I heard once that a thousand lawyers at the bottom of the sea was a good start.
Is this true. Har Har Har
Is this true. Har Har Har
Arghhhhh. Lawyers......
- Thread starter Maine Sail
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I hear you, Maine, and I defer to your practical experience. But, I would caution against using GPS COG as heading for chart overlays on radars (or vice versa) for just the reasons I mentioned. Maybe the heading sensor technology has marched forward? I see heading sensors with three axis rate and three axis accelerometers that claim 1º static accuracy, and 2º dynamic, up to 30º heel angles, that can be had for under $1,000. True, a grand may be a tough pill to swallow for a typical boat owner, but the importance of accurate heading info with integrated systems should not be taken lightly.
Here's an example that can be had for $700 online:
http://www.airmartechnology.com/uploads/brochures/gh2183.pdf
If you put this thing on a spreader, no one is going to drop a tool bag or scuba tank next to it.
I've heard of GPS-based heading sensors for large boats that have two GPS receivers at opposite ends of the boat and do the math to determine heading; apparently these are very accurate, and not subject to local magnetic influences.
I can imagine the lawsuit, if a guy is following this, with a persistent 10 or 15º error due to currents, and hits something.
Here's an example that can be had for $700 online:
http://www.airmartechnology.com/uploads/brochures/gh2183.pdf
If you put this thing on a spreader, no one is going to drop a tool bag or scuba tank next to it.
I've heard of GPS-based heading sensors for large boats that have two GPS receivers at opposite ends of the boat and do the math to determine heading; apparently these are very accurate, and not subject to local magnetic influences.
I can imagine the lawsuit, if a guy is following this, with a persistent 10 or 15º error due to currents, and hits something.
- Dec 30, 2009
- 680
Maine, u are absolutly correct, ALL these points we are discussing here are the fault of greed and compensation. I grew up in a world without all these schmuck lawyers. I still can't wrap my head around the entitlement situation. We have slowly over the last 35-40 years let these sleezbags make a mockery of our laws. At what point did tripping on a sidwalk in front of my house turn into a windfall rather than, exactly what it is, you are a clumsy ass*ole.The list just goes on and on, I am a carpenter, try to buy a pump jack, ladder or a scaffold, its a joke all of them are out of business, insurance rates and lawsuits...ooppps did I just say this s*it outloud.....sorry bout the rant., I feel better now. This is actually one of the reasons I like sailing so much, I enjoy that we r using all that wind to propel our boats .....Red
I'm confused and this is just a question.
GPS does COG which is where your boat is actually moving. Radar is mounted on the boat and is seeing where the boat is actually moving.
Wouldn't GPS (COG) and radar agree "more" with each other than an overlay of heading (which you clearly explained is different than COG)?
Or is it that the radar is only facing directly forward, which is the heading (bow) of the boat?
Thanks.
This is correct. The radar is looking exactly in the direction the boat is pointed, i.e. heading. The GPS COG is the path over the ground. They are usually different.
We've been sailing through everything without radar and without incident for nearly 20 years.Did you sail through stuff like this without radar? This was less than a 70' of vis...
Or like this? See if you can spot the sailboat in this one..
We could hear, see on radar & smell this guy but not see him until he was within 150'...
Radar overlay is a very NICE feature for those of us who often need to use radar to safely navigate...
New-to-us boat has an oldish radar on it and we started playing with it for the first time last week. No overlay on the plotter or anything, just looking at the returns and trying to figure out WTH each of them was. It helped to turn the gain down. It was more of a distraction than anything else and a power hog (I presume) so i turned it off.
COG could be backward which would make reading the radar a bit confusing.
COG for a 3 knot boat in a 4 knot opposing current is 1 knot backward.
COG for a 3 knot boat in a 4 knot opposing current is 1 knot backward.
Yes, agreed, though an extreme example. But imagine backing intentionally with the chart overlay flipping backwards. Weird.
I know this sounds callous but as a hvac contractor, I don't sell jobs to lawyers or doctors. I know that may offend some but for the most part, doctors don't pay their bills and lawyers use their position as leverage because they can and remeber, its their cronies in the courts Retired engineers pay, but they take a lot of unbillable hours explains every piece part.
Blah, Blah, Blah. I've been sailing for over 40 years. A sailboat is a hole in the water into which you pour endless amounts of money. Some more wisely that other. Back when Fred Flintstone and I were crewing together I had a chart, a compass, an RDF radio, a radar reflector, a pair of eyes, binoculars, a megaphone, an air horn and some common sense. I still don't have GPS, BFD, radar, or sonar, (in the event I have to track a submarine). We sailed to Catalina from San Pedro a few times in pea soup and never missed our destination, although once I swore I heard hula music. Race from Newport to Ensenada and didn't have any "modern" gadgets. We have all become too dependent on the ELECTRONIC LEASH. If it's too foggy to see, drop sails, drop anchor Blow fog horn once in a while and wait awhile for the "haze" to clear and hope some idiot doesn't come charging through the soup and smash into you. So Cal coast is notorious for fog. I will agree however that anyone will sue for anything at anytime. Ya know what shakespeare said. I don't recall reading that Columbus, Magellan, Nelson or any of those other old guys had this stuff and they seemed to get where they were going, (most of the time) There, That's my rant, I've said it and I'm stickin' to it!!
Attorneys and the legal profession are a vital part of our society. They're like police or firemen. You only call them when you need them. BUT - Think about it. 1/2 of all attorneys (and doctors) graduated in the bottom half of their class. As the old Knight Templar told Indiana Jones, "Choose wisely".
gps heading info
It's interesting that this has come up now. When crossing the channels between Windward Islands, I've taken note that the gps is actually showing the movement of the stern, where the antennas are (we're center cockpit). Of course the general info is pretty much spot on, but if you're pinching up to get into the lee, it is frustrating to see that line fall way off. I'm seriously considering mounting a gps antenna forward of the cockpit & see what difference it makes.
And at anchor, we put MILES on the odometer; the stern swinging back & forth, back & forth.
Any thoughts?
It's interesting that this has come up now. When crossing the channels between Windward Islands, I've taken note that the gps is actually showing the movement of the stern, where the antennas are (we're center cockpit). Of course the general info is pretty much spot on, but if you're pinching up to get into the lee, it is frustrating to see that line fall way off. I'm seriously considering mounting a gps antenna forward of the cockpit & see what difference it makes.
And at anchor, we put MILES on the odometer; the stern swinging back & forth, back & forth.
Any thoughts?
for the sake of fairness... I will concur that there are alot of great people who are lawyers. Having said that... I find that the less I have to deal with police, fire depts, insurance claims, or lawyers... the happier I am.
Ditto!! P.S. Nice pic with the sunset? or sunrise? in the background. My friend lives in Toronto and is one of the editors of the Canadian Holy Bible aka The Hockey News:dance:
Q: Why are they using lawyers in lab experiments now?
A: Because there are just some things a rat won't do!
On a serious side, I worked in the court system for many years and know that there are some really good decent ones out there, as well as some pretty shady ones. And keep in mind, most judges were lawyers at one time!
What really bugs me are all these commercials on TV lately from ambulance chasers.. "Had a slip or fall?", "Have you been injured as a result from an accident?", "Have you or someone you know taken this drug?", etc.. Nothing but bottom feeders trying to convince people they can make a fortune from their own stupidity/ignorance (and taking their cut along the way). By doing so, they are making life much more expensive for the rest of us and giving the good lawyers a black eye.
Cheers,
Brad
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