Does anybody actually use their nav station?

[Joli]

We always use the nav station for nav work. Gotta admit the laptop takes up much less room then the paper charts. We also keep a chartlet in the aft cockpit when going up or down river to tick off the marks as we pass them.

[defjef]

I use my nav station where I have all my instruments and electric controls and plotting instruments. The surface is large enough for all but the largest paper charts. On passages plots are charted on paper. For typical weekend stuff it's digital.

The companionway hatch as a lift up plexi cover where you can place a paper chart and it won't blow away or get wet. Hardly every use it, but it was a clever idea by the designer.

Digital charting lets you see your progress position without having to "work" and so this kind of charting can now be almost anywhere. Communications like SSB is better below at the chart table I suppose.

Lots and lots of wires... eh Bill?

[David_Old_Jersey]

I replied with chart table - but on reflection this is when underway, but for initial planning / day dreaming will use the Saloon table - mainly cos' I do not have a comfy seat at the Nav table and more room to spread out / put me coffee and ashtray

But underway the chart table area just keeps all the "stuff" together.....and frees up the saloon table for important stuff. Like eating

Chart table on a 30 Footer? (mine does not look like this.....yet!)

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

Once upon a time...

Chart tables were used almost exclusively for charts. Paper charts. That's all there was.

Even very small boats, like the 30' Wanderer in her around-the-world voyages had a full-size chart table! One which could take full-size paper charts. Wow...how many of us have one of these, these days? Even on 50-footers!

.........

I kinda like my nav station, though it doesn't much resemble the full-size chart table on Wanderer, which recorded a hellava lot more miles than I have :-)

Bill

Yes, previous boat was a Wanderer class (a Sir L Giles design), - sail number II, built in NZ - complete with a chart table (nav station).
As others have mentioned, it was my personal space and very welcome in a small boat. Had the sounder, GPS, VHF, HF, 27 MHz, AM radio, Stereo all jamed in around it, just enough room for charts, current sight reduction tables, almanac, pilot, tide tables, rulers, pencils and the rest of the fruit. Even had the switch panel, circuit breakers, meters etc above it. Couldn't fit the sextant so that was stowed nearby. Was a great place to sit when not needed on deck - sort of like the nerve center of the boat.

Funny but I can't seem to fit one into my current 31 ft van DeStat dogger - will miss that space.

[David M]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Of course, the question presupposes that one actually has a Nav' Station.
What's a "chartplotter"?
[I'm not totally ignorant: I know what a pencil is]

Hi Gordon,
An electronic chart, pretty much. Your right, the name is a little misleading.

Chartplotter - Wikipedia

David

[Pelagic]

When coasting (day or night) the paper chart is always prepared with bold parallel index lines and numbers showing safe distances off conspicuous radar targets along my optimum course.

If the laptop gets Demonized the radar and paper chart keeps me out of trouble.

Although it doesn’t show on this photo, I have a thin piece of clear plexiglass to cover and fix the chart on the nav table so that I can use the plexi with a grease pencil to plot my position by radar if I needed to.

(Also protects the chart from the coffee drips)

[Microship]

It took some agonizing, but my chart table ended up becoming the communications station... which includes all the usual radio gear plus ham equipment, digital modes, a dedicated Mac Mini, data collection tools, and so on.

The primary chartplotter lives at the inside helm, which conveniently has a swivel seat the spins to face a small table-for-two in the pilothouse. So that's where charts end up also.

Cheers,
Steve

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by Microship

It took some agonizing, but my chart table ended up becoming the communications station... which includes all the usual radio gear plus ham equipment, digital modes, a dedicated Mac Mini, data collection tools, and so on.

The primary chartplotter lives at the inside helm, which conveniently has a swivel seat the spins to face a small table-for-two in the pilothouse. So that's where charts end up also.

Cheers,
Steve

But the important part is... how did you like the Little Cod this winter???

[Microship]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

But the important part is... how did you like the Little Cod this winter???

Heh... was just thinking about that this morning. It's not installed yet, but the stove is done, as well as the beautiful custom stainless shelf and heat shield. Now I just have to sail over to Orcas Island and slither into the "ditch," a narrow little slot with a small marina that, occasionally, has room for a boat... whereupon we'll Drill the Big Hole in the Deck *shudder* and install it.

Then we will have some serious stove-amortizing to do! Might even have to go north, just to increase the ROI.

Cheers,
Steve

[Ex-Calif]

I am sure not many will appreciate this but as a sailor and a pilot I am often amused by the navigation threads around here.

"How big is your chart table" and "You are crazy for not tracking your location minute by minute on paper charts" and "I wouldn't leave San Diego harbor for a daysail without a full set of paper charts for the entire world to back up my 2 chartplotters and 3 handheld GPSs"

I get it - long range cruising is boring so shooting stars and working out celestial plots is fun. But I can't believe you need to do it hourly. Really how lost can you get going 6 knots?

For pilot's (going anywhere from 200kts to mach 2) here is our chart table...



I have not done any long range cruising but most cruising boats I have been on around here has a laptop and a GPS and may have some paper charts under a mattress somewhere for backup.

[David M]

Dan,
I don't think there is any hard and fast rule. It all depends on how fast you are going, how many hazards are around and your visibility. That's most of it in a nutshell. The whole goal is to not hit anything hard and to find your destination and if you are doing that successfully then you are doing fine.

David

[Pelagic]

Just a quick question Dan? How many reefs do you find up there in those dangerous clouds?

Pilots really only have to worry about taking off and landing in the right place. They are "controlled and monitored" the rest of the way and staying awake seems to be the biggest challenge outside of punching in all the right route numbers.


Exageration is a bi*ch...aint it? LOL

[David M]

LOL Pelagic! I thought their greatest fear was crappy airline food.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Just a quick question Dan? How many reefs do you find up there in those dangerous clouds?

Pilots really only have to worry about taking off and landing in the right place. They are "controlled and monitored" the rest of the way and staying awake seems to be the biggest challenge outside of punching in all the right route numbers.


Exageration is a bi*ch...aint it? LOL

Does this count as a reef?

[Lancerbye]

hell you can see that. It's an island. LOL