What Does AI Have to Do with Sailing? - By Rick Williams

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I am one of those old-fashioned guys who is slowly adopting AI as a tool.

I skippered my J 130 sailboat, CHARIAD, in the Newport to Bermuda Race in June. I used AI to help the race team and the boatyard prepare the boat for this challenging open-ocean race, far from Coast Guard rescue. Here is my experience.

I wanted to replace the autopilot and the satellite phone on the boat. As preparation, I asked knowledgeable professionals what they recommended using for both systems. The responses were conflicting and only partially helpful. I told ChatGPT about my sailboat, how I am using it, and asked for recommendations for both systems.

ChatGPT gave me very detailed specifications of both systems specific for a J 130 sailboat and how I am using the boat. I was amazed by AI’s complete understanding of my questions and the depth and relevance of the responses. I told the boat yard to install what ChatGPT recommended.

I also gave ChatGPT specific information about CHARIAD and the navigation systems on the boat. I then asked how to find the fastest course to Bermuda. I was asking what data sources and modeling systems to use. Racing to Bermuda is a complex navigation problem because of the powerful Gulf Stream currents and constantly changing wind systems.

I was astonished at ChatGPT’s complete understanding of the problem, the data sources, and the available navigation analysis programs. Truly amazing. As preparation for the race, we ran the course-optimization programs many times using updated wind and current data. We used the ChatGPT analysis approach as a guide when testing the various data sources and modeling systems we used on the boat.

OK, what does all this prove or demonstrate? Bottom Line: I was amazed by ChatGPT’s complete and detailed understanding of my questions and the completeness of its answers. The answers were actionable.

I have seen the results of using AI as a writing tool, where it composes text. At best, it is D+ for text creation.

I shared my AI experience with my sailing community. One of the recipients likes to challenge whatever I say. He came back saying, “ChatGPT does not understand anything!” I liked that challenge because it clarified an important point about AI. Here was my response to my friend.

What I find amazing is that it does “understand” my question. And, it comes back with a comprehensive response to the question I asked – response meaning collecting data and composing a relevant response to my question.

ChatGPT does not know the “meaning” of what I am saying or what it is writing. It does a D-level job of writing about a topic because it does not understand the meaning of what it is writing and how the elements of what it is writing relate to one another.

Andy Warhol AI Art

I will leave you with the results of a fun AI experiment. I asked ChatGPT to create an Andy Warhol version of a picture of me on CHARIAD. Instead of Marilyn Monroe, here is Andy Warhol’s vision of me.

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