What's your primary method of navigation? A laptop with raster-scanned charts? An LCD in-cockpit plotter? Your hand-held GPS? Or perhaps a pencil, dividers, and a good old paper chart? How do you get to where you're going? Show us the true way, then vote in this week's Quick Quiz at the bottom of the home page.
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semi-old fashioned
I make use of GPS technology but make sure it is backed up on a good old paper chart every hour by plotting my position/speed/heading.
I make use of GPS technology but make sure it is backed up on a good old paper chart every hour by plotting my position/speed/heading.
A Blend of Chart Book & GPS
I use the Chart Kit and also use GPS. Using GPS alone is very dangerous. Ever hear 'Beep Beep Beep', 'Go to message page' & 'Battery Low' and discover that you don't have a spare set of batteries aboard? You need to use charts/chart books to look at what's in you planned path, and to keep track of where you are. You can't get to where you want to go unless you know where you are. Dick carey S/V Puffin 1990 H-33.5
I use the Chart Kit and also use GPS. Using GPS alone is very dangerous. Ever hear 'Beep Beep Beep', 'Go to message page' & 'Battery Low' and discover that you don't have a spare set of batteries aboard? You need to use charts/chart books to look at what's in you planned path, and to keep track of where you are. You can't get to where you want to go unless you know where you are. Dick carey S/V Puffin 1990 H-33.5
GPS, Laptop & Paper Charts
The problem with computer charts is that you really don't get the bigger picture. We continue to use our paper charts and then we have the GPS and the laptop together for plodding our way. The Capn. program on the PC and GPS make a very cool combo. You can always see where you are on the chart. We navigate in the California Delta and the biggest problem we have is the depth. Knowing where you are is of the utmost of importance.
The problem with computer charts is that you really don't get the bigger picture. We continue to use our paper charts and then we have the GPS and the laptop together for plodding our way. The Capn. program on the PC and GPS make a very cool combo. You can always see where you are on the chart. We navigate in the California Delta and the biggest problem we have is the depth. Knowing where you are is of the utmost of importance.
Navigation
Most of the time our navigation is done by dead reckoning. We have so many islands around here, that once you know you're way around, it's very easy to tell where you are. (Does that make sense? Everywhere you go that's where you are!) Seriously when we head out on longer trips, I always manually plot our course on paper charts and also calculate how much the current is likely to move us so we can compensate as necessary. I do this just to keep skill levels up. Out on the water we use our GPS plugged into a laptop with First Mate software (by The Capn) to make sure we're actually going where we think we're going. Sometime the current suprises you. We also keep our charts marked with positions hourly in case of electronic failure, fog etc. I'm a believer in redundant systems. Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
Most of the time our navigation is done by dead reckoning. We have so many islands around here, that once you know you're way around, it's very easy to tell where you are. (Does that make sense? Everywhere you go that's where you are!) Seriously when we head out on longer trips, I always manually plot our course on paper charts and also calculate how much the current is likely to move us so we can compensate as necessary. I do this just to keep skill levels up. Out on the water we use our GPS plugged into a laptop with First Mate software (by The Capn) to make sure we're actually going where we think we're going. Sometime the current suprises you. We also keep our charts marked with positions hourly in case of electronic failure, fog etc. I'm a believer in redundant systems. Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
GPS and Paper Charts....
