Charts - and Reading Them

[clearsea]

Originally Posted by Kefaa

I am surprised at the number of boat owners who only have electronics and tell me if it failed they would just turn around and come back.

Hooh boy. I hear similar. GPS is wonderful (understatement), but chartreading and basic paper navigation skills are essential skills for using GPS safely on the water. Just my opinion, but shared by many who have seen too much.

[dacust]

I started a post about chart errors, but thought it was time to put it on my web site.

Chart Errors - Paper vs. Electronic - Raster vs. Vector.

Now, this was quick. I only spent about an hour on it so I'm sure there are errors and omissions. So please point them out to me. There is an e-mail link at the bottom of the page.

My basic point is that you can't safely use electronic charting unless you properly know how to use paper charts AND know the additional errors that creep in when using electronics.

-dan

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by dacust

I started a post about chart errors, but thought it was time to put it on my web site.

Chart Errors - Paper vs. Electronic - Raster vs. Vector.

... you can't safely use electronic charting unless you properly know how to use paper charts AND know the additional errors that creep in when using electronics.
-dan

Good explanation, Dan.

[thinwater]

the last time I had my boat on the hard doing bottom paint, the next boat over was doing a bow repair. Seems he locked in the GPS coordinates of his next way point, a large channel marker, and was right on target, or perhaps off by about 2' to port.

[Québec 1]

Lots of free info here. I keep a copy of boat navigation and chartwork on the boat
Banana Wind Home Page
Q1

[s/v Beth]

LOL thats funny about hitting the channel marker. I also thought it was interesting that someone thought radar was more important than depth sounder. I thought the best radar was a lookout (for ships and other movable objects) and fixes on paper charts (for reefs and other unmovable objects)
For electronics I would vote for
1. Depth sounder
2. VHF radio.
Seem to use them a lot. Have not used a radar for the last 18 years.... of course that doesn't mean I wouldn't want one.

[Hud3]

Down in the Bahamas, you may have to contend with "Waypoint Rage", because so many boaters just plug in the GPS waypoint coordinates from the Explorer Chartbooks and go. Naturally, they often find themselves on a reciprocal course with another boater, collision imminent. Then it's a game of chicken--who's going to disengage his autopilot and move off the rhumbline first?

[Captain Bill]

You're absolutely right Hud, route from the NW passage to Gun Cay can look like a free way with one lane. It's certainly where one has to pay close attention. For some reason it seems to have more traffic at night.

[Captain Bill]

Whoops, I meant NW channel not NW passage. My bad.