment, but we'll try build this feature by the end of the year. Thanks for the request. Any success adding a shift indicator yet? Probably my favorite feature on my Speedpuck. Speaking of which, will they ever be in stock again? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F18 Sailor 321 Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 On 1/15/2021 at 8:46 AM, ScowLover said: My new ProStart arrived yesterday. My first impressions: This oozes quality compared to V1. The button feel for the power/backlight button is very different. It requires considerably less effort. The tip on the included charging cable is not strong enough to be the "coin" that opens the charging port. Fortunately, it's Micro USB and I have lots of those. I plugged it in and it charged overnight. The little "charging" animation was still going this morning. Not sure if I'm at full charge, but the battery indicator says full. Shoveling my driveway this morning, I fired it up and pinged the ends of my driveway. The work flow is the same as the old one. No training required. I LOVE that the distance to line is now in 0.1m increments, not 0.5m increments. That alone is worth the upgrade. The digital compass behaves the way I'd expect. It reacts better than the shift and prism, which were both excellent. I can't wait to get on the water with this thing. The water is a bit hard in Wisconsin right now, but maybe the snow this morning won't have ruined the ice and I can set an epic top speed this weekend on an iceboat. I left mine plugged in for over 36hrs and it still said charging, never got to full...I think that may be a software bug. The battery indicator never got off full after 10hrs of use on the water. I agree that it is a quality unit with a quality display and the data is pretty accurate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F18 Sailor 321 Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 On 1/24/2021 at 6:08 PM, RedTuna said: Any success adding a shift indicator yet? Probably my favorite feature on my Speedpuck. Speaking of which, will they ever be in stock again? Just posted mine for sale in the classifieds, can ship tomorrow! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted February 2, 2021 Author Share Posted February 2, 2021 34 minutes ago, F18 Sailor said: I left mine plugged in for over 36hrs and it still said charging, never got to full...I think that may be a software bug. The battery indicator never got off full after 10hrs of use on the water. I agree that it is a quality unit with a quality display and the data is pretty accurate. I'm pretty sure the never-ending battery charging thing is a firmware bug. We will investigate and fix it with the next version of the firmware. If you leave it plugged in to a wall cube / phone charger over night, you can count on it being fully charged in the morning. If you're using the USB port on a computer it will take 55 hours to get from completely empty to fully charged (5500 mAh battery / 100mA charge current = 55h). -Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F18 Sailor 321 Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 12 minutes ago, velocitek said: I'm pretty sure the never-ending battery charging thing is a firmware bug. We will investigate and fix it with the next version of the firmware. If you leave it plugged in to a wall cube / phone charger over night, you can count on it being fully charged in the morning. If you're using the USB port on a computer it will take 55 hours to get from completely empty to fully charged (5500 mAh battery / 100mA charge current = 55h). -Alec Copy that! This was with a wall cube. The in-use battery life is fantastic! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Varan 2,134 Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 Bump. This seems like the appropriate thread to discuss back lighting options. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted February 16, 2021 Author Share Posted February 16, 2021 15 hours ago, Varan said: Bump. This seems like the appropriate thread to discuss back lighting options. @Varan thanks for bringing this discussion over to this thread! The ProStart has three backlight settings: white, red, off. White is for overcast conditions, red is for dusk to dawn, and off is for bright conditions. The product photo of the red backlight on the white background (above) is a studio photo of a working ProStart. This photo was taken by professionals in a controlled environment with perfect lighting. It is not a dummy display. It is not a rendering. @nige yes, there are funny things going with the action shot of the ProStart on the boat at night. The camera made everything look brighter than it looked in real life. Again, this video gets closer to the truth but it's still brighter than it was in person. It's also worth reiterating that the ProStart in the action shot and the video was a pre-production sample. We weren't satisfied with the brightness of the backlight so we changed it before we went to production. No ProStarts were sold with that bright backlight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted February 18, 2021 Author Share Posted February 18, 2021 Here's a video of the production backlight on the new ProStart: 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
atnan 33 Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 Anyone know what "All ProStarts are made in small batches in our factory in San Mateo, California." translates to in terms of time from ordering to shipping? Ordered mine 6 days ago, hoping to have it for a race this weekend Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 3 minutes ago, atnan said: Anyone know what "All ProStarts are made in small batches in our factory in San Mateo, California." translates to in terms of time from ordering to shipping? Ordered mine 6 days ago, hoping to have it for a race this weekend What is your order number? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
atnan 33 Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 2 hours ago, velocitek said: What is your order number? 3371! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 23 minutes ago, atnan said: 3371! That order will ship today! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
atnan 33 Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 36 minutes ago, velocitek said: That order will ship today! Sweet, looking forward to it. Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 On 2/2/2021 at 11:59 AM, F18 Sailor said: I left mine plugged in for over 36hrs and it still said charging, never got to full...I think that may be a software bug. The battery indicator never got off full after 10hrs of use on the water. I agree that it is a quality unit with a quality display and the data is pretty accurate. We just released a new version of ProStart firmware "prsG_23.hex" that fixes the infinite charging animation bug. You can download it here. Here's what is new with this version: Fixes bug that would cause charging animation to continue when charge was complete. Shows battery voltage on top line of LCD when charging. 3.6V is empty, 4.2V is full. Makes USB pitchfork icon flash when wall-cube fast charging is taking place. Here's how to change the firmware on a new ProStart: Connect the ProStart to a computer. It will behave like a thumb drive (or any other USB mass storage device). Open the ProStart, and then open the Firmware folder. Remove the existing .hex from the Firmware folder. Drag and drop the new .hex firmware file into the folder. Unplug your ProStart from the computer. Turn your ProStart off and then back on again. Wait for a moment for the firmware update to begin. You will know the firmware is updating when the ProStart counts from 0 to 100 on screen. When it hits 100, the update is complete and the ProStart will begin operating normally, using the new firmware. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Max A 0 Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 Does the prostart need to be mounted vertically? Or can it be rotated to face upwards a bit. I’d like to mount it down low, and still have a good view of the screen. Will it mess with the instrument calibrations? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
atnan 33 Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 I just successfully installed this new firmware without too much trouble and get the fully charged 4.2v readout. It seems like the Velocitek Control Center app needs to be open for the device to show up as a USB drive (it shows as "NO NAME"), but it never shows as a "Connected Device" within the app itself? I'm on macOS Big Sur w/ Velocitek Control Center v3. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velocitek 39 Posted March 11, 2021 Author Share Posted March 11, 2021 24 minutes ago, atnan said: I just successfully installed this new firmware without too much trouble and get the fully charged 4.2v readout. It seems like the Velocitek Control Center app needs to be open for the device to show up as a USB drive (it shows as "NO NAME"), but it never shows as a "Connected Device" within the app itself? I'm on macOS Big Sur w/ Velocitek Control Center v3. "It seems like the Velocitek Control Center app needs to be open for the device to show up as a USB drive". This seems fishy. Could you please test this again? Velocitek Control Center is for communicating with older versions of our products. This software is not needed for communicating with the new ProStart and is completely unrelated to the function of the product. The new ProStart should just show up as an external drive when you connect it to any computer running OSX, Windows or Linux. You should not need to install or run any software on the computer to make this happen. If the ProStart does not show up as an external drive when you plug it in, there is either something wrong with your USB cable, your ProStart or your computer. The fact that you were able to copy the firmware file on to the ProStart suggests to me that your stuff is working properly but if anything still seems like it's not making sense, please let us know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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