Google Earth:  Slingspot finder

Slingspot searches and measurements can be easily done “from the air” courtesy of earth.google.com. Download the program and you can fly all over the earth at whatever altitude you choose--from 63,000 km down to 20 meters. Use the tilt control to tilt 45 degrees.  As you fly the names of locations pop up and you can zoom in and out.  

Helpful Layers include “roads” for street names and “parks/recreation” to outline and name parks.

Helpful Tools under “tools/measure” are distance and path measuring.  Measure distances between reference points at slingspots to get the range of your throws. Print a map of your slingspot with a 100meter bar (or whatever measure you choose) for reference on estimating distances while throwing.


Resolution varies by location.  In metropolitan areas the detail is exquisite.
 
Check out my old slingspot at the St Louis arch.  The steel arch comes up at you, the parabolic shadow on the ground shows its shape.


Zoom in on that red car in the parking lot.


Got to get some stuff out of the trunk...Ma is already wearing her white hat.  How about lunch? Picnic hopefully.  Yes, you did shut the car doors...


Another old slingspot in Chigcago on lake michigan:



That nice curved pier puts you way out in the water.  Excellent intro slingspot.  
Every shot makes it to the water, everybody wins!

With refinement in technique a 100m measuring bar is a handy reference to measure throw distances.


bar=100m

A throw from the little tower on the pier to the tip of the pier is 63m.  Such a throw is best done off season or on an off time during the week.  A hurl here on a crowded summer Saturday will get you incarcerated in padded cell with your sling and shoelaces impounded.



bar=63m


You can print a copy with the measuring bar, but the distance data is not included.  I put the data in the saved pic title such as
“slingspot.chicago.lincolnpark.100m.jpg” for reference bar.  Adjust the altitude so you come out with an easy scale to use.  eg 2cm=100m



Note the date of the survey data—new features on the ground may have been modified since the survey.

Note that lake and river shorelines can change dramatically.  The 2005 survey for my area was at flood stage and we’re now in a drought—way different features.

My favorite low water dam wasn't built yet on the 2005 survey, but I can measure from points on the levees.  A similar dam just upstream:

bar=107m

With Google Earth you can find new slingspots by flying over rivers or lakes, make reference marks for measuring, and print maps to get to them.

Check it out and post what you find.

AjlouniBoy

I've used it for finding new out of the way spots . My son measured tire tracks and determined that they were caused by a car or truck not an ATV . I've also measured distances with it for possible targets of opportunity with my sling