Little_Russel
New member
Does anyone have any opinions about them? Ta.
<hr width=100% size=1>Sail the Se7en seas...
<hr width=100% size=1>Sail the Se7en seas...
Yeoman Plotters
- Thread starter Little_Russel
- Start date
trevor_loveday
New member
They are a useful bridge between old paper charts and new electronic navigation. If the GPS link were to stop, for whatever reason, you just continue with the chart.
It was useful last year when approaching Lulworth Cove for the first time after rounding Portland Bill: I used the plotter function to tell me exactly what bearing to take to get there, and used my hand-bearing compass to identify the exact position on the coast but couldn't see it. I sailed towards it and, when much closer, the entrance to the cove became apparent against the rocks exactly as predicted.
It works for me, and has the advantage that the paper charts are much more legible than any of the electronic charts.
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It was useful last year when approaching Lulworth Cove for the first time after rounding Portland Bill: I used the plotter function to tell me exactly what bearing to take to get there, and used my hand-bearing compass to identify the exact position on the coast but couldn't see it. I sailed towards it and, when much closer, the entrance to the cove became apparent against the rocks exactly as predicted.
It works for me, and has the advantage that the paper charts are much more legible than any of the electronic charts.
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extravert
New member
I think they are an excellent idea. If you have a chart plotter, you should carry paper charts as well in case of electrical or equipment failure, so why carry (and pay for) the information twice? With a Yeoman you have the information once on paper, but still have the benefits electronics provide. If it all goes wrong, you still have your paper charts. They also consume less power than the average chart plotter, some of which at 20 to 30 Watts gobble up battery power.
Having said all that, there is no space on my boat to install my Yeoman plotter, which is gathering dust at home, so I have a chart plotter instead. However, I miss it, and if I had the space would swap them without hesitation.
<hr width=100% size=1>One day, I hope to own a real boat.
Having said all that, there is no space on my boat to install my Yeoman plotter, which is gathering dust at home, so I have a chart plotter instead. However, I miss it, and if I had the space would swap them without hesitation.
<hr width=100% size=1>One day, I hope to own a real boat.
Robin
Well-known member
Excellent, we had one on our last boat and it was on the must have list to buy for our latest one, even though we have a C-Map electronic plotter as well. We have the standard version rather than the portable one. It is sat over a piece of non-slip material on the chart table and the passage chart for English Channel is laid over it then covered by a fitted perspex cover, screwed down. The top surface of the perspex has been rubbed down with very fine wet/dry used wet, this takes the shine off and allows you to use a normal pencil on it (use a rubber & polish cloth to remove). Large scale charts are used on top of the perspex with the clips provided, these are stuck to the perspex with 'Blue Tack' or similar.
The advantage of the Yeoman is that it can be used with any chart that can be referenced to Lat/Long, including the harbour plans on Imray charts. Planning a route is simply a matter of moving the mouse and entering the wp's, with most GPS sets this also directly loads the wp's into the GPS.
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The advantage of the Yeoman is that it can be used with any chart that can be referenced to Lat/Long, including the harbour plans on Imray charts. Planning a route is simply a matter of moving the mouse and entering the wp's, with most GPS sets this also directly loads the wp's into the GPS.
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bigmart
New member
Fabulous piece of kit. I wouldn't go anywhere without mine. So simple to use a child can use it. From the age of 8 my kids were able to relay accurate bearing & distance information to me at the helm using the trusty Yeoman (well mines the Autohelm version, but its identical.)
Martin
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Martin
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charles_reed
Active member
"The most expensive semi-automated pencil on the market" is how I've heard them described.
I don't own one and would save my money for a GPS chart plotter (which I have had for 8 years and am about to upgrade.
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I don't own one and would save my money for a GPS chart plotter (which I have had for 8 years and am about to upgrade.
