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Cool Tools

Guide to sailing & docking
Single Handed Docking and Sail Trim with Captain Jack Klang


I have been on the water in one fashion or another for over 40 years and this is the first comprehensive presentation I have seen on how to dock in all types of conditions and situations. Captain Jack, in a mere 53 minutes, covers the main topics that drive sailors nuts: docking and sail trim, especially spinnakers. First he uses models to describe the maneuvers and then we see him on his own boat demonstrating in real time. He shows how to maintain control of your boat with the wind on the bow, on the beam or aft. He covers situations with adverse currents. What I found most intriguing is how he backs his boat into a slip to keep the bow into the wind. He demonstrates a few basic concepts, like prop-walk and spring-lines, and shows how to use a single spring line (a line attached slightly midship) to control the boat's movements. He does this not only singlehandedly, but without jumping off the boat. Much safer.

I had seen Captain Jack many times at boat shows and was actually looking for a book by him so I could review the information he provides during his condensed presentations -- I was pleasantly surprised to find the DVD.  I wish I would have had this video when I was beginner. It would have saved a lot of hard knocks while docking and would have saved my having to unlearn many of the bad habits I picked up trimming sails.The interface between the land and sea is often the most challenging aspect of boating. This is especially true as marinas get tighter and tighter as they pack more and more boats into them. I still sail, but four years ago sold my sailboat and bought a Nordic Tug. Docking has always been a challenge and is even more so with the tug. The tug idles much faster, so everything happens faster. It is also much less maneuverable. Even if you are a power boater, the first half of the DVD concerning docking is still well worth the price. Just fast forward through the sail-handling parts or watch it and be inspired to go sailing.

-- Dean Raffaelli

Singlehanded Docking and Sail Trim with Captain Jack Klang
$25
Available from Captain Jack Klang
http://www.captainjacksailing.com/saleitems.html

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Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:


Inflatable Life Jacket
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000933.php


Building the Six-Hour Canoe
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000221.php


Porta Bote
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001390.php


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Cordless, self-igniting soldering iron
Weller Portasol Portable Butane Soldering Kit


I have used butane-powered soldering irons for about 17 years. This one is compact, well made and lighter than most other butane type irons I have used. It is made of a thermal plastic resistant to high temp and the cap is vented so you can put it back on while the head is still hot. The exterior is textured slightly, which makes it easier to hold. It gives a sharp, well-defined flame front with a very efficient burn. The torch has enough power to tin the ends of large cables and large diameter heat shrink insulation. It comes with five inter-changeable tips, including a hot knife tip, so I can use it occasionally on close pitch SM components. Weller makes more than a dozen different tips, including a mini blow torch. There’s a wire rack in the case that allows you to set up the torch with a platform so you can use both hands. The fuel window is  a nice feature, too. The run time is advertised at 90 minutes -- of course it depends a lot on how hot you run it. I usually use it at 50% or less. I always refill the butane whenever I store the torch in its case, so I have only run out once in 17 years of using this type of soldering iron (I was 35 feet in the air and that was the last time).

The lab I work in is busy and crowded, so I work outside of the lab a lot. I can tuck this soldering iron in my lab coat pocket and forget about until I need it. I use it two to three times a week. The gun is great for soldering crimped pins on a new cable and the torch is good for heat shrink when I don't want to go get the heat gun. I have yet to use it to cut poly rope, but it is nice to know I can. It is also great for lighting fireworks. I have not used the hot knife yet, but I gave one of the kits to our mechanical engineer and he, being a sailor, thought it had real potential. The only draw back I have found is the TSA will not let you carry this kit on a p***.

Hint: I put the cap on the iron in the case and dropped a Leatherman E4 in the cap holder cut-out to create a more complete kit. You still need some flux cored solder, but one can tuck a small coil in the sponge can or carry a small tube separately.

-- Gary K.

Weller Portasol Portable Butane Soldering Kit
(model: P2KC)
$45
Available from Tool Barn
http://www.toolbarn.com/product/weller/P2KC/?ref=base

Or $53 from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SMRQM0/ref=nosim/kkorg-20

Manufactured by Cooper Hand Tools
http://www.cooperhandtools.com

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Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:


ColdHeat Soldering Iron
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000985.php


Third Hand
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001212.php


Jet Swet
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001466.php


*******
Pocket-sized sound manipulator
Korg Kaossilator Synthesizer


For a number of years I’ve been into sound art and electronics, but never had the cash and space for an ARP 2600. I recently acquired a Korg Kaossilator, a fabulous little dynamic phrase synthesizer, which, for all intents and purposes, now serves as my main musical device. Pocket-sized and touch-operated, the Kaossilator is comprised of 100 sounds:  electronic beats, synth chords and pads, squelchy bass tones and the odd acoustic instruments. The Theremin sounds alone are worth the $200 price tag. The fun part is creating 8-beat loops in which you can control the tempo and the scales of the instruments selected. I've already "composed" a few pieces using just the Korg and will most likely start incorporating it into GarageBand or, perhaps, Max/MSP once my visual programming chops get happening. My only complaint is you can't edit or remove instruments/sounds as you layer them or control individual volumes. Still, I highly recommend the Korg for beginners and semi-pros that haven't got a cache of gear and/or software. For standalone equipment, I don't think there's anything really comparable to the Kaossilator, except it's cousin, the Mini Kaoss Pad, which is more for effects.

