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Old 16-10-2020, 21:41   #1
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What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

I'm wondering how many cruising yachtsmen carry a sextant and paper charts "just in case".






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Old 16-10-2020, 21:48   #2
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

More then one GPS... “just in case”... and always paper charts...
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Old 16-10-2020, 21:57   #3
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

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More then one GPS... “just in case”... and always paper charts...
I suppose you put your GPS in the microwave?

"What to Put in the Oven
So, any time we’d see a storm approaching — or when we went to bed when we were in “lightning country” — we’d put the following in the oven and microwave:
  • Handheld GPS
  • Handheld VHF
  • Cell phone
  • Laptop and card readers and cables to connect to handheld GPS
  • Tablets with navigation program (AquaMap)
  • Digital camera
  • Chargers, spare batteries and data cards for all the above"
https://theboatgalley.com/oven/
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Old 16-10-2020, 22:06   #4
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What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

Anything not plugged in to the boat will most likely be fine. Kind of like living in Florida and if lightning hits your house.

https://shoptalos.com/products/talos...er-craft-boats

Electricity takes the path of least resistance.
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Old 16-10-2020, 22:11   #5
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

But it can’t hurt when there’s lightning around to put your stuff in the oven. Just make sure you tell the wife before she makes the next meal.
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Old 16-10-2020, 22:29   #6
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

2 Sextants, ASTRA III & a Davis, always carry paper charts even with a boat load of electrics, it would be very uncomfortable without them.

I try and use the Sextant as often as i can, if you wait until everything else has failed before dusting it of you will be lucky to place yourself in the right hemisphere never mind getting a usable fix, carrying one "just in case" is not enough, you need to use it or you will lose it (the skill)....
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Old 16-10-2020, 22:57   #7
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

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2 Sextants, ASTRA III & a Davis, always carry paper charts even with a boat load of electrics, it would be very uncomfortable without them.

I try and use the Sextant as often as i can, if you wait until everything else has failed before dusting it of you will be lucky to place yourself in the right hemisphere never mind getting a usable fix, carrying one "just in case" is not enough, you need to use it or you will lose it (the skill)....

I live right on the ocean and have an Ebbco sextant (I know they are toys) but they'd be OK to practice on? Maybe I should get a paper chart of West Australia Coast and start taking sights. (I have Jeff Toghills' book Celestial Navigation for beginners)
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Old 16-10-2020, 23:03   #8
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What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

If it makes you feel better, then have it.

Then... that...
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Old 16-10-2020, 23:09   #9
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

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If it makes you feel better, that have it.
I think I will use it just out of curiosity and a challenge (I'm going to get a Greek Fisherman's hat too)
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Old 16-10-2020, 23:15   #10
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

always have paper charts, but you also need to make sure those paper charts are up to date...GPS is king... if GPS dies, then there’s a bigger problem that a sextant can’t solve.
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Old 16-10-2020, 23:18   #11
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

It is interesting how many GPS units can be found on the boat, we had
1 Original Raymarine GPS antenna
2. AIS GPS Antenna
3, Second Garmin plotter with built in AIS/GPS
4. My Android smart phone
5. Wife's Andriod smart phone
6. Ipad no1
7. Ipad no 2
7. Sat Phone
8. Canon Waterproof Camera, take a geo tag photo for your co-ordinates

9. EPIRB (there are ones now that give GPS display)

10. PLB

11 DSC VHF Radio with built in AIS/GPS
12. Hand Held VHF with GPS



We had a steel strong box/safe we kept the switched off phones in there all the time when at sea.


I dug out the book on Navigation by non electronic means, but there was no way I was going to stay up to speed with that.
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Old 16-10-2020, 23:20   #12
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What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

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Old 16-10-2020, 23:26   #13
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

Funny that the of the shelf Furuno GPS was more accurate than the classified encrypted WRN-6 military GPS.
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Old 16-10-2020, 23:26   #14
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?

But this was also 25 years ago...
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Old 16-10-2020, 23:44   #15
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Re: What if a lightning strike destroys instrumentation?



Traditional instruments of the trade must remain critical components of both training and real-world navigation. Here on the bridge of the USS Nimitz (CVN-68), a sextant, charts, and hard-copy recording tools sit at the ready.
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