After 25 years sailing the high seas, Captain Smartypants has moored his pirate ship 560 m outside Safe Harbor. He has decided the pirate life is no longer for him and wants to retire on land. He orders his shipmates to remove the pirate flag and swab the deck so when he enters the harbor, the people of Safe Harbor Village will know he means them no harm.

When the mayor of Safe Harbor sees the pirate ship in the bay, however, he thinks the city is under siege. He orders his troops ready for battle and aims the village's cannon at the unsuspecting ship. The cannon, which sits at sea level, has a velocity of 82 m/sec.

At what angle must the cannon be elevated to hit the pirate ship? Is Captain Smartypants' ship at a safe distance, or should he have his loyal deckmates hoist the anchor and sail on? What is the closest distance Captain Smartypants can anchor his ship without getting blown to smithereens?

Send solutions to msdeditor@penton.com by January 15, 2006. Please include all of your contact information in any attachments. November's problem, solution, and prizewinner are posted at
motionsystemdesign.com, accessible from the homepage's yellow Archive button.

Win a power supply

The winner of this month's problem receives a RHINO PSP series power supply from AutomationDirect, Cumming, Ga. These provide tightly regulated output voltage for sensitive loads in industrial environments. The slim plastic case is lightweight and compact; once a fault is corrected the power supply automatically resumes supplying full-voltage power. For additional information, call (800) 633-0405 or visit automationdirect.com/powerandaccessories.

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• Has Power ON LED for easy visual indication of operation

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• Power Good signal for feedback to system controller