For a start it would be interesting to know exactly what you country you are
in. Yes, it is a big world out there.. Cos each country is going to have
different marking and registration systems.

DP
"Grunff" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I'm currently working on a database for a client which aims to
allow users to trace cars + boats they have owned in the past.

The database will hold information that allows the
identification of the car/boat.

So for a car, it holds the make/model/colour/registration/year
of manufacture and where the car was at different times in it's
life.

Sadly, I know nothing about boats. So I'm asking for your help.
I need to build up a list of important parameters than can be
used to identify a boat. Not too many, maybe 6 at the most.

I know the term 'boat' covers a much wider range than 'car', but
the purpose of the database is to allow private individuals to
trace their old boats, so the range of boats will be limited to
those which:

[a] Are likely to be owned by private individuals (no ocean
liners or oil tankers!)

and

[b] The owners are likely to want to trace. I don't suppose many
people whould be particularly interested in a small dingy they
owned 20 years ago (maybe I'm wrong, I don't know).

Any help much appreciated.

TIA

--
Grunff

Damn, It was a cross post form rec sailing. We can assume you are a pom
then?

DP
"d parker" wrote in message
. au...
For a start it would be interesting to know exactly what you country you
are
in. Yes, it is a big world out there.. Cos each country is going to have
different marking and registration systems.

DP
"Grunff" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I'm currently working on a database for a client which aims to
allow users to trace cars + boats they have owned in the past.

The database will hold information that allows the
identification of the car/boat.

So for a car, it holds the make/model/colour/registration/year
of manufacture and where the car was at different times in it's
life.

Sadly, I know nothing about boats. So I'm asking for your help.
I need to build up a list of important parameters than can be
used to identify a boat. Not too many, maybe 6 at the most.

I know the term 'boat' covers a much wider range than 'car', but
the purpose of the database is to allow private individuals to
trace their old boats, so the range of boats will be limited to
those which:

[a] Are likely to be owned by private individuals (no ocean
liners or oil tankers!)

and

[b] The owners are likely to want to trace. I don't suppose many
people whould be particularly interested in a small dingy they
owned 20 years ago (maybe I'm wrong, I don't know).

Any help much appreciated.

TIA

--
Grunff

"d parker" lifted the trapdoor, peered
around and wrote:

Damn, It was a cross post form rec sailing. We can assume you are a pom
then?

Ahem!

Some of us know how to use our news readers

d parker wrote:
Damn, It was a cross post form rec sailing. We can assume you are a pom
then?

Yup, safe assumption, but the database will (at least initially)
cater for UK and US. You're quite right, I should've stated this
at outset.

--
Grunff

steveb wrote:

Some of us know how to use our news readers

I'm sorry - what exactly is the problem with my crosspost?

--
Grunff

Grunff lifted the trapdoor, peered around and wrote:

I'm sorry - what exactly is the problem with my crosspost?

You need to ask?

Actually, at least a part of the problem isn't the cross-post (which is
confusing enough) but the fact that ppl responding haven't the wit to
restrict the replies to the ng they are replying in

steveb wrote:

I'm sorry - what exactly is the problem with my crosspost?

You need to ask?

What?? There is *nothing* wrong with crossposting under certain
circumstances. I'll spare you the long list of URLs detailing
how and when crossposting is appropriate; I'm sure you can
google for them yourself. If you have trouble finding them,
please let me know.


Actually, at least a part of the problem isn't the cross-post (which is
confusing enough) but the fact that ppl responding haven't the wit to
restrict the replies to the ng they are replying in

I can't help that - and when I'm replying to their replies, I
have no way of knowing which group they're reading/replying to,
so have to post my reply to both groups.

--
Grunff

Grunff writes:

The style of Rig maybe a good criterion to have (Bermudan Sloop,
Cutter, Schooner, Ketch etc)


Is providing a list of styles to choose from feasible, or are there
too many?

It should be possible to produce a list of rigs, or strictly a
matrix.

A rig classified generally by the number of masts and arrangement of
sails can be

una, sloop or cutter (all single masted),
ketch, yawl or schooner (all two masted - although schooners can
have more)

Classified by type of mainsail it can be

Bermudan
Gaff
Gunter - rare except in very small boats
Junk - rare
Lug - rare
Sprit - rare

Note that a 'una rig' is the same thing as a 'catboat rig' or 'cat
rig', and there are 'catboat ketches' which have no staysails on
either mast, but they're rare. You are very unlikely indeed to find a
junk or lug sloop or cutter, although neither is strictly
impossible. Other than that if you make a matrix of the first six
against the second six you'll account for 99.9% of all sailing boats,
with 90+% being bermudan and probably 90+% being sloops.

Finally there are very rare oddball rigs, like biplane rigs, kite
rigs, solid wing sails and other esoterica, which you would be
sensible to ignore.

I still think you're best off with sail number and class for most
sailing boats.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; An enamorata is for life, not just for weekends.

"Wally" writes:

Grunff wrote:

It's beginning to sound like providing set selections for things
like builder and model will be impossible. They may have to be
free text fields.

Bad idea - too prone to error, typos, and varying interpretations on how a
name should be entered (like full name, acronym, abbreviated). The net
result is a potential for variations which would make searching more
awkward, since the searcher would have to try and second-guess the
variations and typos.

Afreed, but in many cases it may be necessary to have a menu with
'other' in it and a type in field for the 'other's.

www.makearatherlonglinkthattakesyounowhere.com

Love the domain name!

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; An enamorata is for life, not just for weekends.

Simon Brooke wrote:

Classified by type of mainsail it can be

Bermudan
Gaff
Gunter - rare except in very small boats
Junk - rare
Lug - rare
Sprit - rare

Note that a 'una rig' is the same thing as a 'catboat rig' or 'cat
rig', and there are 'catboat ketches' which have no staysails on
either mast, but they're rare. You are very unlikely indeed to find a
junk or lug sloop or cutter, although neither is strictly
impossible. Other than that if you make a matrix of the first six
against the second six you'll account for 99.9% of all sailing boats,
with 90+% being bermudan and probably 90+% being sloops.

And that's just boats with sails!!


I still think you're best off with sail number and class for most
sailing boats.

Yes, your reasoning is becoming very clear to me ;-)

Thanks for the detailed explanation, your time is much
appreciated. There is so much I don't know.

--
Grunff