Newsletter #4 - September 19, 2007
Boat Ramps
ActiveCaptain Adds Boat Ramps to Local Knowledge Markers
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ActiveCaptain version 1.5 (www.activecaptain.com) has added over 3,000
new Local Knowledge markers to its online database. These markers show
the locations of boat ramps throughout the US. They include basic
information: a name, location and sometimes a phone number. While we
think this is a good start, we know there are thousands more new
locations and endless details to be added.
Now we need your knowledge! Add your favorite spots to put in and let
the other Captains know what to expect when they get there. Is there a
fee? Is it well maintained? What about parking? Check the markers
listed and add your corrections and additions.
Anchorages: Chesapeake Bay Challenge
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Earlier this summer we challenged Captains to add anchorages in the Long
Island Sound. You entered some great places to spend the night and your
fellow Captains thank you. Now it's time for our next challenge -- the
Chesapeake Bay. Fall is the perfect time to cruise in and around the
Chesapeake Bay. We spent a beautiful month last October exploring this
wonderful cruising ground. What better way to enjoy the natural beauty
of this area than to throw out the hook in a quiet spot.
So all Captains who enjoy the Chesapeake as your home port or who have
been fortunate enough to spend time in these beautiful waters, let us
know your favorite places drop the hook. We're challenging you to add
just one new anchorage marker. By the way, our favorite spot from last
year was Langford Creek:
http://www.activecaptain.com/OTW.php?lat=39.124&lon=-76.16254&type=1&zoom=5
Two Things You May Not Know About ActiveCaptain
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1. Linking to ActiveCaptain Locations
Have a marina you want to tell your cruising friends about? Or an
anchorage for an impromptu rendezvous? You can easily create a URL
reference that will display a specific location inside ActiveCaptain.
Add clickable position links to your email, website, or newsletters.
The format for the URL is:
OTWURL?lat=LAT&lon=LON&type=T&zoom=Z
where:
OTWURL: http://www.activecaptain.com/OTW.php
LAT: decimal latitude (North is positive, South is negative)
LON: decimal longitude (East is positive, West is negative)
T: map type (1 is map, 2 is hybrid, 3 is satellite)
Z: zoom (1 to 8, 1 is maximum zoom)
Note that the "type" and "zoom" items are optional. If they are left
out, the last displayed map type and zoom will be used.
Some examples
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General Castine, ME area map:
http://www.activecaptain.com/OTW.php?lat=44.3868&lon=-68.795&type=1&zoom=5
Bucksport Plantation Marina, SC sat image (great sausage by the way!):
http://www.activecaptain.com/OTW.php?lat=33.6513&lon=-79.0947&type=3&zoom=1
Tips for creating URLs:
- Click on the lat/lon display in ActiveCaptain and select "Degrees
only" to show positions in the form that URLs require.
- Remember that US/Canadian longitudes are West so they are negative.
- Get the Details/Position of a marina or anchorage for it's position.
2. Displaying Markers
As more information is added to ActiveCaptain you will notice that there
will be times when the display can become quite crowded. There may even
be times when one marker is hidden behind another. There are a few ways
to alleviate this problem. Use the zoom feature once you have found the
general area you are interested in. If you know the name of the marker
you wish, check the alphabetical list on the left. Moving your pointer
over the name will highlight that marker.
If there are still too many markers, make sure you are only displaying
the type(s) you are interested in. ActiveCaptain provides a way to turn
on and off the display of different types of markers. To do this, click
on the Marker box displayed on the left side of the map. This will
bring up a dialog of the Marker types. Click the check boxes to
indicate which types you want displayed. When a marker type is turned
on the colored marker will appear in the Marker box on the map. An "X"
will appear when it is turned off. This "X" enhancement is an addition
from your suggestions.
ActiveCaptain Statistics
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You continue to make ActiveCaptain a success. We're approaching 4,000
registered users, 10,000 marinas, and 3,000 reviews. So where has all
this great data been coming from? ActiveCaptain has been visited by
Captains in 134 countries. The top 10 countries in order have been:
1. United States
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. Netherlands
5. Australia
6. Germany
7. Italy
8. France
9. Poland
10. Sweden
Coming Soon
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We've made the decision to take a short break from cruising. So the
boat will come out of the water and we'll enjoy a long missed winter
in Maine. This will give us more time to add some of the features we've
been planning for ActiveCaptain. The Going Mobile components are well
into development and we hope to have some portions up soon. More Local
Knowledge markers will be coming as we continue to enhance the current
ones. While we'll miss our cruising adventures this winter, we have
many plans to keep us busy.
Oh, and we have a new puppy! Not to brag, but at only 10 weeks, he does
"his business" on board like a cruising pro. We've even considered
"patenting" our "fool-proof approach" -- of course, registered
ActiveCaptains would automatically have life-time rights.
Thank you for continuing to support this project. And don't forget to
add your favorite anchorages!
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Karen and Jeffrey Siegel
aCappella
Castine, Maine
www.activecaptain.com
Content, Communications, Community
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