....with a soon-to-be laptop PC. GPS is just wonderful, but it still needs the good old chart; this was reinforced the day we nearly crashed a rock that lay between us and our next GPS mark! If you want to navigate on GPS bearing-to-marks, you had better set danger bearings, and that gets you back to charts. Even after we get the PC on board and functioning it will be restricted to the nav table below; waterproof remote displays need to become more affordable before the PC becomnes a tool at the helm. We also aree with Steve that the portion of the chart visible on the PC screen lacks the broad view that you really need and get with the paper chart. We use Nobeltec VNS 6.0. Perhaps by the end of this year we will be able to offer an opinion on whether the PC is an effective navigation tool or just a high-tech toy. In the meantime, GPS is marvelous, but there is just no substitute for the good old NOAA charts and all of the manual tools and techniques that go along! Carl and Jule s/v 'Syzygy'
....with a soon-to-be laptop PC. GPS is just wonderful, but it still needs the good old chart; this was reinforced the day we nearly crashed a rock that lay between us and our next GPS mark! If you want to navigate on GPS bearing-to-marks, you had better set danger bearings, and that gets you back to charts. Even after we get the PC on board and functioning it will be restricted to the nav table below; waterproof remote displays need to become more affordable before the PC becomnes a tool at the helm. We also aree with Steve that the portion of the chart visible on the PC screen lacks the broad view that you really need and get with the paper chart. We use Nobeltec VNS 6.0. Perhaps by the end of this year we will be able to offer an opinion on whether the PC is an effective navigation tool or just a high-tech toy. In the meantime, GPS is marvelous, but there is just no substitute for the good old NOAA charts and all of the manual tools and techniques that go along! Carl and Jule s/v 'Syzygy'
I don't
I really would like to learn how to navigate better, I really would, but I know myself well enough to know that I would just forget it without the opportunity to use it. I daysail on the river. Just a short span of it so there's no need to navigate. I occasionally look at the chart to find a spot to anchor, or to check the channel, etc but I don't do a whole lot of exploring in my boat. Rob navigates by DR mostly with GPS as a backup/checker. His most successful trip was navigating the Washington coast in peasoup fog. When the fog lifted, he was right where he thought he was! Boy, he's good.
LaDonna
I really would like to learn how to navigate better, I really would, but I know myself well enough to know that I would just forget it without the opportunity to use it. I daysail on the river. Just a short span of it so there's no need to navigate. I occasionally look at the chart to find a spot to anchor, or to check the channel, etc but I don't do a whole lot of exploring in my boat. Rob navigates by DR mostly with GPS as a backup/checker. His most successful trip was navigating the Washington coast in peasoup fog. When the fog lifted, he was right where he thought he was! Boy, he's good.
LaDonnaI use the "old" and "new" way.
When doing any extended cruising, I chart my courses on the paper charts, and use the GPS plotter to verify that I am where I think I am. Also I take positions every hour and record them on the paper charts. If something happens to my electronics I know exactly where I was at my last postion check and by calculating speed time and compass heading I can determine fairly acurately my current postion. I am a firm believer in the "use it, or lose it" school of thought. Practising the tried and true "manual" navigational skills are something everyone should do. You never know when you may have to revert back to the manual way when your electronic navagation systems go down.
When doing any extended cruising, I chart my courses on the paper charts, and use the GPS plotter to verify that I am where I think I am. Also I take positions every hour and record them on the paper charts. If something happens to my electronics I know exactly where I was at my last postion check and by calculating speed time and compass heading I can determine fairly acurately my current postion. I am a firm believer in the "use it, or lose it" school of thought. Practising the tried and true "manual" navigational skills are something everyone should do. You never know when you may have to revert back to the manual way when your electronic navagation systems go down.
Loran, depth, dead reckoning
Sail the Chesapeake. Mostly visuals with charts but my old loran, depth sounder, and vigilant dead reckoning helps when foggy, misted with rain, or trying to find my way back into a creek or river anchorage at night. Practice dead reckoning in the daylight to build confidence when I really need it.
Sail the Chesapeake. Mostly visuals with charts but my old loran, depth sounder, and vigilant dead reckoning helps when foggy, misted with rain, or trying to find my way back into a creek or river anchorage at night. Practice dead reckoning in the daylight to build confidence when I really need it.
All available
Laptop with Raytech. Interfaced with Seatalk to a Radar, with chartplotter GPS and all wind and water instruments. I backup on paper if I have the chart. I'll occasionally dump my progress down to the printer for reference.
Laptop with Raytech. Interfaced with Seatalk to a Radar, with chartplotter GPS and all wind and water instruments. I backup on paper if I have the chart. I'll occasionally dump my progress down to the printer for reference.
Handheld GPS
If I am sailing in "local knowledge" waters, I have all waypoints programmed into my Garmin 12CX GPS. It is on all the time and mounted on the binnacle. When sailing in new and unfamiliar waters, I consult the charts first. I plan my course on the chart and enter critical waypoints into the GPS before departure. I then program the route in the GPS and follow the route to my destination. On occasion if the wind shifts and I can't follow my predetermined course, I will make "on the fly" changes to the GPS route, always consulting the chart to be sure to avoid any hazards to safe navigation.
