North up or Track up?

[TheBoatman]

When setting your chart plotter!

Do you set it for north up or track up?

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

North up, it is far easier to work with IMO.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Top Cat Homepage</A>

 

[[2574]]

yes definetely north up so that you can directly relate plotter to paper charts. also have the radar on north up - it's then simple to relate radar image to chartplotter and charts.



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[qsiv]

I think most leisure users run North up - most fishermen tend to run course up from what I have seen. I suspect the reasoning is most fishermen use the kit primarily for locating strings of pots - all they want to know nis where the mark is relative to the boat - they tend to have a good idea where they are relative to the land.

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[duncan]

having run Ian's HR aground in Chi harbour (it was dark as well) despite the plotter in the cockpit I can make the following from experience and the subsequent investigation!
(a) yachts tend to go for North up; to match their charts
(b) powered craft, especially planning ones, go track up on all instruments.
(c) you should always include which you do as part of the briefing to crew before a trip!

Personally I used to even turn the paper chart round on pasage for a track up effect!
The reason for North up is that you can quickly overlay the wind and tide directions in your mind, important for the yacht adn all but irrelevant for the powered craft other than ensuring a calm anchorage for lunch or fishing.

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[pvb]

North up (nm)

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[Sailfree]

The common sense answer is to suit the person using it. My partner was recently describing at a party our forthcoming summer trip. I could see the look of amazment when she indicated St Malo North of the Solent and then turn right to go round Brittany. I know she visualises everything from the bow of boat and direction of travel is always upwards. I therefore conclude that men prefer North up but due to the spacial awareness of women many prefer Head up. Long may it continue!

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[Talbot]

The army always teach track up as it aids visualisation of the surroundings. This is only a problem in boats when you approach land. The Navies of the world teach north up, because that allows the charts to sit easily on the chart table and prevents a parrallel ruler hanging up on folds in the chart. If you are used to North up it is simple. If you are used to track up then go that way, but dont use a rolling parrallel ruler!

Whichever system you use, make sure that all your nav equipment is set up in the same way to prevent confusion.

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[johna]

<also have the radar on north up - it's then simple to relate radar image to chartplotter and charts.>

I prefer to have the radar Track up so that I can see what is in front of me. I agree with North Up for the plotter.


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[jimi]

North up on the plotter, heading up on the radar.

<hr width=100% size=1>.. whit way roon should it be again ..

 

[DeeGee]

Ditto - silly isn't it ;-)

<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all

 

[david]

Yep, same as me. But

Do you think it's something to do with being on the south coast? i.e. shall we go left (west) or right (East)?

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[tome]

Re: Yep, same as me. But

Funnily enough, it works the opposite way for me on the S coast.

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[duncan]

I could understand it from Jimi but others as well?

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[Dave99]

North up for navigating, so it matches chart plotter - sometimes track/course up for collision avoidence etc.

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[whisper]

Careful !! After all, he's a yachtmaster you know /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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[duncan]

true but being asleep must be the only way not to be confused by that setup!

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[MapisM]

As for most other forumites, I also use N for chartplotter and course up for the radar.
But once I discussed this topic with a friend of mine, an aerospace engineer.
He argued that we are just used to look at paper chart, which are mostly north up.
In his opinion, any person who would have its first chance to use charts directly on a plotter instead of paper, would not even consider the option of setting the plotter north up - there is no logical reason for that.
I think he had a point.

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[Rich_F]

I disagree about there being no logical reason for North up display on a plotter.

It's all to do with what you're trying to achieve. If you want to identify a landmark, or check whether the bit of sea in front of you is safe, then course up makes a lot of sense.

However, if you want to know where you are, on a familiar chart, then north up is much better. The chart is much more recognisable in its familiar orientation, and so you don't need to spend as long working out what you're looking at.


Developing these thoughts, maybe the answer is to only use north up when there is a significant amount of coastline visible, course up otherwise. Maybe this could be introduced as an automatic feature in new chart plotters? /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif

Rich

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[Guest]

<<automatic feature in new chart plotters? >>

Could you imagine the errors !!!!

Personally - I dont like the blurring of screen when the boat swings and PPI repaints ... on Course up .... so prefer along with aligning with charts - North up for ALL instruments ... etc.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.qqbaltic.com/index.html>http://www.qqbaltic.com/index.html</A> For all those disbelievers ! /forums/images/icons/cool.gif