Plotters/Charts Obsolete?

[Polux]

Polux "Of course you have to have the Plotter on the same cartographic system that is used on the chart and I have already been on boats that had neglected that and the plotter give about a 400m error, but that is a skippers fault."

LOL go to the Caribbean, in some places everything can be out by up to a mile or two, and no its not incorrect setting of datums or offsets in plotters its because the charts are old and inaccurate last surveyed by a guy called Cook. (I think Cook did a great job considering what he was working with). Plotters are great but as others have said, when the power goes you will wish you had the paper version.

of course, but then the paper charts have the same errors. I don't sail without proper paper charts, but I have also an independent small baterie GPS with some plotter ability. In 10 years it was never needed, but just in case

 

[Polux]

The point is that plotters and associated electronic charts are far to expensive compared to other media and hopefully the manufacturers will recognise this. Maybe pointing this out through forums like this will help reduce the prices, because yes I'd prefer to use my plotter for our new base, if only I could afford the charts or at least justify the cost vs other options.

But that is not saying that charts on a computer are as good in what concerns utilization.

In what regards prices there are already some improvements. Some time ago, for a given region we would have to buy 5 or 6 regional charts while now for the same region you have it all on one chart that is far less expensive than all the others put together.

If you buy detailed paper charts to all that region probably the price will be superior to the digital option, I mean buying general charts for a region and have all the detail on the digital ones.

 

[rickym]

A 200 year old chart of a particular piece of coastline will be accurate in respect to all the features to each other so in many respects is safe to use. (if you line the church up with the breakwater to clear snag rock). The problem comes with the GPS as Sandy Bay cannot be referenced accurately to any of our modern datums so driving the plotter is extremely dangerous. In these circumstanced the old fashioned nav techniques are safer IMHO

 

[robinsoncrusoe]

These folk seem to have charts from about £4:

http://www.chartsales.co.uk/


PS: Chart 2610 would do you - Portland Bill to Anvil Point.

A chart pack would be better value, from £9 - 5601 East Devon and Dorset coast.

thanks for that (and other replies), got one on order

 

[Conachair]

Never mind that - show me a plotter with 1200dpi resolution and a 28-inch screen that I can draw on.

Pete

I might have missed it , but I don't think anyone suggested not having paper as well.

Not very clever if they did

Edit: just read the very first post

Nothing at all on paper- nah, that's pushing it a bit too far.

 

[ffiill]

I pads I phones-great if they work-whats the point-how many charts at £20 each can you get for an i pad /i phone-25 or thereabouts and they never fail or have babies.
I have in my posession a second hand chart of the south west Pacific-it has been around the world in the southern ocean being marked along its bottom edge with the ongoing route of one of the British Steel Global Challenge boats.
Its still quite useable if technically out of date.

As for chart plotters remember that well recorded incident in Arisaig Bay where on film a boat hit the rocks whilst using a reputable plotter whose electronic chart included detailed info on Arisaig Bay which does not exist! unless The Admiralty did a GPS based survey back in the 1850s!
My house does not exist on Anquet maps digital Ordnance Survey based software even though its been here since the 1840s.

 

[maby]

I think 2 mins after your battery goes flat you will see the value of a chart.

I'll also be interested to see you hook it up to an autopilot...