Paper Charts Now Unnecessary

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by svBeBe

Wow. Just wow. I saw the title of this thread in the box on the right showing Recent Discussions. Thought a discussion about paper charts still being necessary might be enlightening. But 52 pages of 774 comments????

Way too long a thread to read. Moving on.

Judy

It WAS enlightening.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Im with Rebel Heart on this one !! And Im still willing to buy those out dated charts you folks with those fancy plotters have deemed Out Dated !! So far all of ya have backed water on the sale of your OUT DATED Charts !! LOL Im still buying !! To add to the 50 + lbs of charts I allready have aboard !!

If such a person came by my boat and started grilling me, I'd hand him a beer. That's what I did with my smaill children on long airplane flights (no, not beer!) -- I kept giving them little snacks -- Cheerios, raisins, etc., because they couldn't bicker or start fights and eat at the same time.

[wolfenzee]

I ended up having to get a "smart phone" (needed a replacement phone in a hurry and store didn't sell basic phones". And out the the hundreds of thousands of useless apps (Google advertises they have 250,000 android apps) I found one that not only turns my phone into a GPS but does celestial navigation calculations as well as a few other goodies....and it is free.

[bobconnie]

Don't worry about us ever coming by your boat Racu, we seldom go to marinas !!

[wolfenzee]

Everything I have said against the over dependance of electronics...my sight reduction tables are on a CD and my laptops....though I do have a couple of books (remember those) printed in 1940 & 1943 that tells you how to figure your position with out tables.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Don't worry about us ever coming by your boat Racu, we seldom go to marinas !!

But if you do, I always have some cold beer aboard.

Besides, it wasn't you describing holding an inquisition over navigation skills.

[bobconnie]

AHHH must be my mistake! But then why Quote me ??? and I don't drink beer LOL

[Travelnik]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

I kept giving them little snacks -- Cheerios, raisins, etc., because they couldn't bicker or start fights and eat at the same time.

Obviously, you never met my family!

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

AHHH must be my mistake! But then why Quote me ??? and I don't drink beer LOL

Sorry, Bob, I don't remember what you said, but ... not interested in quarreling over this. I don't drink beer either, but it's an easy courtesy to have some.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Guys, just go walk up and down the docks. Ask the people with chart plotters if they know how to calculate set and drift, and ask them to do it for you. Ask them the difference between variance and deviation.

Yes...This is what I never hear on any forum...deviation and variation. I first started my sailing journey in 1976. I was in the Canadian Power Squadron classes. The very first thing we learned was proper navigation, How to calculate current set, variation of compass, how and why it changes, where to find that information and so on. They really emphasized compass deviation. Hell...I doubt one skipper you talk to these days actually knows if his compass has been swung in or not.
So I know plotters are the rave and for good reason but it does not take the place of seat of the pants navigation.
I'll put on my hard hat now...

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Yes...This is what I never hear on any forum...deviation and variation. I first started my sailing journey in 1976. I was in the Canadian Power Squadron classes. The very first thing we learned was proper navigation, How to calculate current set, variation of compass, how and why it changes, where to find that information and so on. They really emphasized compass deviation. Hell...I doubt one skipper you talk to these days actually knows if his compass has been swung in or not.
So I know plotters are the rave and for good reason but it does not take the place of seat of the pants navigation.
I'll put on my hard hat now...

I just got my compass back from a compass alignment technician in Everett, It's an old 5" card DIRIGO flat compass,not sure how old because the company has been making the same design since 1907. It is now installed in an antique bronze binnacle, t was a tight squeeze, but it fits perfectly. I built a mount for it out of Silver Bali and Iron Bark. Not only is it more accurate than the bulkhead compass that came with the boat it is alot closer to the helmsman.
As far as getting it properley "swung in" my boat is a wooden boat and the compass is pretty far from any mass of iron or electrical activity, though I will ask if it is actually worth the trouble, he seemed to think on my boat it didn't matter,

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Yes...This is what I never hear on any forum...deviation and variation. I first started my sailing journey in 1976. I was in the Canadian Power Squadron classes. The very first thing we learned was proper navigation, How to calculate current set, variation of compass, how and why it changes, where to find that information and so on. They really emphasized compass deviation. Hell...I doubt one skipper you talk to these days actually knows if his compass has been swung in or not.
So I know plotters are the rave and for good reason but it does not take the place of seat of the pants navigation.
I'll put on my hard hat now...

compass deviation ??????? whats that???????????

[Travelnik]

Originally Posted by downunder

compass deviation ??????? whats that???????????

That's what 2 (or more) consenting compasses do in the privacy of their own homes.

Kinky bastiches!

[wolfenzee]

If a magnetic compass says one thing and the GPS compass (based on your movement) says another...is one right and one wrong. The compass shows your heading and the GPS shows your bearing, these can be different due to current or wind. And/or the compass could be out of adjustment and/or the GPS could not have been tracking in a straight line long enough to have an accurate reading.

[rebel heart]

The chart plotter is not the problem. The "hey look I have a chart plotter I don't need to know a single other god damn thing about navigation!" is the problem.