Q. What are the minimum requirements of my PC to be able to stream videos?

A. You will need a PC running Windows XP or later with at least 1GB of RAM. You will also need at least version 9 of the Adobe Flash Player to view the videos on the website as well as the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the Script PDFs which are made available when you purchase a subscription. Javascript must also be enabled and you will need to allow cookies in order to use the Sailaboat website.

Q. What happens if my computer has less than 1Gb of RAM?

A. The videos will still play but will keep stopping and starting whilst buffering, however you can pause the video from time to time to allow the video to be downloaded to your cache and then the video will play without stop/starting once in your cache.

Q. What are the minimum requirements of my Apple MAC to be able to stream videos?

A. The site has been tested on MAC OS 10.5 and higher but runs best with at least 1GB of RAM. You will also need at least version 9 of the Adobe Flash Player to view the videos on the website as well as the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the Script PDFs which are made available when you purchase a subscription. Javascript must also be enabled and you will need to allow cookies in order to use the Sailaboat website. Note on some OS versions the escape option from full screen doesn’t function. If this happens try clicking control and escape.

Q. What are the minimum requirements of my Network Connection to be able to stream the videos?

A. You will require an internet connection capable of at least 1Mb/second to stream the videos.

Q. What happens if my internet connection is less than 1 Mbs?

A. The videos will still play but will keep stopping and starting whilst buffering, however you can pause the video from time to time to allow the video to be downloaded to your cache and then the video will play without stop/starting once in your cache.

Q. What browsers can I use?

A. The site has been tested with the following browsers:

• Firefox – Version 3.6.3
• Chrome – Version 5.0.375.38
• Opera – Version 10.51
• Safari – 4.0.4 (531.21.10)
• Internet Explorer – Version 8
• Internet Explorer – Version 7
• Internet Explorer – Version 6

If you use Internet Explorer you will need at least version 6 to use the Sailaboat website, but for the optimum experience it is recommended that you always use the latest version of whichever browser you are using.

Q. How will I know if the videos I purchase will stream to my PC effectively?

A. Play the Introductory Video on the home page – if this plays effectively, so will the videos you purchase.

Q. Will I be able to stream the videos to anywhere in the world?

A. Yes, providing you have access to a PC or MAC which meets the minimum system requirements.

Q. What types of devices can I stream the videos to?

A. A PC or MAC which meets the minimum system requirements.

Q. How does the Sailaboat website work?

A. Sailaboat is an internet based video channel. You must be online to view the content as the videos are streamed to your PC. Depending on your PC’s internet browser settings, the video could be temporarily stored in your PC’s cache. To view the videos you need to register an account and either pay for individual videos or a collection of videos. Payment allows you to view your selected videos for up to 12 months and view them 15 times or the equivalent minutes (for example, a 10 minute video can be viewed for a total of 150 minutes).

Q. Who can use the videos?

A. Sailaboat is intended for use by individual users for the costs shown on the website.

Q. What is single handed sailing?

A. Sailing in a dinghy designed for one person.

Q. What is two handed sailing?

A. Sailing in a dinghy designed for two people to operate it.

Q. Are the videos available to buy on a DVD?

A. DVDs are available in Region 2 format and can be purchased from Amazon.co.uk.

Q. Are the videos just for beginners?

A. No, they are also appropriate for sailors wishing to add any missing skills or provide a refresher for skills forgotten.

Q. Do I need to watch all the videos in order to learn to sail?

A. No, any of the videos will give you an understanding of the skill in that particular video. However, being able to sail effectively in different conditions does require a number of skills which are covered in the collections.

Q. Can the videos be viewed in any order?

A. Yes, but for a beginner with limited knowledge there is a logical sequence. For example, it is beneficial knowing what knots to tie and how to tie them before rigging your dinghy.

Q. Are the videos appropriate for all dinghy classes?

A. Yes, the basics and principles apply to all classes. There may be some differences in dinghy layout especially with older boats.

Q. Is it appropriate to watch the videos in conjunction with sailing training courses or sailing lessons?

A. Yes, the videos can add value to your training course or sailing lessons by giving you an understanding of sailing theory before you attend the course which will help you maximise your time practising on the course. They will also provide a reference following the course to help you refresh areas you forget.

Q. Will I find any sailing tips in the videos?

A. Many of the videos include a section on common mistakes so you know what to look out for and avoid.

Q. What format and bit rate has been used to encode the videos?

A. We have used .flv files and encoded the subscription videos at 2 rates, 500kb/sec and 1mb/sec - either can be selected by the user. The Introductory Video and Preview Videos are all encoded at 500kb/sec.

Q. Is the quality the same for the Introductory Video, the Preview Videos and the subscription Videos?

A. Yes. There is also a high resolution option (1mb/sec) available for all Subscription Videos providing a higher quality.

Q. If I am attending a beginner’s training course or sailing lessons, will it be appropriate to watch Sailaboat videos?

A. Yes. The content of the videos is aligned to established qualifications so they can add value to attending a course or sailing lessons.

Q. How can watching the videos add value to the training course or sailing lessons?

A. You can learn the theory before attending a training course or sailing lessons which means that you can focus on the practical side whilst on course.

