Chart orientation "in high southern latitudes"

[Mirror16]

In Bernard Moitessier's book "The Long Way" he states " in high southern latitudes one views a chart with the South Pole at the top". All his hand-drawn diagrams for these areas are like that too - north is at the bottom, east to the left.

Are charts for this area of the world actually published with South at the top? If not, Moitessier would've had to read everything on his charts upside down, which doesn't seem very sensible.

[GordMay]

The charts/diagrams, contained in the NGA Arctic Sailing Directions, seem to be all oriented North Up.
➥ http://msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/St...0/Pub200bk.pdf

[boatman61]

Well I don't know about Mottessier but when I crossed the S Pacific, the top off and down the W coast of Australia I maintained the N up aspect.. the same when I crossed the Australian Bight from Freemantle to the SE corner off Tasmania.. no problems whatsoever..
All it boils down to is ones personal preference.. swivelling the charts make no difference except one then has to start reading upside down.. yet to see a paper chart that use's the S Pole as N..

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by boatman61

... yet to see a paper chart that use's the S Pole as N Up..

I also.

[Dockhead]

Nevertheless I completely understand why Motie would do it like that. It makes perfect sense.

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[goat]

Don't tell the Aussies they live up/over. No living with them then.

goat

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[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by Mirror16

In Bernard Moitessier's book "The Long Way" he states " in high southern latitudes one views a chart with the South Pole at the top". All his hand-drawn diagrams for these areas are like that too - north is at the bottom, east to the left.

Are charts for this area of the world actually published with South at the top? If not, Moitessier would've had to read everything on his charts upside down, which doesn't seem very sensible.

˙˙˙ǝɯ oʇ ǝsuǝs ʇɔǝɟɹǝd sǝʞɐɯ ʇı

Cheers!

Bill

[Smokeys Kitchen]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

˙˙˙ǝɯ oʇ ǝsuǝs ʇɔǝɟɹǝd sǝʞɐɯ ʇı

Cheers!

Bill

Good one!

Is the upside down font just copy and paste from a Word doc?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Smokeys Kitchen

Good one!

Is the upside down font just copy and paste from a Word doc?

Naah.. its an Aussie Laptop..

[El Pinguino]

They do exist...

However I can't see either sense or logic in using a chart upside down... for starters east would be west...quite counterintuitive... you would need to get your brain rewired....

If you do do it why only in high southern lats, why not do all the time.

I think it may have been a 'look at me' issue. Its not even as if the closest land is to the south...you have to get below 60* for that to start happening.

[El Pinguino]

They do exist...

However I can't see either sense or logic in using a chart upside down... for starters east would be west...quite counterintuitive... you would need to get your brain rewired....

If you do do it why only in high southern lats, why not do it all the time.

I think it may have been a 'look at me' issue. Its not even as if the closest land is to the south...you have to get below 60* for that to start happening.

EDIT 2nd attempt at map...

[StuM]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

They do exist...

However I can't see either sense or logic in using a chart upside down... for starters east would be west...quite counterintuitive... you would need to get your brain rewired....

If you do do it why only in high southern lats, why not do all the time.

Many effectively do do it all the time.

i.e. Using a chart plotter in "Course Up" mode. Or the very common practice of orienting you map to your route on land.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by StuM

Many effectively do do it all the time.

i.e. Using a chart plotter in "Course Up" mode. Or the very common practice of orienting you map to your route on land.

Or 'map to ground'....

Course - or ships head up- mode for mottisier(sp) would have seen west at the bottom east at the top, not south.

'Ship's head up' is very much out of vogue on big boats... as is stabilized ship's head up.... a mutant friend of SHU.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Nevertheless I completely understand why Motie would do it like that. It makes perfect sense.

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DH, can you enlighten us as to why it makes perfect sense to you? I don't get it!

Jim

[El Pinguino]

Makes none to me.... you can go around the world on one admiralty chart.... rather suprisingly called 'The World'. The 'high southern latitudes' being - lets say - in the mid 40's your track is 1/3rd of the way up from the bottom.
On the 'Planning Chart of the South Pacific' you are pretty much on the bottom of the chart but it shows nothing of antarctica so I see no point at all..
If using the american plotting sheets to plot your sights on you turn them upside down in the southern hemisphere anyway.