Paper Charts/electronic Charts

GPS is without doubt a wonderful tool, and is used as the primary navigation tool.

But as a back up, surely plotting one position on a paper chart very hour is sensible and an simple investment of a few moments.

I find that hours of sailing down the coast or across La Manche is not always the most riveting experience, thus to have a little chore of plotting the boats position on a paper chart is a welcome chore.

The 'whatif' god tells me always to have a backup.
 
Well there, we all have our own ways, for me the paper is the primary, and the GPS the back up.....

Oh! and that "Whatif God"?? that would be Murphy, used to crew for me, until I kicked the bugger overboard /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
To understand how the Yeoman works, best way is to read the hand book here:http://www.yeomanuk.co.uk/tech/YEOMAN_Navigator_Pro.pdf
Go for the Pro if your chart table is large enough, undermounted even better, or the compact for a smaller chart table (also undermountable). Or if you prefer to have it on your lap in the cockpit then the Sport is the one.You can use your existing charts but will have to mark them with 3 reference points, or buy the smaller folio sets which are premarked.
They really are incredibly easy to use once set up and linked to your GPS
 
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Hmmm. Interesting debate. As a Marine Pilot let me give you my take and will quote an old sage at my nautical college when I first set out on my seagoing career. 'Navigation is the art of knowing where you are not - pilotage is the art of knowing where you are!

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I like that, I have always thought of Nav as being the long distance/ offshore art and pilotage as being coastal cruising.

I completely agree that in constricted, unfamiliar water & poor vis, "accurate" (probably a contradiction in terms) pilotage is vital. But, as I said earlier, pottering down the coast a few miles off from any hazards, one simply needs a good idea of where one is. Ticking off headlands will do. A couple of "eyeball bearings" (without a compass) will give you an instant location on a paper chart that can be confirmed by plotter or GPS.

I don't spend lots of time plotting, taking "accurate" bearings and carrying out detail plots & measurements unless I have the manpower spare to do it or a clear need to track progress in poor vis. I can and have done it on a race yacht, but not generally for fine weather summer cruising.

When sailing solo in strong weather, rough & ready plotting is a lifesaver as the detail work takes you away from control of the vessel & observation of your immediate surroundings and can completely incapacitate even a strong stomach.

I guess it's horses for courses. What I am trying to point out is that the detailed classroom taught techniques are not always practical, necessary or even sensible in some circumstances. While I can and have used them, I seldom find them offering much benefit over rough & ready instant estimates.

Is that making any more sense? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Not much more sence. I've just purchased a Garmin 550. It's plugged into the car at the moment. Just checking it out, before moving to boat. Using traditional navigation is fine. I use it all the time, rarely bother with chart plotter for the odd 100 miles. As long as I know the area well. Now folk who just go back and forth, round a known area. Dont need much help. Neither does the folk way out to sea. The chart plotter becomes inperative on a fast boat. Even a slow boat with limited crew. We dont all have the crew of the Golden Hind to help us. Mind,they seemed to fail quite often

Chart plotter failing is of course possible. Though I've not ever seen it.

Charts blowing over board, equally possible. What do then. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
I could not justify plotting my position on a paper chart when I have a chart plotter. On longer trips and in unfamiliar waters I keep a log in which amongst other data I jot down my gps position periodically. If the electronics were to fail, then I can resort to dead reckoning and a paper chart with a recent position known to me. But generally, no problems then no paper charts used.
I imagine that's how many short handed yachts operate these days.
 
My trick is quick, easy and very practical. Every hour I write in the log the DTW, BTW and XTE. I always keep some kind of paper chart running with a line on it, so DTW and XTE gives me an instant fix on the paper chart. In any case, if I had to give my postion to the MRCC I would be able to give DTW and BTW plus course and speed since that fix. Easy, doesn't take 15 seconds.
 
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I like that, I have always thought of Nav as being the long distance/ offshore art and pilotage as being coastal cruising.

I completely agree that in constricted, unfamiliar water & poor vis, "accurate" (probably a contradiction in terms) pilotage is vital.

Is that making any more sense? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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Well, when piloting you need to know exactly where you are at all times. A variety of techniques are used from eyeball to radar and plotters to the pilot's local knowledge, stored in his brain, not on any chart. It sounds like a terminology problem. Sure, offshore and coastal cruising one does not necessarily need to know one's exact position but even then I could cite many cases of shallows several miles offshore not always marked as you'd like.

In today's world, when coastal cruising, it ought to be possible for a yachtsman to give his postion (in one form or another) to the rescue services to within one nm even after electrical failure. Not to be able to do so is a sign of laziness, stupidity and foolhardiness. This does not necessarily apply to ocean passages or far offshore passages, I am talking about coastal cruising.
 
I sail for pleasure, not to get where I'm going quickly and efficiently. If I want to get there quick I fly or drive. Same applies to my navigation. I do it because I like doing it. I even have on board, and use a sextant. I also have a great big chart plotter and digital charts for everywhere I go. Last week I sailed around Anglesey. Apart from plotting the new Caernarfon Bar buoy positions on both paper and electronic charts I didn't use a chart at all. I don't use an A to Z around my home village either.
I agree though that there is a trend to give lipservice to the need for paper chart navigation whilst being a bit hypocritical about what we actually do when no-one is looking. I do plot my position on paper at regular intervals when on passage or in unfamiliar waters. You never know when the American President will give the order to scramble the GPS signal in the interests of national security. Yes he can do that.
 
Lemain,

Its funny how as you read these forums you can tell you tell who has experienced gadget failure on a moonless night! and I hazard a guess that you have /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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