Here's an interesting idea - a Mast Camera....probably not a new
one...any comments?

http://www.dv-fansler.com/Sailing/An...ast_camera.htm

"I purchased my Morgan Out Island 41 after becoming a widower. I had
intended to sail solo most of the time and had a wonderful pilot in
the form of my RayMarine AutoPilot. But I knew I could not stay in
the cockpit forever. Being down below with a boat on AutoPilot can
and should be a little nerve racking. I could see what was to either
side of Annabelle looking out the ports. But I could not see what was
in front of me. My solution was to mount a small waterproof, low
light level, B&W camera to the top of my main mast looking forward.
There is a 4" diagonal LCD monitor mounted above the navigation
station displaying the view from the camera. The view covers from
about 50 feet ahead of Annabelle to the horizon. This wide angle view
allows me to see most all potential hazards in front of Annabelle
while I am out of the cockpit."

BTW

This web page is worth looking at....starting at:

http://www.dv-fansler.com/Sailing/Annabelle/morgan.htm

Sort of related links:
http://www.onemetre.net/Technicl/Mastcam2/Mastcam2.htm

http://www.wb-sails.fi/news/ScienceF...ienceFinn.HTML
The sail development system consist of:

* a masthead camera fitted to the top of the mast
* a computer program to analyse sail shape from photos (ShapePlot)
* a computer program to predict sail force (MacSail)
* a computer program to calculate mast bend and its effect on sail
shape (TrimSim)
_____________

Virtual Periscope
http://www.navyleague.org/sea_power/may_05_26.php

"Since Simon Lake developed the U.S. Navy’s first periscope in 1902,
there have been countless refinements, but one thing has remained
unchanged: when a submarine wants to know what’s on the surface it has
to poke up a mast."