I have never been able to view the drawings of any of the ships...what am I missing?

I will have to think about this for a bit and do some more reading obviously.   I'm thinkin' that with a dose of physics and some 'hand wavium' it could work in a story.  Just took delivery on new sails for my boat today so writing will be taking a back seat for a bit.

Ok, than my original impression was accurate.  I was starting to question it after reading all the other readers ideas.   Some time spent with Sifu will go along way toward solidifying all the lessons he has had thrust on him in the last years.

Hmm, I failed to consider the fact that a solar sail doesn't act like a airfoil.  How would it work?  Does the field (sail) only serve to capture particles and in so doing gather their velocity?  Or can it effect their vector w/o stopping them?  If so than I see no reason an electromagnetic sail can't function the same way a regular sail would.  What purpose does the 'gravity keel' serve but to help direct the energy in the right direction?

Your right about a mass start though.  With sails that large it would be problematic at best.  I seem to recall that at the start of a trip only a little bit of sail was used though because they are much closer to the star at that point.  It is only as they get further out that the sails are extended.  The reefs shaken out as it were. 

The rally idea may be better though.  Or at least the winner is determined from a series of races instead of only one.  That way any advantage one gains from an early or later start should even over the course of several races.  If you went with a rally type race you could also do jumps.  The check points would be the next systems orbital.  Should encourage improvements in both sailing and jump calculation.  As long as the temptation to jump closer is not pushed to far anyway.

I am something of an addict when it comes to sail racing.  I just like the idea. 

I understand that w/o jump drives it is pointless for transport.  But by far the greater part of the journey is spent under sail.  The pursuit of speed drives innovation and improvements made in racing can very often make it in the commercial arena.

I agree with the ending you wrote being better than an easier alternative.  It hurt at first but as the previous posters said, the longer it steeps the more I like.

The returning to his roots bit seems loose to me.  Neris?  Lois?  Port Newmar?  I got the impression that after his time with Chief Stevens a trip to see Master Newmar was in the works.  Now I'm not so sure...

I just posted in the 'tech of the solar clipper' thread about the idea of racing ships with solar sails.  Imagine all the eccentric character types that would draw.  Not to mention a way to really fill out the technology involved.

There has been much discussion of the limiting affect of mass on the ships ability to get up to speed and jump.  The fact that bigger sail generators require a larger supporting structure etc. What happens if you eliminate the Jump Drive altogether?  An in-system craft if you will, without the limits of kicker fuel.  A ship that has enough of auxiliary to maneuver away from and into the orbital and enough sail to get out to the Deep Dark and back.  Very quickly.  Space only for the necessary crew to run the thing and all their gear.  No or very limited cargo space.  Think Catalina 27 in space. 

My thinking is this...  Much of the profit margin for any cargo ship is determined by the speed they can deliver their cargo.  Most if not all the improvements in boat speed in reality are worked out in racing.  Even now there are several ships that combine power and sail to reach port in as efficient and cost effective a manner as possible.  I imagine much the same thing has and is happening in the SC universe. 

Success depends on the best ship handling and most effective sail configuration.  All things being equal finding the best wind can win or lose a race.  Without all the extra mass etc. it all comes down to speed and how to get the most out out a ship.

I imagine the children of the very wealthy or perhaps just the ingenious prowling the scrap-yards for parts to cobble together these adrenalin fueled craft whose sole purpose is speed.  Three arbitrary way points above the plane of the ecliptic that produce a windward, reaching and downwind legs.   

@Tara - You raise some interesting points.  Some of which might lead to a more solid story but I think that it has been we the readers who have put so much emphasis on Greta's character.  Now that we can see the whole story it seems to me that was always meant to be a 'transient' presence.  A means of moving Ish along if you will.

The slingshot bit was less about Greta than about Ishmael.  He needed the wake-up call that he was not making sound choices.  Perhaps if they had received the distress call earlier and altered course because of that instead of Greta's questioning his sanity.  Once they had begun the rescue I imagine Ishmael would have no trouble seeing how close he had been to putting his own ship in as bad or worse situation for the same reason, money.  The self recrimination (that he does have a penchant for) would have served just as well I think.  But!  That little scene in the cabin did show the growing trust between them. 