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Robin
Well-known member
The key here Charles is that you don't have one. IMHO the equally humble Yeoman is a very underated piece of kit, it is not until you use one regularly that you really see it's benefits. For the boat with more limited battery power or indeed finances it makes good sense, it uses very little current and the paper charts you need anyway come what may.
We do actually have 2 electronic plotters as well, 10" B&W at the chart table linked to everything and a standalone 6" Colour plotter GPS out in the cockpit, both running on C-Map with WPTs transferred via their user cards. C-Map cartography is excellent but very pricey though. I wouldn't be without the electronic plotters either and they are the ones referred to most of the time, the ability to quickly zoom in to a larger scale chart is a big plus, on the Yeoman that would entail setting up another paper chart.
Notwithstanding all the above and before Old Harry's Navigator turns in his grave, I was brought up to navigate the old fashioned way pre GPS, Pre Decca and about when the little Seafix RDF first came out and buying the Seafarer Echosounder was considered as going electronic! Sometimes I will do it all the old way just to keep my hand in, but it is nice mostly to go sailing not navigating!
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We do actually have 2 electronic plotters as well, 10" B&W at the chart table linked to everything and a standalone 6" Colour plotter GPS out in the cockpit, both running on C-Map with WPTs transferred via their user cards. C-Map cartography is excellent but very pricey though. I wouldn't be without the electronic plotters either and they are the ones referred to most of the time, the ability to quickly zoom in to a larger scale chart is a big plus, on the Yeoman that would entail setting up another paper chart.
Notwithstanding all the above and before Old Harry's Navigator turns in his grave, I was brought up to navigate the old fashioned way pre GPS, Pre Decca and about when the little Seafix RDF first came out and buying the Seafarer Echosounder was considered as going electronic! Sometimes I will do it all the old way just to keep my hand in, but it is nice mostly to go sailing not navigating!
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Woodpile
New member
Yeoman Plotters failure
There was an old-ish Yeoman fitted to my boat when I bought it, and I like it much better than on-screen plotters. It gives you the benefits of electronic navigation, while simultaneously enforcing best practice (marking a paper chart). It's a really good system, I think.
On the downside, mine has just stopped working. It's getting power because the four red LEDs light up, but no figures appear on the readout, and after a short time the LEDS just go out. Does anyone know why this might be? (It is connected to a Phillips MK 9 gps - which appears to be working fine.)
Any thoughts gratefully received!
Chris
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There was an old-ish Yeoman fitted to my boat when I bought it, and I like it much better than on-screen plotters. It gives you the benefits of electronic navigation, while simultaneously enforcing best practice (marking a paper chart). It's a really good system, I think.
On the downside, mine has just stopped working. It's getting power because the four red LEDs light up, but no figures appear on the readout, and after a short time the LEDS just go out. Does anyone know why this might be? (It is connected to a Phillips MK 9 gps - which appears to be working fine.)
Any thoughts gratefully received!
Chris
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MartinGPerry
New member
Re: Yeoman Plotters failure
Like Robin, I have PC based navigation with electronic charts on board and a Yeoman plotter.
They both have their place but I would not be without my Yeoman and find that I only use the PC based system for difficult approaches, passage tidal planning and in fog, when I want to see in great detail exactly where I am at any one time.
For all other times the Yeoman is much better - for one thing you can see the 'big' picture while on the PC system you only see a small window at any one time unless you reduce the scale and its less power hungry. We tend to have the Yeoman on all the time even when in the Solent
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Like Robin, I have PC based navigation with electronic charts on board and a Yeoman plotter.
They both have their place but I would not be without my Yeoman and find that I only use the PC based system for difficult approaches, passage tidal planning and in fog, when I want to see in great detail exactly where I am at any one time.
