Does anyone still sail without a chart plotter?

[RupertW]

There are areas where that does not work - such as the Costa Brava, where the depth goes vertically down to more than 50m just a few metres away from the cliff!

As soon as you see an echo on the depth sounder you are screwed!

I’ve done it often in places like Croatia where it goes down to 90m very quickly but anything above 150m and the signal goes so agreed, I wouldn’t use the method there.

 

[Adios]

There are areas where that does not work - such as the Costa Brava, where the depth goes vertically down to more than 50m just a few metres away from the cliff!

As soon as you see an echo on the depth sounder you are screwed!

If you haven't seen the cliff from a few meters away you're really over relying on watching the depth sounder

 

[lustyd]

It's entirely possible for the ledge to be 1m deep and a hundred metres from a cliff.

 

[capnsensible]

It's entirely possible for the ledge to be 1m deep and a hundred metres from a cliff.

Be 102m from the cliff. ?

There are loadsa navigational techniques in pilotage. Simply use the on for where you are. In your example a clearance bearing off something with your handheld compass would work as an example.

 

[Bobc]

Seems to me that a plotter, like most things, is a good servant, but a poor master. A very useful tool, but one which, like all tools, has limitations. It's no substitute for proper passage planning, nor is it a substitute for the Mk1 eyeball and a bit of commons sense. When I did my Day Skipper, there wasn't one on board, so we learned "proper" navigation. Now, I reckon DS should still teach "proper" navigation, but should also teach the safe use of the plotter, which includes the danger of spending too much time looking at the screen to the detriment of spacial awareness.

Just like the satnav in your car. Follow it blindly at your peril.

 

[Bobc]

Are there repeaters with minimal info from the plotter and a more visible display available for the cockpit?

edit: googled and of course there is. More expense!

I have a Raymarine plotter, and use the Raycontrol app on my iPad at the chart table. The app basically mirrors the plotter screen including all the touch buttons and controls, and allows you to do everything from the iPad that you can do at the plotter. It's a great tool, as all you need is an iPad, and you don't even have to have 2 sets of charts.

 

[lustyd]

Just like the satnav in your car. Follow it blindly at your peril.

There are, I'm certain, a very large number of people who followed depth guages only to be met by a massive rock. Rocks of 4-5m high are not at all uncommon, and are often in otherwise featureless places.

 

[Gary Fox]

Even with GPS and especially when tacking or making your way round a curved coastline I will often say, “Follow the 30m line and we are safe” or whatever keeps us away from obstacles with a little margin of error.

That only works in certain places, of course. Stil a useful tool in the box of course. Don't try it in Norway..

 

[Gary Fox]

If you haven't seen the cliff from a few meters away you're really over relying on watching the depth sounder

That doesn't apply in fog. In that case, you get a sack of potatoes on deck, and hurl them into the clag.
When they bounce back on deck, you need to alter course away from the returning potatoes.

 

[Adios]

That doesn't apply in fog. In that case, you get a sack of potatoes on deck, and hurl them into the clag.
When they bounce back on deck, you need to alter course away from the returning potatoes.

Ultraspud technology

 

[capnsensible]

There are, I'm certain, a very large number of people who followed depth guages only to be met by a massive rock. Rocks of 4-5m high are not at all uncommon, and are often in otherwise featureless places.

Happens all the time. If only they had done an RYA course, they would have known better. ?

 

[Graham376]

There are, I'm certain, a very large number of people who followed depth guages only to be met by a massive rock. Rocks of 4-5m high are not at all uncommon, and are often in otherwise featureless places.

Great source of amusement for us is watching people following chart plotters ignoring the depth gauges and ending up on the mud banks which are covered at high water. Quite a few every season.

 

[RupertW]

There are, I'm certain, a very large number of people who followed depth guages only to be met by a massive rock. Rocks of 4-5m high are not at all uncommon, and are often in otherwise featureless places.

The point of following a depth contour though (which I know is only one of the navigational uses of a sounder) is that the contour you choose is based on a very good look at the chart in advance and if you see there is a contour (and there almost always is) that has one completely safe side and one with obstacles then you can steer using that. Of course if the only contour that does that is miles out because of a couple of outlying obstacles then it’s back to slightly more complex instructions to the person on watch but that is quite rare in the sort of non-muddy places where I tend to sail.

 

[nortada]

I started sailing before GPS was affordable and navigation was a fun skill and a big part of sailing. Then we all had hand-helds for marking positions on charts. Then I had a 10 year gap and getting back into it a few years ago seems like chart plotters have become all pervasive. Not that I mind having one exactly but I've noticed with car sat nav when I moved house to a new town I just don't learn my way around, have barely even after years. I make a point of not using it as much as I can so that I use my brain.

Anyone choosing to stay without a chart-plotter? Do people think you're crazy or a dangerous menace? Where are we are at now

I choose to sail without a plotter.

 

[jimi]

I suspect a competent navigator has a passage plan and is aware of potential hazards. He or she can then use his judgement to utilise the most appropriate method of navigation. EG on a gently shelving mud bank tack at 2metres, in the channel Islands follow the plotted course or clearing lines to avoid the hard sticky up bits.

 

[Never Grumble]

I suspect a competent navigator has a passage plan and is aware of potential hazards. He or she can then use his judgement to utilise the most appropriate method of navigation. EG on a gently shelving mud bank tack at 2metres, in the channel Islands follow the plotted course or clearing lines to avoid the hard sticky up bits.

I think it's easier to create that plan on a chart than a plotter, and to continually monitor the bigger picture.

 

[lustyd]

EG on a gently shelving mud bank tack at 2metres, in the channel Islands follow the plotted course or clearing lines to avoid the hard sticky up bits.

It's funny, I'm sure there's a tool that can do both of those...

 

[londonchartplotters]

Just curious.

These days, how well do the Canaries. Match up on plotters?

2021 raster charts are available for the canaries for android and windows plotters from 2020 survey datum

 

[Daydream believer]

I have a plotter for the AIS function. I have it fitted just behind my tiller where i can operate it. being a SH sailor I cannot go below to keep looking at it to check for shipping. Where I sail there are quite a few ships. I need to be able to helm & adjust the instrument at the same time. Awkward with a tiller.

Apart from that I know my way around & can sail most places with just my echo sounder & compass as I learned to do in the 70s. However, I do have a Yeoman plotter below & I always set it up just in case. That is my "go to" check because I like to look at a chart. So if it is foggy, or I get confused, I can nip below & get a quick overall picture.

The Thames estuary has so many wind farms it is a job to get lost. I can get anywhere between Breskens & Cherbourg quite easy, There are no difficult bits, one just follows the coast. ( except in fog) The main hazards are Dunkirk Roads & shipping. hence the AIS
Anywhere west of Cherbourg & I use my plotter.-----& Yeoman of course.

 

[Stemar]

It's entirely possible for the ledge to be 1m deep and a hundred metres from a cliff.

Be 102m from the cliff. ?

Far too close. Make it 200m. If it's anything like St Albans Head on a blustery day, 12,000m