We must remember that these characters, while imaginary, are meant to be as real as Nathan can make them.  How many perfect people do you know?

I agree that some additional detail might have painted a clearer picture.  I too had the thought that Greta might be gay when she told him she wasn't interested but along side that thought was the idea that she was just making it easier for him to get back to work. 

The idea that Ish might hook up with Christine was to neat for me.  If the Ishmael's story was going to end there perhaps but not if he is to move on and grow more. 

I cheered when Greta showed up on the ship and cried when she was no more.  How often in life do we have all the details to explain a tragedy?  Even knowing the why, where and how, has it ever eased the pain we feel?  Ultimately the little things we feel are missing from the tale are unimportant.  He loved her and she him.  She died, early and horribly before his eyes.  That event or something like was coming, even Ish felt it.  He was getting to comfortable.  An unchallenged man has little reason to change or grow. 

A common theme through all six books, Ishmael helps the people around him.  In most instances he brings about some growth and whom ever he is helping becomes more than they were before.  At the same time Ish seems to gain as well, sometimes in great bounds and others only incrementally.

From early on he demonstrates a perceptiveness that seems beyond the normal.  His immediate understanding that the whelkies are more than they appear shows this aptly.  His understanding that 'Lois' is more than a name on the roster also serves to illustrate the point.  Is it coincidence that he meets and helps Sarah Krugg, the daughter of a very powerful shaman?   

Otto Krugg and those like him 'listen to the world'.  Man is no longer confined to 'the world', perhaps there are those whose senses are tuned to a greater range.  Master Newmar seems a likely candidate.  Perhaps too Chief Stevens.  Consider Ishmael's power to affect change after several years under Master Newmar.  He has gone from helping a few people to healing an entire ship and much of the crew.  Fifteen years later he loses his way and Chief Stevens happens to be on station when he needs yet another engineer. 

Several months with her has him becoming more and more in tune with the universe around him.  He gains a greater perspective for his place in it and on the events that have lead him to it.  Right and the end of OS he is thinking about his future, specifically about the dolphin and upon making a decision hears/feels that same 'snap' the Otto heard placing the heart into his first whelkie. 

My point is this, perhaps Ishmael's future or destiny or whatever is not as a spacer at all.  Or at least not as just a spacer.  Perhaps that last year culminating in Greta's death served for Ishmael the same purpose that box fish did for Richard Krugg.  Most of us (me included) have been caught up in the idea that Ishmael belongs in space, and well he might.  But, we have not actually seen him any other role.  Ishmeal Horatio Wang - Galactic Shaman.  I like it.

Am I seeing movement in the shadows where there isn't any?  Perhaps.  Probably.  But as Nathan has pointed out, we have only scratched the surface of Ishmael's potential.  I can't wait to dig a little deeper.  Write on Mr. Lowell, write on.

I like the Iris. She was to me a good reflection of her skipper.  Much more than she seemed and full of surprises.

I need to go back and listen to again from Full Share forward.  The third and forth reads always yield the details I missed at first blush.  Can't wait for the print versions as I can absorb it much more readily in that medium. 

I was never all that happy with Jarvis as the puppeteer, the clues that he was not I picked up on but didn't put them all together.  That said, Simpson surprised me completely.  He always seemed to good to be true and the other shoe had to drop but he was a likable rascal right up until Ishmael gets the message about the payout taking 120 days.  It was noted that that was typical and Simpson would have known it I think.  Ishmael failed himself when he didn't do any research about the process and just threw the dice as it were.

Perc remaining in the wind seems relatively unimportant to me.  He was a vehicle or means of cutting Ishmael free and allowing him to go forward.  Seems to me that catching him would serve no purpose other than focus attention on the idea that someone killed Greta as apposed to it being some random act in an otherwise cold universe.  Which I think was the point. 

The whole series for me is like what would have happened if Billy Budd had lived. 

I hope you will correct any misconceptions I have.

It is a wonder to me how you can do this forum bit without developing a certain amount of disdain for some of your audience.  You are a better man than I in that regard.

Just says that much more about the effect of the story on the audience.  We all can't help but want the best for Ishmael.  You have the benefit of knowing all the details and back story as well as where you want to take him in the future.  Waiting is hard for we lowly readers!  Especially after such a ride.