iangrant
New member
How many people still "run up" an EP these days, or do most navigators use GPS lat and long information to enter on the chart?
Ian
Ian
Estimated Positions??
- Thread starter iangrant
- Start date
Spacewaist
Member
I do...
...always (honest) ...and check it with the GPS
It rarely rains for longer than four hours........
...always (honest) ...and check it with the GPS
It rarely rains for longer than four hours........
bedouin
Well-known member
Very rarely.
Provided that the GPS position is close to my predicted ground track I don't usually bother with EPs as such.
Provided that the GPS position is close to my predicted ground track I don't usually bother with EPs as such.
Chris_Robb
Well-known member
Re: I do it backwards
I plot from the GPS co-orninates, and then apply the course and speed and tidal effect against it to ensure I have not made a stupid plotting error.
I have never plotted from using a waypoint and distance, as I recon its just as easy to plot the co-ordinates. It also can be very inacurate if the waypoint is at any distance. Personally I find it easier to plot a grid ref than to draw a bearing in using something like a breton plotter.
I would buy a chart plotter if there were no other more pressing items that are essential for the safety of the boat. - New anchor - spade?? mast steps or mast ladder, - new propshaft this winter etc etc, so I'll stick to the old fashioned way for now.
I plot from the GPS co-orninates, and then apply the course and speed and tidal effect against it to ensure I have not made a stupid plotting error.
I have never plotted from using a waypoint and distance, as I recon its just as easy to plot the co-ordinates. It also can be very inacurate if the waypoint is at any distance. Personally I find it easier to plot a grid ref than to draw a bearing in using something like a breton plotter.
I would buy a chart plotter if there were no other more pressing items that are essential for the safety of the boat. - New anchor - spade?? mast steps or mast ladder, - new propshaft this winter etc etc, so I'll stick to the old fashioned way for now.
NigeCh
New member
Part of the fun of navigition is, IMO, when coastal sailing to use various fixes to know where you are relative to the chart. On ocean passages the fun is to test yourself against GPS.
Using a well known and very expensive radar with a combined chartplotter last August it showed that we were sailing through or over Cabo San Vincente when we were 3 miles offshore - Mk 1 eyeball confirmed that we were still at sea !!!!
What I think is that any/all methods should be used and then interpretations made according to circumstance.
Is any method really better than any other method? I think that navigation divides itself into two parts: 1) Ocean navigation where you want to know where you are sortof and b) Coastal navigation where you need to know where you are more precisely. Part of the dilemma, IMO, for coastal navigation is, if using a GPS, is knowing what the difference in horizontal datum's are between the chart and what the GPS's datum is set to.
For both of the above types of navigation, I'm firstly a paper chart and pencil (plus other tools when in the middle of nowhere) person who then uses GPS to confirm the pencil/calculator guesstimates.
Using a well known and very expensive radar with a combined chartplotter last August it showed that we were sailing through or over Cabo San Vincente when we were 3 miles offshore - Mk 1 eyeball confirmed that we were still at sea !!!!
What I think is that any/all methods should be used and then interpretations made according to circumstance.
Is any method really better than any other method? I think that navigation divides itself into two parts: 1) Ocean navigation where you want to know where you are sortof and b) Coastal navigation where you need to know where you are more precisely. Part of the dilemma, IMO, for coastal navigation is, if using a GPS, is knowing what the difference in horizontal datum's are between the chart and what the GPS's datum is set to.
For both of the above types of navigation, I'm firstly a paper chart and pencil (plus other tools when in the middle of nowhere) person who then uses GPS to confirm the pencil/calculator guesstimates.
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
I'm now a plotter of GPS lat/long, rather than an EP'er. But I do record each hour's distance run and compass course, so it should get pretty obvious if owt gans agley. Not that it ever has.
Unlike the dear dead days of Decca when Desmond once put me somewhere between Brighton and Lewes. I could see the Nab Tower light at the time
Unlike the dear dead days of Decca when Desmond once put me somewhere between Brighton and Lewes. I could see the Nab Tower light at the time
G
Guest
Guest
I always like to "do it properly" but on holiday recently with SWMBO as crew I found that in heavier weather the reality is that you often don't have time and I start using GPS L&L and then using my noddle to decide whether it was telling the truth.
I ended up actually thanking God (an the Americans unfortunately) for GPS.
Geoff W
I ended up actually thanking God (an the Americans unfortunately) for GPS.
Geoff W
alex_rogers
New member
I like doing traditional navigation rather than looking at the GPS but it does involve becoming comfortable with having a degree of uncertainty in your position.
The problem is that it's very easy to check the GPS and remove your unease completely. In bad whether or with others aboard, it's also quite hard to justify not doing this.
However, for me, it does diminish the sense of satisfaction and suprise when your destination appears in the distance right on the bow.
