Is North up?

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I always use maps and charts with North pointing up; like everyone else I guess. However, when it comes to using the chartplotter, I can not get used to looking at the screen with the North up; I am going south and everything around me is back to front. Obviously, North up makes sense with buoys etc.

What are your thoughts?

 

[rib]

north up all the time,along with ut all the time no matter where i am,brain hurts other wise

 

[BarryH]

I normally set course up, that way bouys etc that appear are easy to spot relative to your position/course. The compass tells me where north is.

 

[Flying Penguin]

Nav station, north up, if I'm down there I've mostly got time and it matches the charts, but at the helm (if fitted), track up every time as I can't be doing with the mental gymnastics if I'm also helming.

 

[rib]

i sleep on the left hand side of the bed,wonder if it has any connection

 

[NorthUp]

Is the Pope a Catholic?

 

[prv]

North up to match the chart. Don't have any difficulty with the boat moving across the screen in whatever direction.

Pete

 

[guernseyman]

The trouble with track up is that the display keeps swinging. Most of us are used to north up, with a stable world, and do the gymnastics easily.
I've tried track up while map reading in a car. It's quite confusing - the place you're aiming at keeps trying to dodge away.
On the whole it seems better to imagine that it is yourself that is moving and changing course in a stationary world.
But it's only a convention; good luck to anyone who prefers to steer the world from the safety of a stationary boat.

 

[Flying Penguin]

But it's only a convention; good luck to anyone who prefers to steer the world from the safety of a stationary boat.

Just like a satnav innit guv?

 

[dunedin]

I've tried track up while map reading in a car. It's quite confusing - the place you're aiming at keeps trying to dodge away.

I keep the car on track up all the time - much more intuitive.

Boat is north up - but do tend to find a bit confusing when heading south as he OP implied. But rather be slightly confused at 5-10mph than at 50-? Mph

 

[Burnham Bob]

course up on the plotter for steering. north up for route planning to match the paper chart.

 

[PilotWolf]

North up on everything except the car satnav - struggle to drive with that on north up!

W.

 

[maxi77]

I must admit that having been trained North up over 50 years ago I like everything that way. I would really like to have had a heading input so my radar so that would also display North up. Now this is a personal preference and I think everyone should do what suits them best.

 

[maby]

course up on the plotter for steering. north up for route planning to match the paper chart.

I'll agree with that. We have a plotter at the helm that is set permanantly heading up and another at the nav table that is normally set north up. If I'm down below with someone else at the helm, I may set the nav table plotter heading up as well so that it is easier to be sure they are going the right way.

 

[alant]

I always use maps and charts with North pointing up; like everyone else I guess. However, when it comes to using the chartplotter, I can not get used to looking at the screen with the North up; I am going south and everything around me is back to front. Obviously, North up makes sense with buoys etc.

What are your thoughts?

Depends to some extent upon boat speed & nearest hazards.

Higher speed = heading up.
Nearby hazards = heading up.
Combination of both, definitely = heading up.

For chart plotter & Radar.
What you see with Mk 1 eyeball = whats on screens if heading up.

 

[donaldson]

But north up on the radar will give you a much more stabilised picture, and then with north up on the plotter the two relate to each other easier.

 

[YachtAllegro]

North up - the chart doesn't fit on the table properly otherwise ;-)

Cheers
Patrick

 

[Boomshanka]

Is North up?... our Antipodean friends would suggest otherwise

 

[timbartlett]

I use North-up all the time -- even on the motorbike satnav.
Bl00dy confusing if you have to keep thinking which way up the map is!

 

[maby]

I use North-up all the time -- even on the motorbike satnav.
Bl00dy confusing if you have to keep thinking which way up the map is!

Damned sight more confusing trying to work out if that is a left or right turn up ahead... I like to look at my satnav and see a schematic view of what my eyes are seeing dead ahead, I'm afraid.