LitSails

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On the shores of the Charles River, lies the jewel of the Boston summer, Community Boating. Community Boating (CBI) strives to provide ‘Sailing for all’, providing programs for kids, as well as using sailing as therapy for persons with physical disabilities. For bigger kids like me, CBI is the perfect playground. I’ve spent countless days sailing, windsurfing, and kayaking alongside the Boston skyline.

At CBI they have a simple flag rating system. In light wind, a green flag is raised, In heavy wind, a red flag is raised, and in medium wind, a yellow flag is raised. After spending a summer checking my various screens for the CBI wind status, I craved a way to stay mentally connected to the river without constantly picking up my phone. Out of this idea came the CBI Wind Art Piece (Still looking for a good name. WindDial, LitSails, GlowBoats?).

In these pieces, the color of the sails will always match the flag color at CBI. A simple glance keeps you engaged with the conditions on the river.

After making one for myself, I pitched the idea to Community Boating and they loved it. So, I was commissioned to make a batch of 45 for CBI to gift and sell amongst their members. The units currently sit in the homes of sailors throughout the greater Boston area, giving a delightful reminder to get out and go sailing.

Many thanks to Community Boating, Particle.io, and the MIT Hobby Shop

Below you can see a picture of the first design.

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