Alex Rogers
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.YachtsAtSea.com> www.YachtsAtSea.com </A>
The problem is that it's very easy to check the GPS and remove your unease completely. In bad whether or with others aboard, it's also quite hard to justify not doing this.
However, for me, it does diminish the sense of satisfaction and suprise when your destination appears in the distance right on the bow.
Alex Rogers
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.YachtsAtSea.com> www.YachtsAtSea.com </A>
billmacfarlane
Active member
If there's a prize for the most laid back Navigator of the Year I'd be in the running. I always use the GPS , but before I put the position on the chart I do a quick check just to make sure the GPS hasn't had a wobbly. I even went on an RYA course this autumn to brush up on my forgotten chart work and the skipper switched off the GPS for the week and made me do all the nav by DR including such delights as finding the unlit Bramble post at midnight just before low water. Much to my surprise I did OK but I've reverted to type again.
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Bramble Post?
Bizarre - Bramble Post at low water is usually the last thing you'd want to find!
But since you did - how far off the edge of the bank is it?
Bizarre - Bramble Post at low water is usually the last thing you'd want to find!
But since you did - how far off the edge of the bank is it?
jimi
Well-known member
Did that as well, on my coastal skipper course using the contours.Surprising how effective it is! With regard to the lowest water I've always found it a bit surprising that the shallowest bit is so close to the little green buoy rather than the post. Is that because the bank moves about?
Spacewaist
Member
Banks been shallowest close by the little green buoy West Bramble for at least 10 years - when I last ran aground on it.
See earlier post about Lavac heads.
It rarely rains for longer than four hours........
See earlier post about Lavac heads.
It rarely rains for longer than four hours........
phanakapan
Well-known member
The unlit Bramble post finding must be a favourite test- I did it for day skipper- they made me stay down below giving instructions to the helm-when I said "we must be very near now" I came up top to see it and my cheer must have been heard clear across the solent! Bearing in mind it was only my 6/7th day sailing ever I felt really proud.
oldsaltoz
New member
G'day Ian,
I still take bearings and compare them to the GPS and transfer the information to the chart, many do not seem to know that GPS is not at all reliable in heavy weather, particularly rain.
With a squall or storm clouds approaching I take bearings and plan a compass heading that will give me sea room without referring to the electronics on board.
Chart table tip.
Cut and hinge a clear sheet to cover your chart on the table, use sticky notes to plot your progress and add any other information for recording in the log later, saves a lot of rubber work.
Andavagoodweekend Old Salt Oz....../forums/images/icons/cool.gif
I still take bearings and compare them to the GPS and transfer the information to the chart, many do not seem to know that GPS is not at all reliable in heavy weather, particularly rain.
With a squall or storm clouds approaching I take bearings and plan a compass heading that will give me sea room without referring to the electronics on board.
Chart table tip.
Cut and hinge a clear sheet to cover your chart on the table, use sticky notes to plot your progress and add any other information for recording in the log later, saves a lot of rubber work.
Andavagoodweekend Old Salt Oz....../forums/images/icons/cool.gif
billmacfarlane
Active member
Re: Bramble Post?
At least a couple of cables - anybody remember them ? I found it by using a couple of lights as a transit . There's another transit using the chimney on the power station if you overshoot. Judging by some of the replies here it's a wonder I didn't hit any other sailing school boats out there doing the same thing.
At least a couple of cables - anybody remember them ? I found it by using a couple of lights as a transit . There's another transit using the chimney on the power station if you overshoot. Judging by some of the replies here it's a wonder I didn't hit any other sailing school boats out there doing the same thing.
Viking
New member
Re: I do it backwards
Me too! I dont fully trust the GPS yet! Still trying it out. Most of the time there to much info. But its my first season using it.
80%+ of the time, I still use Chart, compass, pencil, plotter (plastic type) and Mark1 eyeball and of course 'bins'.
Me too! I dont fully trust the GPS yet! Still trying it out. Most of the time there to much info. But its my first season using it.
80%+ of the time, I still use Chart, compass, pencil, plotter (plastic type) and Mark1 eyeball and of course 'bins'.
graham
Well-known member
Re: I do it backwards
Have you tried using the center of a compass rose as a GPS waypoint ?Its such a simple idea that works really well. The first time I saw someone use it I thought why didnt I think of that.
Have you tried using the center of a compass rose as a GPS waypoint ?Its such a simple idea that works really well. The first time I saw someone use it I thought why didnt I think of that.
Chris_Robb
Well-known member
Compass Rose
Yes I have used this, - but I find it is more accurate and only marginally slower plotting an actual position, especially if the compass rose is any distance off.
Yes I have used this, - but I find it is more accurate and only marginally slower plotting an actual position, especially if the compass rose is any distance off.