Death by GPS

[Mirage35]

... a provocative title, but it's the one used in the article I'm linking to here: Death by GPS | Ars Technica.

It's a subject that has interested me for some time in the context of automotive GPS - there is more and more evidence that people who use GPS extensively lose the ability to navigate without it, or apparently in some cases to reason effectively.

I'm not experienced with chartplotters and all the other modcons for sailing, although this summer is when I hope to change that. I know how paper charts and compasses work, and can use a GPS to confirm a fix, but beyond that I'm a Luddite.

(Which is interesting when I think about it. When I took flying lessons my instructor had to keep telling me to look out the window - my instinct was to try to fly by instrument.)

So I'm curious what the more experienced among you think. Is the same phenomenon happening in sailing? How do you balance the use of the technology with the need to be aware of your physical surroundings? Or is it just such a different environment that it's not an issue?

Not just a random question - as I approach learning to use the electronics it's something I want to understand in order to find the approach that will work for me.

[Tingum]

Well when you are offshore looking about really does not help!

[Mirage35]

Good point.

I'm really thinking about coastal cruising ...

[Jsta_Rebel]

I personally don't believe people driving with GPS are loosing their power of reasoning.

In the Boatie world, an old sailor told me something about totally relying on GPS during circumnavigation and not needing charts or understanding celestial navigation . His worse were; " People solely relying on GPS and not using charts or plotting / checking course are stupid because they overlook one little thing. A diode.. Yes .. in totally relying on your GPS, you are allowing yourself to be a diode away from desaster" I have found this to be true time and time again. If you're on this board Capt Gary Goodlander, thanks for the tip..

[misfits]

IMHO.... A chart plotter/gps should be considered as nothing more than another tool in the tool box.
In this day & age too many people seem to depend on a charter plotter as a sole means of knowing where they're at. I'm not against technology but it seems to have spawned a generation of people that have no common sense.
The phrase that comes to mind , GPS grounding, recalculating.....

[Mirage35]

FWIW - I have known a couple of people who used GPS in the car who appeared to have no ability to navigate without it, but I don't think they had any ability to navigate before they had it either.

So, nothing from my personal experience, just what I read about the research.

[alctel]

I found using a car GPS I retained a lot less knowledge of the area I was going to than if I just printed out instructions and used them, or used a map. It was weird.

[MarkJ]

GPS should be banned.
Navigating by them is not real navigating. It's a supid thought that knowing where you are and knowing where you are going is useful. Its not.

Sent from a stupid phone that replaces words with weird stuff.

[Mirage35]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

GPS should be banned.
Navigating by them is not real navigating. It's a supid thought that knowing where you are and knowing where you are going is useful. Its not.

Sent from a stupid phone that replaces words with weird stuff.

Perhaps a bit extreme - I'm certainly not going there.

There seems to be good evidence that some people using GPS in cars lose the ability to know where they are. I have heard nothing to suggest that the same happens in boats, but am curious if it's the case.

Because learning how to properly use technology without losing the underlying skills is important to me.

[AiniA]

Originally Posted by Tingum

Well when you are offshore looking about really does not help!

Not sure about that. When we were going NYC to Bermuda around midnight we were almost hit bow to bow by another sailboat going Bermuda to NYC. If we had not been 'looking around', something we do at least every 10 to 15 minutes day or night, we would have had a collision. We altered course slightly to avoid trouble. There was no one in the cockpit of the other boat when we passed. No response on VHF or to an air horn at a distance of 50 feet or so. My guess is a singlehanded asleep below.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by AnglaisInHull

Perhaps a bit extreme - I'm certainly not going there.

There seems to be good evidence that some people using GPS in cars lose the ability to know where they are. I have heard nothing to suggest that the same happens in boats, but am curious if it's the case.

Because learning how to properly use technology without losing the underlying skills is important to me.

Mate.. your one off the lucky ones... you dived in at the deep end a while back and now your in the shallows..

[a64pilot]

You can predict aircraft collisions now, GPS tracking is so accurate that the collision will most likely occur right at a known way point. I've taken to steering right or rules of the road at way points as opposed to precisely flying over them.
I'd be leery of direct routing between two high traffic areas for the same reason.


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Jdege]

It's not hard to wire up a circuit that turns things off at random times...

[Stu Jackson]

We were in a rental car with a GPS in Germany a few years ago. Coming down a windy mountain road, the GPS kept telling us to Turn Left!!!. Right off the mountain!!! It evidently didn't "get" altitude, 'cuz the next town we were heading for was a mere 2,000 feet below. But left!

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You can predict aircraft collisions now, GPS tracking is so accurate that the collision will most likely occur right at a known way point. I've taken to steering right or rules of the road at way points as opposed to precisely flying over them.
I'd be leery of direct routing between two high traffic areas for the same reason.


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

For safety.....Our SOP when not in radar contact is to offset to the right 1-2 nm.