Celestial navigation, foam weapons construction....

[Casteen]

and leatherworking workshops are currently being planned by Camp Amazon.

I'm posting to get an idea of interest in such workshops, and begin guestimating on how many people we should anticipate.

Of course, I know that the vast majority of participants don't frequent the eplaya, but it's a start.

[falk]

and leatherworking workshops are currently being planned by Camp Amazon.

How do you plan to teach celestial navigation in the playa?

[Casteen]

is still in the planning process. Ideally, there will be two workshops, one by day and one by night.

The person leading the workshop has picked up a sexton, and star charts, and has experience in such things.

We want to cover direction and location anyplace on the planet, via the heavens, maps and charts, and including compass, GPS and sexton as tools.

If you have any ideas or requests, we're happy to hear them.

[robotland]

Let's hear a quick bit about the FOAM WEAPONS. My friends and I spent our teenage years bashing each other with cushy Medieval weapons, and I'd love to wield a Pandybat again regardless of whether it's a Pedestrian, Equestrian or "Great" Pandybat.....

[Will]

I was always fond of the nerf weapons. I prefered the bow, and then crossbow. Of course, there were also the semiautomatic guns that ran out of ammo faster that you could run and reload...

[robotland]

Looking back, it's amazing that none of us lost that eye that you always get warned about....We copied EVERY Medieval weapon in foam, duct tape and dowels/hockey sticks, INCLUDING misslie weapons. Our arrows were sawed off, a penny taped over the end, and then a tube of foam duct taped on that for a head. Cheapo fiberglass bows only, twenty-pound pull or less. We made some cool crossbows, too! Our biggest field battle included about fifty people on both sides, and it was very exciting to charge into a hail of arrows and lock shields with the dread Arosans! (AKA "the kingdom of guys from Richland, Michigan".We were the stalwart Ashandarians, AKA "kingdom of guys from Kalamazoo".)
Our only real injury happened when one of our knights stepped in a woodchuck hole.

[Casteen]

We're going to be doing ye old Amtgard style foam, pvc, and packing tape method. We'll be using funnoodle, because when I do flatblades I always end up with tons of scrap stuff on the floor, and this way we can minimize the amount that needs to be cleaned up.

We'll also have basic combat stuff in our training circle at dusk every evening. Rather than the free-for-all style (which is fun, I'm not knocking it at all), we'll stick with some simple rules. (If an arm gets hit, it's lost. Same thing with a leg. Torso shot counts as a kill.)

Every year I want to do archery stuff, and every year I end up not due either to space, wind, or both.

[falk]

is still in the planning process. Ideally, there will be two workshops, one by day and one by night.

The person leading the workshop has picked up a sexton, and star charts, and has experience in such things.

We want to cover direction and location anyplace on the planet, via the heavens, maps and charts, and including compass, GPS and sexton as tools.

If you have any ideas or requests, we're happy to hear them.

I think you mean sextant. I've collected a few over the years, but I don't think I'd bring them to the Playa. Doing celestial navigation properly without a real horizon to work with is a bit dicey; I'll be interested to see what methods he comes up with. I'll definately want to attend (or perhaps help teach?)

http://www.efalk.org/Navigation/

[Casteen]

You're right, sextant. My error (I should have double checked the spelling, the person leading the workshop has a bad track record on accurate spelling).

He picked up an inexpensive one ($30) for use on the playa.

If you'd like to help in the workshop, that would be nifty.

[dragonfly Jafe]

Looking back, it's amazing that none of us lost that eye that you always get warned about....

Speak for yourself, the Arosan's played a little rougher.

[dragonfly Jafe]

I would be interested also in seeing the navigation portion. Isn't there someway to use a pool of water to form an artificial horizon? I have a book on navigation somewhere that I seem to recall mentioned it...

Golf clubs make excellent cores for foam weapons - light, stiff, strong, and cheap (free in the garbage cans of any golf course!). (If you do start with a useable club, first take the head off of course!)

Pad the tip (so it cannot poke thru on a thrust), then use 1.0 - 2.0 lbs/cubic foot density poly urethane foam (the yellow-white foam used for beds and pillows). A slit down the middle, slip in the golf club and secure with strapping tape. Now shape the foam a bit at the tip (it should already be vaguely blade-like, thicker in one direction than the other). Using duct-tape, apply the tape to the foam then apply tension as you carefully and slowly wrap the tape around the foam, creating the desired shape as you go. Go over it all again with another layer (for both looks and safety).

With practice you can create amazingly life-like weapons that can even be sheathed & withdrawn. I still have the ones I made 30 years ago...

[falk]

If you'd like to help in the workshop, that would be nifty.

Sure. Bump this thread or send me a pm when the event gets near.

-ed

[robotland]

Looking back, it's amazing that none of us lost that eye that you always get warned about....

Speak for yourself, the Arosan's played a little rougher.

Am I NOT going to recognize you after 25 years because I'm NOT looking for a guy with an eyepatch?

[robotland]

We'll be using funnoodle, because when I do flatblades I always end up with tons of scrap stuff on the floor, and this way we can minimize the amount that needs to be cleaned up.

.

Our Middle Ages came before the advent of Funnoodle, sadly.

