Is anybody still using a Yeoman?

[bitbaltic]

Just wondering as have rediscovered mine in storage at the bottom of the stern berth. It’s the compact version and, though I never used it much, it has a clear plastic cover which makes an excellent protection for charts on the table, so I think I’ll pull it out and re-instate it.

it’s defunct as a nav aid as there’s a PC at the chart table and a Plotter in the cockpit.

when I bought it they were quite sought after and surprisingly expensive but I assume they’ve lost their appeal now.

so just out of interest, how many people are still using them at all?

 

[Boathook]

I always wanted one but balked at the price. I do have now an all singing and dancing chart plotter, but still like to have paper charts on board.

 

[Sandy]

It was the first thing that was removed from the boat on purchase. All sorts of whizzy things on the chart plotter to keep the crew entertained. I use good old charts.

 

[blush2]

Ours is now on its third boat. We still use it for planning and for longer trips when we put hourly plots on it. If there is a power problem we can continue with dead reckoning.

We also have a plotter linked to the radar, but tend to use a raspberry pi from choice which we can see from the cockpit and it can be linked to a tablet. Both of these of course display AIS.

 

[LittleSister]

I believe they still use them at the Tower of London.

I'll get my fancy tunic. . .

 

[DanTribe]

I still use mine for longer trips. It takes a bit of forethought to get set up, but it's good to have pencil and paper plot in case the electronics fail.
Unlikely to lose all electronics nowadays but it has happened to me before and it's a bit upsetting.

 

[neil_s]

Yes - still got mine - it's like having a chart plotter with a 24 inch screen!

 

[MoodySabre]

I have one and like it on a long trip. Across the North Sea, for example, I can see the whole route. Plot position each hour and get a real sense of the affect of the tide and early alterations to avoid wind farms. Ipad with AIS will do the close range stuff.

 

[Daydream believer]

I love my Yeoman & much prefer it to the chart plotter. Works for any chart, anywhere. I can see large areas of my passage along with as much detail as I need in one go. I can play with courses for tides etc & put waypoints onto a basic non chart based GPS in an instant. I do have a decent chart plotter for AIS etc but the yeoman is always on as my go to position fix. I like to put my position on the plastic overlay every hour as a quick reminder & backup position plot as I have had chart plotter crashes & not noticed the icon not moving over a large zoomed out chart area.This has lead me to sail towards rocks without realising. Does not happen with the Yeoman.

 

[PetiteFleur]

I have one, but not used since I got Navionics on a tablet a few years ago - which is so much easier to view from the cockpit, I did find the Yeoman a bit tricky setting up new charts.

 

[ltcom]

Yes, Love it. Use other more modern electrical tech too.

 

[prv]

Have one - and a spare at home in case it ever breaks down ?. The mat is mounted to the underneath of the desktop and the chart is held down by a pair of (non-magnetic!) clipboard clips built into the table structure:



Must admit it’s got less use as our plotter situation has improved, but I still like it for cross-Channel and similar passages.

Pete

 

[LadyInBed]

Yes - still got mine - it's like having a chart plotter with a 24 inch screen!

You mean an analogue CP ?

 

[sailor211]

Yes, use it all the time, in preference to the chart plotter. Can do course to steer quickly. Can see the whole passage. Mind you I often sail by eye and those big green and red things that are useful

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

I love my Yeoman & much prefer it to the chart plotter. Works for any chart, anywhere. I can see large areas of my passage along with as much detail as I need in one go. I can play with courses for tides etc & put waypoints onto a basic non chart based GPS in an instant. I do have a decent chart plotter for AIS etc but the yeoman is always on as my go to position fix. I like to put my position on the plastic overlay every hour as a quick reminder & backup position plot as I have had chart plotter crashes & not noticed the icon not moving over a large zoomed out chart area.This has lead me to sail towards rocks without realising. Does not happen with the Yeoman.

+1. Also very useful for correcting charts without having to use old fashioned parallel rule.

 

[sailingval]

Just transferring ours to our new boat. Wonderful with paper charts. We use it to mark our position every 30 mins; so if we lose power and thus the chartplotter, then we know where we are. Also useful for bearing and distance.

 

[V1701]

I sold a Yeoman Sport on ebay a few years ago, there were several bidders & I got £115 for it, somebody will want it for sure if you stick it on there...

 

[DownWest]

I sold a Yeoman Sport on ebay a few years ago, there were several bidders & I got £115 for it, somebody will want it for sure if you stick it on there...

There was a free one in the 'For Sale ' section. Someone in HK came in late and offered £150 + p&p for it. So, if you want rid off it...

I bought one and will use it as soon as I get out again. (Actually Autohelm, but same bit of kit)

 

[Jigger]

Hi, Bit late to this thread but have just transferred my Yeoman Pro to my new boat and was inquisitive to see if there were any threads on them.
I don't know if anyone has had any issues with the PCB memory battery or need a repair but I did a few years back and eventually got it done at 'Charity & Taylor Ltd.' in Great Yarmouth. I think their Senior Eng James Hodges may have had something to do with Yeoman and I had a replacement base fitted a few years back when it developed an accuracy error and had the PCB battery replaced and unit reprogrammed when it died on me and lost all its memory.
Will probably go back again soon and get the PCB battery changed again in good time as I don't want to loose all the programming again.
Pitty no one makes these anymore.
Fell in love with Yeoman using one in the Three Peaks Race many years ago. Modern integrated systems can calculate all sorts of variables to achieve a best ETA. I have all that at the helm and its great for local sailing/pilotage. But on passages I still like to use a chart, mix GPS with practical navigation and make my own tactical choices rather than blindly follow a computers instructions. I have been doing it for decades and its part of the enjoyment.
But I am now looking at new charts for the boat and struggling to find ones still with the yeoman set up points marked, probably because the charts have changed and Yeoman no longer exist to set up and reprogram the points on new charts. So I think I am just going to have to set them up individually.

 

[The Q]

I regularly use a Yeoman..
I'm in Yeoman 103 Hiding behind the Jib