A hobbyist that was a session drummer in another life (before children), it's limiting to how often I can make music. Drummers have to deal with the confines of noise volumes (the neighbors), the amount of space required and the portability of your gear. Plus, your output is restricted to mainly the rhythmic aspects of music as well as performing in the more traditional acoustic genres. With two small children, I don't get to play with the Kaossilator as often as I'd like, but the one-year-old loves to see and hear it in action. While you can use the sounds to record with in your audio software, you can also just plug in headphones and experience your public transit commuting time diminish exponentially. I've taken it out of the house a few times. It runs on either a 4.5V adapter (not included) or 4 AA batteries (included). I have yet to really clock the amount of time used with just the batteries, but it's been a lot longer than you'd get on a laptop.

-- Gord Fynes  

VIDEO DEMO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeQOuNBuJwg&eurl=http://www.djdeals.com/korgKAOSSILATOR.htm

Korg Kaossilator
$200
Available from Amazon
http://www.djdeals.com/korgKAOSSILATOR.htm

Also from DJDeals
http://www.djdeals.com/korgKAOSSILATOR.htm

Manufactured by Korg
http://www.korg.co.uk/products/dance_dj/kaossilator/kaossilator.asp

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Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:


Tape Op Magazine
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001872.php


Logic
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001787.php


Electroplankton
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001530.php


*******
Multi-purpose, everyday handbag
En Route 3-in-1 Travel Purse


You've previously reviewed wallets on Cool Tools, so let's have equal time, guys ;-) .This travel purse is actually the best everyday purse I've ever found. I've used and abused it for four years, and the purse still looks great. Its polyester microfiber sheds dirt and is machine washable. Best of all, the easy-to-open strap clips (satin brushed metal which continue looking good indefinitely) allow me to convert it to a waist pack in seconds. Worn as a waist pack, the front zippered section (with your money & credit cards) is easily accessible without removing the purse. It’s great for shopping and errand running. You can keep your hands free. You don't have to hold onto it or shove it out of the way. You can't put it down and forget it somewhere. Wearing it as a waist pack also helps deter pick-pockets and purse-snatchers, too. And, whenever necessary, you can convert right back to shoulder use in five seconds.

Here's a rundown of the interior: flat pocket under Velcro flap in front (good for receipts). Unzipping the front compartment reveals two flat pockets and one zippered pocket (cash), then two more flat pockets (checks in one), one fronted by 8 card pockets (each can easily hold 5+ cards), and a pen loop. The back zipper reveals a large compartment -- mine holds keys, cell phone, PDA, camera, folding brush, comb, lip gloss, sewing kit, mini first aid kit, tape measure, etc., I enhanced the inside of the back pocket by adding a Velcro strip, so small items don't vanish below.



I originally bought mine to improve my posture -- no matter how big a purse I get, over time I'll overfill it and gradually tilt sideways. Even the "healthy back" bags didn't work. This one's big enough to hold what I need, but small enough so it won't get too heavy. It's astonishing how much it can hold, but it's small enough that if you really must carry a designer purse for a night on the town, you can drop this little beauty inside.

-- Barbara Dace





En Route 3-in-1 Travel Purse
$30
Available from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006LTWJ8/ref=nosim/kkorg-20

Or $35 from PackingLight
http://www.packinglight.net/plight/product.asp?dept_id=&pf_id=PAAAAAGBAHIGANOO

Manufactured by En Route Travelware
http://www.enroutetravelware.com/

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Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:


TIps 9: Hoggan's Custom Bags
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000885.php


ACME Workhorse Bags
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/002577.php


BDU Pocket Field Organizer/Wallet
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/002640.php


*******
Customized search
Stumble Upon


Stumble Upon is a community-based website recommendation engine that serves up fantastic random websites. Completely addictive, it still does that. But now that they have added search (including video and image search), it has moved from frivolous to useful, and Stumble Upon is beginning to replace Google as my primary search engine. You cannot yet add Stumble Search as the primary search engine in your browser, but the Stumble Upon tool bar makes it nearly as convenient.

Let's say you are looking for a new dining room table. If you put "dining table" into Google you get a gazillion crappy tables. If you put the same search entry into Stumble Upon you get 100 of the coolest tables on the net. The same is true in its video and image search engine.  For instance, when I wanted to find a video for my wife who was learning Roller Derby, I searched You Tube and got thousands of results, almost all of them below mediocre.  But when I searched Stumble Upon Video I got only 10 results, and all of them were awesome.

The key to the system is that for every site that you "stumble upon" in your web surfing, you can give it a thumbs up or down (or tag or comment it). Really cool content propagates through the network fast, yet people trying to game the system to give their pages high stumble ranks get voted down very quickly. When I met the founders of Stumble Upon recently I asked how they managed to do this so well, and they said that they did not write a single line of code until they had worked out the anti-spam strategy. While there are several recommendation engines on the web like Digg, Delicious, and Reddit, Stumble Upon's interface, huge active community, and easy tools make it the one that always delivers the highest level of cool stuff. It is basically how I find everything that I blog about.

-- Alexander Rose

Stumple Upon

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Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:


Consensus Web Filters
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001163.php


Consumer Search
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000563.php


Google SMS
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001384.php


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Previously reviewed COOL TOOLS items can be found at http://www.kk.org/cooltools/ -- sl

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Steven Leckart        
Editor, Cool Tools