Ruleswise, we did the "hit limbs and they're useless, body blow equals dead, head and groin out of bounds" method. Stole a bunch of SCA swordplay techniques. (The local SCA people HATED us.)

[Winsurf]

Navigation

Hi Falk, I’m going to be giving the navigation work shop. I am an ASA bare boat certified sailor and private pilot. My work shop will be covering a combination of navigation methods; I intend to cover things like true north vrs magnetic north, what a nautical mile is, Longitude and latitude. Why the North Star is facing north How to use a compass to get your position, basic GPS not sure yet what Ill say about a GPS. I’ll bring two hand held’s. I’ll go over different kinds of charts and how to read them. For Camp members only will give out planisphere (can’t afford them for non camp members) and talk about using the sky to get your position. I doubt people will go out and spend $500 for a sextant but it would be nice to know how the stars work and can help them know what direction there going, don’t need a sextant for that. But they will know how they work.. I do not plan on covering trig or stuff like h0249 publications. But rather give an idea of how that stuff works. It’s my opinion that I can make this work shop very involved and difficult or give the information that has the best chance of being of use people without sailing or flying navigation needs. This is burning man I want a fun workshop. I would be happy to talk to you about this work shop and maybe we could work together on it. I see myself as a general navigator trying blending the best of both flying and sailing into a navigation class with some celestial navigation.

[Casteen]

Our Middle Ages came before the advent of Funnoodle, sadly.

Ruleswise, we did the "hit limbs and they're useless, body blow equals dead, head and groin out of bounds" method. Stole a bunch of SCA swordplay techniques. (The local SCA people HATED us.)

We'll be using similar rules.

I'm rather fond of the flatblade method (and will be making foam and latex flatblades pre-BM for Camp members), but for practicality on the playa, funoodle is ideal. (Before funoodle, I was not above using pipe insulation).

I learned about the Joys of Homemade Foam Weaponry from Scadians. I currently run around with Amtgarders. I never really got terribly involved with either group officially (more like member by proxy; don't go to events, but know lots of people involved with them).

[redd_18235]

Dude, I can't believe you're bringing Amtgard to BM. You rock Casteen. Have you considered creating an Amtgard camp? If so, may I join the camp? It's my first burn. :D I've got a flat broad sword and shield although the shield might have to stay behind. Could bring a couple of swords too.

[Casteen]

Well, it's not so much that I'm bringing Amtgard to the playa as I'm bringing Amtgard legal boffers to the playa (we'll be using the rules I learned from SCAdians from before I heard of Amtgard... Amtgard just has the most intensive safety constraints I've seen for weapons construction, so that seems the best way to go).

And we're not the only camp to use them. The Death Guild people and the Space Vikings (are they coming out this year?) both use boffers (just without the same hit rules), and I'm sure there are others.

Camp Amazon is a warrior women themecamp, but anyone is welcome to come to the workshops, play in the training circle, run the obstacle course, or hang out and visit.

[Badger]

Winsurf,

Sounds like a totally cool idea. Very cool. A sugestion: maybe include a basic blurb on the fundamental of how to navigate on the playa using the pole star and the Man as reference points to approximate your camp location as well as navigating BRC at night while on bike or foot. I think a good portion of the event falls within a new or waning moon and your info might help a good number of folks.

[falk]

A sugestion: maybe include a basic blurb on the fundamental of how to navigate on the playa using the pole star and the Man as reference points

Brilliant

[Winsurf]

Hey
Folk and Badger,

I’m still putting the navigation work shop together. Like Casteen said I plan on two workshops, one during daylight the other at night. I would like to go over the basics during daylight. I’m thinking along the lines of putting it in the form of a mythological story. Something like: Millenniums ago a woman thought to be as old as the stones brought her wisdom to the world of the Amazon. She knew before the world of men the world was round… Blab balb working into Longitude and latitude.

The hunters learned they could get there bearings with compass by taking bearings on several objects. Then they bravely ventured to sea. The one thought to be as old as the stones again shared her wisdom…. Etc etc

Ill try to give interesting facts like the sun is past the rim of the earth while we see it as setting. The one as old as the stones knew the rays of the sun bent just as a stick is bent by water. Try to get some tricks in there like using a protractor and string to measure angles of things. We know a single degree is 60 nautical miles but there are applications that may be fun to know and use. Like using a protractor to get bearings from the man in center playa and maybe a star although in this application a compass in my opinion would be much better.
Anything you guys have that would be fun or useful I would gladly use from you or perhaps you would like to give the information yourself... Things like getting distance from putting a finger out stretched in front of you or getting an idea about time from looking at the night sky. I sure don’t have all the info and anyone who collects sextants probably knows much more than me about there use. I’m reviewing the books. It’s simple enough to show how they work but without knowing where the GP is of what you’re shooting or having a good horizon it’s not much good. Still the principles are constant so I’m looking for other applications like shooting a known mountain with a protractor. I will bring a cheep sextant and show how they can read minutes and thus get a position within a mile under the best conditions. Under playa conditions all I think I can show is theory. Using a pie tin of water or oil is something I have never done. But like you guys I have read it is doable.

Thanks for your suggestions and I do plan on using the Playa as a place to navigate around. Maybe do a treasure hunt using navigating principles and tricks. I don’t know yet I’m still putting it together.

Best to you both
Winsurf