.thats the thing with still having a method of GPS location on board and charts. It just wouldn't be instantly to hand or automatically plotted
no no no ?
? I'd have to get a job lot of fiberglass and some wire cutters on that
Very true, and caution even in apparently charted areas is wise. We have encountered unmarked rocks in well charted UK areas. And sailing offshore is straightforward though perhaps knowing where you are is also wise!(New) and little used anchorages, in some parts of the world (Australia) have never been surveyed and are simply 'white' portions of the chart with the word 'Unsurveyed' printed in black across the white
The real world is a bit like the curates egg.
Sailing from Sydney to Hobart - get out to the 100 fathom line (as that's roughly where the East Australia Current will give you a decent lift) count the lighthouses and turn right at the appropriate number (which I forget) - its roughly a 550nm passage.
It seems to work as most yachts get there.
Jonathan
How did you pass the time instead?
I made it single handed to Sweden and back without a plotter, plus a few other North Sea crossings as well as the easy coastal pilotage as you say. As have probably all the older contributors here done similar. My fear is making it too easy and getting addicted to it. I think the happy medium is basic GPS on board as a back up and times when other position fixing isn't an option. Just wondering on the negligence thing but no one is coming with any examples that make me worry that its a risk
You only have to read your link to see how unlikely it is that not using navigational aids would ever pass any of the tests. Don't know the details of course but in your example of the dinghy death I very much doubt failing to wear a lifejacket would have any relevance. I suspect if there was a case it would first be to establish a duty of care (not difficult) then establish a breach - that is an act or omission by the skipper which caused the loss. These are really tough tests, as indeed they should be as the offence is serious with life imprisonment as the maximum sentence.
Yes I think you're right. At most I imagine it might appear in a report as a recommendation of what might have helped. Hard to imagine a situation where it could be the entire reason for failure but where I was doing normal sufficient navigation with other methods. If i wasn't doing that navigation then that would be the point of blame.
Again it depends which waters people plan to sail in. NOAA I believe is stopping publishing paper charts sooner than UKHO, and UKHO produce the primary paper charts for many countries outside the UK (and it looks like they will stop well before 2026j.
With my first couple of boats I was sailing with paper charts, compass, and log, plus the latest electronic aids of echosounder and hand held RDF. Around the north of Scotland we often got thick fog with strong easterly winds. When I started teaching RYA shore based courses, and later practical courses, the techniques of blind navigation was an important part of the course.
on that we are agreed! Paper charts will likely be available in one format or another for the life of anyone alive today - that might be Imray or others picking up where Admiralty drop out or it might be some sort of custom printing service but it’s not how any of our children’s peers will learn to navigate nor is the easiest / simplest method to do it. It would be like teaching my engineering student son how to use a slide rule. Possible, perhaps an interesting curiosity, but not something that makes him actually want to get involved.
I love a hypothetical “what would you say to the coroner” argument. Do coroners actually cross examine witnesses? We don’t have them in Scotland, but I expect they would never be having the conversation you suggest, and if they tried you need better legal representation. If someone wanted to cross examine me on why I hadn’t used a chart plotter I would only need to show them the screen that appears when you turn it on. You have read that screen? The one that says it shouldn’t be used for navigation, right?
Their adverts generally sell them as "Chart Plotters". Why would they do that if not meant for that purpose? --So one can use them as such of course ? . The AIS does not carry that notice, on my boat at least.
Do you ever throw anything away? ??
well yes thats exactly the situation I was imagining myself in. And makes me think better to not have something i don't want to use rather than turn it off.
haha ok I've not seen that. My car satnav sometimes freezes in a position for a while. Would be a shame to rely on it entirely for positioning