If I am sailing in "local knowledge" waters, I have all waypoints programmed into my Garmin 12CX GPS. It is on all the time and mounted on the binnacle. When sailing in new and unfamiliar waters, I consult the charts first. I plan my course on the chart and enter critical waypoints into the GPS before departure. I then program the route in the GPS and follow the route to my destination. On occasion if the wind shifts and I can't follow my predetermined course, I will make "on the fly" changes to the GPS route, always consulting the chart to be sure to avoid any hazards to safe navigation.
Vector Charts + Laptop
We are a Laptop and Vector charts boat. Raster charts are not worth the disk space they occupy. Also carried are approx 50 paper charts which are slowly going out of date. But they don't often move the land!
We are a Laptop and Vector charts boat. Raster charts are not worth the disk space they occupy. Also carried are approx 50 paper charts which are slowly going out of date. But they don't often move the land!
Hard to crash a paper chart
I'll admit that after spending a career at sea in the Navy I'm a tad opinionated, but here goes. Disasters at sea seldom come singly or during calm weather. When the world turns to s__t around your ears is when you're likely to need your nav data the most. And since most truly memorable catastrophes involve something electrical, and often some computer, I've chosen to retain the time-honored paper chart track. A hard disk crash never affects it. And while I rely on my GPS (actually both a rail mount installed system and a hand-held backup), I also keep my sextant skills up. If the bubble ever goes up, the first things the bad guys take out is your COMSATS, followed by the GPS satellites. Ok, so I'm a reactionary. So sue me. Howard
I'll admit that after spending a career at sea in the Navy I'm a tad opinionated, but here goes. Disasters at sea seldom come singly or during calm weather. When the world turns to s__t around your ears is when you're likely to need your nav data the most. And since most truly memorable catastrophes involve something electrical, and often some computer, I've chosen to retain the time-honored paper chart track. A hard disk crash never affects it. And while I rely on my GPS (actually both a rail mount installed system and a hand-held backup), I also keep my sextant skills up. If the bubble ever goes up, the first things the bad guys take out is your COMSATS, followed by the GPS satellites. Ok, so I'm a reactionary. So sue me. Howard
Paper charts and dead reckoning...
... are our primary methods of navigation. That's the way I way taught as a kid, and that's still the way I get around, mostly. We used a GPS plotter (using old Cmaps) to help us get around Vancouver Island in 1995 and will probably use the same unit to do it again this year. Would like to have radar and other nav goodies, but they are not high on my budget priorities. Trevor S/V Dunoon
... are our primary methods of navigation. That's the way I way taught as a kid, and that's still the way I get around, mostly. We used a GPS plotter (using old Cmaps) to help us get around Vancouver Island in 1995 and will probably use the same unit to do it again this year. Would like to have radar and other nav goodies, but they are not high on my budget priorities. Trevor S/V Dunoon
Yeoman with paper charts interfaced to GPS (link)
Interesting...nobody mentioned Yeoman, yet. By moving a mouse-like puck over a Chart-Kit or paper chart an interfaced GPS fix takes but a few seconds. Fixes two or three times an hour leave a track on the chart which can be exended by DR in the event of power or signal loss. Being former Navy, I like knowing for sure where I am, where I'm going, and what I'm over. Cheers- Ernie April (WindCatcher, C-42 #618)
Interesting...nobody mentioned Yeoman, yet. By moving a mouse-like puck over a Chart-Kit or paper chart an interfaced GPS fix takes but a few seconds. Fixes two or three times an hour leave a track on the chart which can be exended by DR in the event of power or signal loss. Being former Navy, I like knowing for sure where I am, where I'm going, and what I'm over. Cheers- Ernie April (WindCatcher, C-42 #618)
Ernie, What's the advantage?
Ernie: What is the advantage of the Yeoman over the PC w/charts. I was just out at their website and their product starts at $350 pounds sterling which is about $500+ USD and goes up from there. When you use the Capn and a PC with electronic charts you know exactly where you are and where you have been (real time). Even with electronic charts, I still like the paper for the bigger picture.
Ernie: What is the advantage of the Yeoman over the PC w/charts. I was just out at their website and their product starts at $350 pounds sterling which is about $500+ USD and goes up from there. When you use the Capn and a PC with electronic charts you know exactly where you are and where you have been (real time). Even with electronic charts, I still like the paper for the bigger picture.
Final results
Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 4/29/2001: What is your primary means of navigation? 70% Paper and tools 12% None 12% Laptop computer 10% Plotter
Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 4/29/2001: What is your primary means of navigation? 70% Paper and tools 12% None 12% Laptop computer 10% Plotter
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