For all other times the Yeoman is much better - for one thing you can see the 'big' picture while on the PC system you only see a small window at any one time unless you reduce the scale and its less power hungry. We tend to have the Yeoman on all the time even when in the Solent
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MIKE_MCKIE
New member
As a professional deep sea navigator for over 30 years, the first time I saw one I bought it. Best thing since sliced bread. I tend towards the traditional (surprise, surprise) & am a firm believer in a fix on the chart at frequent intervals. When the world falls in & the electrics/electronics fail, you still have the latest FIX on a readable chart & can get home from there. I also put the chart under a bit of perspex, although I use a fine point White board marker, with same result. Some comments about zooming up/down in previous posts are valid, up to a point; but if you are regularly in the same area & index your charts to the Yeoman, it takes about 20 seconds to swap over.
Hope you enjoy it.
Mike
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Hope you enjoy it.
Mike
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billmacfarlane
Active member
If you're a tradionalist and want to use plain paper charts then they can be a useful aid. I first saw one about three years ago and thought it was a brilliant piece of kit. Then I saw a chart plotter and I'm afraid that I now think that the Yeoman has had its day. I use electronic charts but also keep a log of my position in the log and can easily revert to paper if necessary but I've not had an electronic failure yet, nor expect any.
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Oldhand
New member
Although I agree that the Yeoman is an excellent plotting assistant I have to take issue that "the paper charts are much more legible than any of the electronic charts".
I find scanned raster electronic charts (ARCS, Mapmedia, Maptech etc.) just as legible as the original paper charts they are scanned from. I agree vector charts on small screens don't come up to paper chart standards, so have a look at raster charts on a decent 15" colour TFT monitor.
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I find scanned raster electronic charts (ARCS, Mapmedia, Maptech etc.) just as legible as the original paper charts they are scanned from. I agree vector charts on small screens don't come up to paper chart standards, so have a look at raster charts on a decent 15" colour TFT monitor.
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jmp
New member
New to yeoman, but what a useful ,simple ,marine environment resistant device.
Nobody has yet commented directly on one of the main advantages in my criteria.
With very little coaching almost everyone on board would be able to use in an emergency . So "user friendly",even to an oldie such as I.
How many plotters can be mastered in minutes by those who are not highly computer literate?The tiny screens to get lost with etc.
I can see an advantage in the zoom facility ,and the wealth of tidal info in real time,coupled I guess with weather acess etc with PC,but consider Yeoman first ,and if finance space and power are to hand ,add a PC type plotter.
<hr width=100% size=1>jmp
Nobody has yet commented directly on one of the main advantages in my criteria.
With very little coaching almost everyone on board would be able to use in an emergency . So "user friendly",even to an oldie such as I.
How many plotters can be mastered in minutes by those who are not highly computer literate?The tiny screens to get lost with etc.
I can see an advantage in the zoom facility ,and the wealth of tidal info in real time,coupled I guess with weather acess etc with PC,but consider Yeoman first ,and if finance space and power are to hand ,add a PC type plotter.
<hr width=100% size=1>jmp
paulrossall
New member
Brilliant.
Only got one this year and would not be without it. Allows you to see where you are easily and you can see a much bigger picture than the electronic jobs. Only has a 1/4 amp fuse so does not use much power. Very quick to pinpoint your exact position and you can then verify it by traditional methods whenever you want to.
I have gone from not being bothered about buying one to viewing it as a very very usefull piece of equipment.
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Only got one this year and would not be without it. Allows you to see where you are easily and you can see a much bigger picture than the electronic jobs. Only has a 1/4 amp fuse so does not use much power. Very quick to pinpoint your exact position and you can then verify it by traditional methods whenever you want to.
I have gone from not being bothered about buying one to viewing it as a very very usefull piece of equipment.
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ccscott49
Active member
I had one, still have actually, wanna buy it? I used it, but only two or three times, now have worldwide charts on 15.1" screen laptop, (with a 17" screen available) halfway house to a decent screen sized plotter, some swear by them. I could almost plot as quick as it can, I do it proffesionally. (plotting I mean) You still need paper charts, fine for use in UK where you can get dedicated chart folios for it, which fit, but try folding up a normal admiralty chart for it. I suppose it depends on your cruising area. I did like it, but moved on.
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