Who still uses paper charts as their primary navigation tool?
Locki
Active Member
I've had a Garmin 7012 go blank just before exiting the River Crouch before a five hour trip to Chelsea alongside the Thames shipping lanes.
In that instance we were able to get it back online by completely rebooting the ridiculously unreliable Fairline Pilot, but the 'pause' at sea, left my wife seasick for hours.
I know noting about anything
, but it seems common sense to me to learn paper navigation really well first, and only then accept that electronics _probably_ reduce human errror (while they're on) and are the better primary navigation method.
One fantastic recent discovery was Tom Cunliffe's new DVD on electronic navigation... Absolutely fantastic. Not for it's high-level overview of electronics (although good!) but because of the cool little hybrid analogue-digital tips he gives. My best boating DVD purchase in some time.
In that instance we were able to get it back online by completely rebooting the ridiculously unreliable Fairline Pilot, but the 'pause' at sea, left my wife seasick for hours.
I know noting about anything
, but it seems common sense to me to learn paper navigation really well first, and only then accept that electronics _probably_ reduce human errror (while they're on) and are the better primary navigation method.One fantastic recent discovery was Tom Cunliffe's new DVD on electronic navigation... Absolutely fantastic. Not for it's high-level overview of electronics (although good!) but because of the cool little hybrid analogue-digital tips he gives. My best boating DVD purchase in some time.
rubberduck
Well-Known Member
I think you must have back up electronic systems, in fact my main plotter is on the blink at the moment, probably due to changing the dash layout. If this happened at sea then I have a portable & an I phone. If the satellites themselves failed then it would be nice & slow with paper. We do occasionally get the paper ones out just for fun, & to make sure we can still use them 
Andydent2000
Well-Known Member
Being fairly new to the Solent I have purchased the charts and found them very useful in planning out first journeys. I referred to the larger overview charts regularly to supplement the limited view on the chart plotter. I prefer to have this zoomed in relatively tight to see depths and immediate navigation marks. Having the charts to hand is useful but as I get to know the area they will be used less and less.
Still wouldn't be without them though.
Still wouldn't be without them though.
