Plotter in front of the wheel distracts novices

[penfold]

I've had to cover up a compass before to stop the helmsman staring at it in order to steer.

How else is he supposed to steer to a given course??

The only time you look at the compass to steer is if there's nowt on the horizon(i.e. a peasouper) to use as a steering point; as long as it's 'conspic' and reasonably stationary it's better than the compass as you can see changes in course far quicker and react to them compared to the average yacht helm compass. It doesn't even need to be that stationary; I've used clouds and stars to steer by before now, as long as you check the compass bearing or COG every few minutes it doesn't matter that the steering point moves a little. It also means you're looking out of the boat rather than in the cockpit, which is vital for situational awareness.

Every plotter I've ever used can be dimmed to the point of appearing to be switched off in daylight, and to a barely decipherable dim glow at night.

So, no need to turn it off and lose position data for the VHF, the MOB button, etc. Just dim it.

This; a plotter in front of the helmsman can be a distraction, but for short/singlehanding or solo watchkeeping it means you don't have to go to the nav station to check on progress or make changes.

 

[knuterikt]

Every plotter I've ever used can be dimmed to the point of appearing to be switched off in daylight, and to a barely decipherable dim glow at night.

So, no need to turn it off and lose position data for the VHF, the MOB button, etc. Just dim it.

Yes, the only time I have needed to cover the plotter was when I forgot to turn the plotter back to daylight mode before turning the plotter off after a evening sail.
Next morning it was impossible to turn it back into day mode because the screen was unreadable in the sunshine.

If an apprentice have focus at the wrong place - it might have something to do with the teacher.

We sail mostly with a crew of one or two on the Swedish west coast and Norwegian south(east) with mostly inshore piloting - would not like to go back to having paper charts at the helm if I could avoid it.

 

[lpdsn]

How else is he supposed to steer to a given course??

Hard to know how to even start to explain it to someone who doesn't understand. Penfold's post gives a good answer. It is much easier to demonstrate on a boat but there are many ways more effective ways of steering a straight line.

 

[chrisbitz]

Hard to know how to even start to explain it to someone who doesn't understand. Penfold's post gives a good answer. It is much easier to demonstrate on a boat but there are many ways more effective ways of steering a straight line.

Too hard to explain? Giving you the benefit of the doubt in regard to the potential staggeringly patronising comment... I looked at Penfolds answer, and it mentioned clouds and stars. What's so difficult to explain about that?

That of course would be no use at all on a (very commonly) overcast day.

The only other thing I can think of is the angle of the waves, but I've just explained that in four words!...

If it really is "too hard to explain" could you give me some keywords that I can Google for, hopefully finding someone who *can* at least give some pointers to such a complicated and impossible to explain technique?

 

[lpdsn]

Too hard to explain? Giving you the benefit of the doubt in regard to the potential staggeringly patronising comment...

That doesn't sound like much benefit of the doubt at all.


If you were a novice helmsman I could explain as we were going along. I'm just not going to write reams and reams of post to mention all the things you can use to steer in a straight-ish line whilst just briefly referring to the compass rather than weaving from side to side whilst staring at it.

You can use clouds as a reference point even on overcast days, usually even on overcast nights if there's any light at all around to give you a slightly lighter or darker patch.


The other trick is to get the helmsman to close their eyes to teach them to make use of their other senses too.

 

[nimbusgb]

Towel????

Ffs just slip the sun cover on it! Stops anyone looking at it at all.

Too bright at night, my Raymarine turns down plenty and has a night mode iirc. Buy a decent plotter!

 

[Koeketiene]

Have done some cruising with novices I have noticed that because our plotter is mounted directly in front of the wheel they spend too much time looking at the plotter and fidling with it rather than the sails course etc to such an extent that I am tempted to switch it off as being too distracting .
We sail on the Clyde so until they removed the chimney under normal conditions the plotter is overkill .
This was reinforced when a friend who had not sailed for some time but learned to sail pre electronic was helping and never even noticed the plotter was not switched on.
Is this a symptom of the screen age?

