It is Wednesday Photo Day, right?

[Ray Henry]

A favorite photo from a long time ago. Sunrise on what was to be a hot, really steamy day. Fog out on the water (unusual) and I could barely see the bow of the boat. I was moving ahead at maybe 1/4 knot because of the area. I was going so slow and the water was so still that you couldn't really tell we were moving - there was nothing on the horizon to see. The only way I could tell I was moving was to look at the water next to the boat and see very tiny ripples from the hull breaking the surface.

After a while, the ripples just stopped. What!? It took me a few minutes to figure things out. I was aground. I didn't feel a single thing! Luckily, plenty of black muck on the bottom. It was really a strange feeling, tho.

 

[Ray Henry]

...but the horizon was still really obscured and it was obvious that this day was going to be one for the (heat) record books....

 

[TomY]

I get up - usually, at dawn on the water. It's a special time for me. And after the usual, coffee, bird watching, I took a row around Hells Half Acre (about 7 am), with the dogs.

Mary Ann likes to sleep later. But she wanted to row around Hell's too. So the dogs got a bonus trip, at 8:40 am.

We came in under sail and anchored(under sail), the night before so I wanted to sail off the anchor. Morning, late August, there's almost no wind - easy to pull the anchor, drift around finding wind. We could make way - barely, on the morning zephyr, but not down the Deer Isle Thoroughfare(our general direction). No, we'd have to go where the wind(SE about 3-4 knots) would give us steerage.

Adjusting sails onto a close reach took us, slowly, to places we've never been. Notice in this part of the recorded track, my Ipad showed us running right through some rocks?

The reason was, I have a remote GPS antenna(bad idea) with separate battery(in a locker). The battery went dead. But the Ipad doesn't tell you that. Your boat icon, that appears headed down your track, is dead on the screen. That could be a problem but I'm used to it. I had another CP going and one on my phone(and a depth sounder, eyes,...).

There is a thread on Sailnet discussing the "Over reliance on electronic charts, dangerous?". Interesting but of course there's no data to support that hypothetical danger, either way. Over reliance on anything for navigation would be a bad idea. Nothing new.

It made me think though: My total reliance on electronic charts (which I'm comfortable with), does it change the way I sail? Looking at this track; through and around rocks I wouldn't have sailed through years ago - estimating my position on the chart, I know that it (electronic charts), has changed the way I sail.

Good or bad? It's good for me. What about you?

The interesting, slow sail, 10.4 NM which criss crossed the main travel channels, lasted about 4 1/2 hours. The typical SW wind never kicked in that day(which is,...typical).

 

[DArcy]

Looks like it might be awhile before I get out of the harbour.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Re: No sailing today- UGH!!

 

[TomY]

After I posted this on CSBB, and read it, I realized I needed to edit it (always do as this is done quickly). Forgitaboutit. You can't edit on the CSBB which is archaic.

On Sailnet I placed the links from Flickr into the text just like the CSBB. Sailnet has an even worse photo loader than the CSBB. It's limited to 800 pixels wide so all my shots would look fuzzy. I have to use Flickr(so they too are temporary images until they scroll off my Flickr Photostream limit of 200).

This am, I notice there are 35 views on the CSBB, 230 or so on Sailnet. That's typical of our activity compared to Sailnet.
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/seama...do-electronic-charts-change-way-you-sail.html

Just now, I posted the same post on the SBO "Ask all sailors" (it's better because I can edit on these newer forums). But here's the big difference: I used the SBO photo loader. I get a higher resolution file which I think is as good or maybe better than Flickr(I have to check that). And what it means is that those photos will stay there as long as SBO is operating(which has a long history). SBO is the easier format (compared to Sailnet) to use, and I think the best to read. Take a look and see if you agree.

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/i...ronic-charts-changed-the-way-you-sail.183242/

 

[RBG]

THERE IS ALWAYS ICE BOATING..JUST SHOVE A LITTLE OF THAT SNOW...

 

[cchesley]

Pursuant to your original question. Yes, much as you have learned and adapted to, I have taken my boat(s) places I might never go without the chart plotter, especially under sail. I try to get a feel for any discrepancies before committing to the tight places and I'm always assessing whether that changes. I really enjoy slipping close in to shore under sail in light airs as you do. It's both a challenge and the best way to experience land and sea.

As for posting pics, and relevant to your comments and Phil's question. For me, I'm hoping to see CSBB go to a software that really enables posting photos easily. Especially with regard to re-sizing if needed from my own files. I'm not enamored with a 3rd party picture hosting sites nor the process of re-sizing my photos. Those extra steps really make it just easier to skip the pics but if others are like me, that is a loss to all of us. Pics are the icing on the cake and your photo essays are always most welcomed and appreciated.

I've enjoyed the small community with knowledgeable owners/posters that we have here but it would be nice to expand that reach just a bit too.

 

[TomY]

And if you have to use a photo hosting website, you miss a lot of great photos, I'm sure of that. Those hosting websites are not always easy and not fool proof.

I may have mentioned the Woodenboat forum has a dismal photo storage/loader. About thumbnail size. I tried posting a photo on Cruising Anarchy but the tool doesn't work until you shrink it to nothing. They have had a storage problem with too many photos being posted so they tell you to use a photo hosting service.

 

[DArcy]

We usually get too much snow for ice boating but sometimes we have a dry winter and there were a few out on the lake. Several years ago I went for a spin in one and had a blast. They are crazy fast, 40 - 50 mph is common. With those speeds you need a lot of clear ice.

 

[TomY]

When you post about navigating with electronic charts that always brings up controversy(not like it used to!).

There were 88 views and 1 reply to the thread here on the CSBB where it's been up the longest. I don't need the accolades for my posts (I'm anonymous on those boards), but it shows that things are getting quieter here.