Q. Can the videos add value following the course, sailing lessons?

A. There is much to learn so it’s possible you will forget some of the things you have learnt in which case the videos can provide a refresher at a time to suit you.

Q. What are video collections?

A. They are a collection of videos that are packaged and sold together and the subscription price is discounted versus buying the videos individually. The three collections are Intro to Sailing, Learn to Sail – Single Handed and Learn to Sail – Two Handed.

Q. Is the Intro to Sailing collection appropriate for both single and two handed sailing?

A. Yes.

Q. Is it necessary to watch the Intro to Sailing collection before either of the Learn to Sail collections?

A. No, but for a beginner it is more effective to build your knowledge on the sailing basics first which the videos in the Intro to Sailing collection will do.

Q. How long is my subscription valid for?

A. 12 months from the date of purchase. Once your subscription expires you will no longer be able to stream the video(s) for that subscription unless you purchase a new subscription.

Q. How many different PC / MACs can I stream the videos to?

A. Under the fair usage terms of the subscription you can stream the videos to a maximum of 10 different devices during your subscription period.

Q. How many times can I stream a video?

A. Under the fair usage terms of the subscription you can stream a video up to 15 times (or equivalent minutes).

Q. How do I know what videos I have a subscription for and when it expires?

A. The videos will be listed with their expiry date in the My Videos section on the My Account page.

Q. Can I purchase a subscription for somebody else?

A. At this moment in time, no, but it we hope to offer this facility later in the year. Updates will be posted on the Sailaboat website.

Q. If the price of videos or collections changes after I have purchased a subscription, will these changes affect my current subscription?

A. No, only new subscriptions you purchase.

Q. The Introductory Video, Preview clips or Videos won’t stream to my PC.

A. To be able to stream videos, your computer needs to be connected to the internet.

Q. The video(s) don’t start playing straight away. Is this correct?

A. There is a built in delay before a video will start to play to help minimise video buffering when slower connection speeds exist– the length of delay will be affected by your connection speed and how busy the network is but, normally, a video should start playing within 15 seconds.

Q. The Introductory Video or Preview clips don’t not play effectively (stops or ‘stutters’).

A. Check the PC/MAC/Networks Requirements of this FAQ to make sure your system meets the minimum requirements. If your PC/MAC will not effectively stream the Introductory Video or Preview clips please do not purchase a subscription as the videos will not play effectively either.

Q. Sometimes a purchased video does not play effectively.

A. Your internet connection could be running below 1Mb/sec or the internet traffic is high at the time of viewing. Try streaming a video from another website. Try again at a less busy time.

Q. The video(s) won’t play on my company’s PC. Why is this?

A. Some company’s prohibit users accessing general websites or streaming videos. You will need to check the company policy regarding use of the internet/streaming video.

Q. Full screen video control is not visible on the player.

A. Moving to full screen mode is achieved by moving the curser over the video that is playing and clicking on the ‘arrow’. To return to the reduced screen size, press the ‘escape’ button. Future releases of this website will have this control on the player.

Q. I can’t get out of full screen mode by pressing escape.

A. If on a PC, try pressing ‘ctrl’, ‘alt’ and ‘delete’ at the same time (control – alt - delete). If on a MAC, try pressing ‘ctrl’ and ‘esc’ at the same time. (control – escape).

Q. I can’t see the scroll bar when I am in full screen mode?

A. At the moment it is not possible to use the scroll bar in full screen mode – we hope to enhance our player to enable this later in 2010.

Q. I can’t start a video from the full screen mode.

A. Apart from the Introductory Video, all videos must be started by pressing the ‘Play’ or ‘Preview’ buttons on the Collection pages.

Q. The quality in full screen mode is not as good as the smaller screen.

A. This is typical when streaming video. We are using a bit rate that enables a wide access of users with different connection speeds.

Q. I get logged out of the Sailaboat website.

A. For security reasons, if your account has no activity for 10 minutes you will be automatically logged out.

Q. I have completed a Create Account form but not received my Account Activation email or I have deleted it in error.

A. First check the email is not in you SPAM or Junk mail and then complete our Contact Us form stating the problem and send to us. We will try and rectify your problem as quickly as possible.

Q. I have clicked on my Account Activation email but not received a confirmation email stating that my account has been set up.

A. First check the email is not in you SPAM or Junk mail and then complete our Contact Us form stating the problem and send to us. We will try and rectify your problem as quickly as possible.

Q. I have forgotten my password.

A. Go to the Sailaboat website and click the ‘Log In’ button at the top of the page. When the ‘Log In’ dialogue loads, locate the text ‘Please click here if you have forgotten your password’ and click the link. When the ‘Forgotten Password’ dialogue loads, enter the email address you used to create your account. The Sailaboat website will send a new password to your email address which you can use to log in to the Sailaboat website. The password can then be changed once you have logged in by visiting your ‘My Account’ page and clicking the ‘Change My Password’ button.

Q. I have changed my email address so it is now different to the one used to set up my Sailaboat account.

A. Write to us using the Contact Us form and give us your old email address and your new one and we will make the change for you.