Sign of the times - sometimes you can see helmsmen with their head so far up their plotter, they are completely oblivious of what's going on around them.
I made the concious decision to keep the plotter by the chart table to avoid 'Playstation navigation mode'.

 

[Koeketiene]

I've had to cover up a compass before to stop the helmsman staring at it in order to steer.

How else is he supposed to steer to a given course??

I prefer my helm to steer to a wind angle rather than a fixed compass course.
As long as we're going in the general direction of where we want to end up, it's fine by me.
You can always correct - and tack/gybe as required - when you get nearer to your destination.

 

[bitbaltic]

The other trick is to get the helmsman to close their eyes to teach them to make use of their other senses too.

View attachment 34520

Sorry, couldn't resist

Agree with what you're saying. The most important bit though is the occasional glance at the compass- to make sure you're steering as straight a line as you think you are and to give you a chance of plotting up a half decent EP if you need it.

Cheers

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Novice - that's the important bit about this thread, the novice is inexperienced. Novice helmsmen need to be taught how to steer, irrespective of the plotter or compass position, the position of which is irrelevant as an excuse for poor helm technique. Personally, it is one of the most enjoyable experiences when teaching sailing, instructing a novice how to helm effectively. Perhaps those who have issues with their helmsmen constantly focusing on the plotter, should offer some tuition, even if the novice believes they are experienced.

 

[Leighb]

I agree that the helmsman shouldn't be staring at the compass all the time, I certainly don't as others have said, clouds, direction of waves, feel of wind on neck, etc all fine to maintain approximate heading. However he still needs to be able to see the compass to check he has not wandered off from time to time, if it is covered that would be impossible.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I agree that the helmsman shouldn't be staring at the compass all the time, I certainly don't as others have said, clouds, direction of waves, feel of wind on neck, etc all fine to maintain approximate heading. However he still needs to be able to see the compass to check he has not wandered off from time to time, if it is covered that would be impossible.

I suspect that compass fixation comes from being attempting to steer over-precise courses on electronic compasses. With a bowl compass it's impractical to read and therefore specify a course more precisely than +/-5 degrees (it's no coincidence that there is just over 11 degrees between compass points) so steering can be a relatively relaxed affair. Given a display precise to the degree, people start thinking that a heading of 274 is possible, and worry about achieving it.

 

[prv]

Given a display precise to the degree, people start thinking that a heading of 274 is possible, and worry about achieving it.

I've been given courses to the half-degree by a Norwegian pilot while steering a ship up a fjord .

Our gyrocompass repeaters clicked round in 1/4-degree steps, so under power in calm water it was just about possible to comply.

(Quite agree with you about steering in yachts, though.)

Pete

 

[lpdsn]

if it is covered that would be impossible.

I wasn't worried. There were easily enough shorelights around for me to know where we were and where we were going. I was glad to be going there in a straighter line (we were in a non-serious offshore race) and it helped the helmsman to learn not to depend so much on the compass.

 

[scotts_mist]

On my day-skipper course, we were told on the first day that the wind-gauge was broken. Found out on the last day that the instructor had unplugged it as he liked his students to learn to feel the wind and not spend all their time watching the apparent on the dial.

In retrospect, pretty sensible move.

 

[johnalison]

Although I am fairly experienced at the helm, say 60+ years, I was almost defeated last week when we came out of Ijmuiden in the dark with the wind on our quarter and almost nothing to see ahead. I couldn't see the numbers on the compass, though lit, though I could check my course on the autopilot readout. In the end, I found myself steering from the wind-angle and occasionally checking against the pilot.

My companion, who took up sailing in adult life was incapable of steering a straight course even with all systems going in full daylight. My plotter lives below but I have the data readout above the companionway hatch.