Incident off Mexico

[witzgall]

That printer idea is interesting. Could you provide some details?

Originally Posted by duncan_ellison

FWIW, I am a beleiver in the technology of GPS etc. but I don't take chances.

I have two chart plotters on board which can operate together or independently, a handheld GPS, a laptop with built in GPS which can act as a back up chart plotter and in the worst case, a Tom Tom which can at least give me lat/long. Oh, and I recently discovered that the AIS is also feeding position info to the chart plotter which it seems to use as a back up if the primary RayStar is blocked.

However ... one of the most significant improvements I made to TALISA this year was the addition of a small 'cash register' type thermal printer which prints every 15 mins the lat /long, speed, wind speed and direction.

I'm too lazy to plot every nn mins on the charts, but in the event that I had a total systems failure, I could very quickly plot the last three positions and a have a very close approximation to my position.

In view of the fairly low cost of such a device and its value should the DC systems fail, I don't know why more yachts don't have this.

Duncan

[Khagan1227]

Good points SeaSeeker. Thanks for the reminder that technology works great as long as it is working.

[JeffH]

I really do wish people (read: sailors) would remember that while powerboats do make it easier for idiots to harass us (sailors) and get themselves in trouble, powerboats do not make people idiots. Why, some of my best friends are powerboaters. Jetskiiers on the other hand ...

[rebel heart]

Some of the (and probably "the") most qualified mariners in the world are "power boaters". Talk to a tug operator hauling a christmas tree rig and see if you can out-seaman him or her. I know we're talking about recreational power boaters here, but I wouldn't let it get to anyone's head that operating a sail boat for pleasure purposes is the epitome of saltiness.

[zeehag]

correct-is not the BOAT that is the problem--is the idiot using it. i have done both stink and rag boating. both have their places. hating is a problem. feeling sorry for the know nothing idjit at the helm is a good start--hating is bad karma.
of course making fun kinda goes with territory...when a stinkpotter comes at ye too close-- toss him a power squadron pamphlet! make sure it lands inside the powerboat so he gets it..

[boasun]

One minor detail about GPS & Plotters: They require power in one form or another. So if you totally loose power you are SOL with those electronic tools. That is why you should practice "Coastal Piloting" and some people should also practice Celestrial Navigation.
Universal chart is good because using your Light list you can plot the major lights and channel buoys as needed.
An you don't need power to sail your vessel and when was the last time that you made a down wind landing under sail alone??

[SeaSeeker]

Rebel heart;
The guy didn't have a hand bearing compass either, the best we could get from him was to sight across his basic nav compass and take a rough bearing sight toward the only coastal landmark he could (fortunately) identify. It did give a very rough idea where to start the search though.

boasun:
Last down wind under sail only was one year ago, Xmas day, lost engine out in Banderas Bay, had to sail into slip in the boat (which I had for only one week). Luckily light breeze was just enough, got in with novice crew and no damage, except to my nerves!!!!!!!!!

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by zeehag

sailors and stinkpotters are two different animals. sailors prepare. stinkpotters joyride.

actually most of them just get out of their cars and into their boat .. not much difference to them .. they get in their boat they go as fast as they can

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by SeaSeeker

Rebel heart;
The guy didn't have a hand bearing compass either, the best we could get from him was to sight across his basic nav compass and take a rough bearing sight toward the only coastal landmark he could (fortunately) identify. It did give a very rough idea where to start the search though.

If he only he could have gotten one more. Still, having at least one bearing to go off of will shrink the search down pretty dramatically. One good bearing, maybe another one a couple of hours later for drift, the edge of the VHF limits... better than nothing I guess.

Actually, if he knew his drift he could have done a double bearing fix. That vessel needed a qualified able seaman. Some salty dog with a hand line and knot log.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

If he only he could have gotten one more. Still, having at least one bearing to go off of will shrink the search down pretty dramatically. One good bearing, maybe another one a couple of hours later for drift, the edge of the VHF limits... better than nothing I guess.

Actually, if he knew his drift he could have done a double bearing fix. That vessel needed a qualified able seaman. Some salty dog with a hand line and knot log.

Also where they departed from, at what time and where they were headed, at what speed (mobo an advantage on that ).

Same brand of Chartplotter might have helped, ask where it would have taken the boat

[simonmd]

Originally Posted by zeehag

......... sailors and stinkpotters are two different animals. sailors prepare. stinkpotters joyride.

Bloody cheek! (very true though....)
On my 'stinkboat', I have 2 chartplotters, 2 GPS units, a handheld GPS and a charged laptop with a GPS reciever, all this in addition to proper paper charts as backup. However, I know that im not in the majority, most powerboat owners are just out for a bit of day joyriding and usualy don't even loose sight of their own marina.

As for jetskis, dont get me started, the cyclists of the sea!!!

[S/V_Surya]

Originally Posted by JeffH

I really do wish people (read: sailors) would remember that while powerboats do make it easier for idiots to harass us (sailors) and get themselves in trouble, powerboats do not make people idiots. Why, some of my best friends are powerboaters. Jetskiiers on the other hand ...

I wouldn't let my sister marry one.

[Blue Stocking]

Help!! I am in distress, and I am waiting for a SAILBOAT to come to my rescue. Yeah!! right.

[capn_billl]

Even with no backup GPS, common sense should tell you where you are at. If you don't know where you are, you shouldn't be out of sight of land. (or for that matter on a boat unsupervised).

[highseas]

A $10. bulk pack of AA batteries will keep most handheld GPS's going for a long long time,power failure or not!