[Rhodes22-list] Don't Know Squat

[Bill Effros]

Dave,

A GPS is a lot of fun, and interesting to use once you know the basics 
of navigation.  I always have one on when I'm on board, and when I'm in 
my car.

But.

A 469 foot long cruise ship just sank to the bottom of the Aegean 
because the professionals piloting the ship knew where the ship was, but 
didn't know where the rocks were.

The QE2 grounded off Cuttyhunk Island in 1992 because the Captain didn't 
understand the relationship of the bottom of his keel to the rocks below 
it.  (I just learned this relationship is called "Squat".)

The GPS in my car signaled a left turn this afternoon 1000 feet before 
my car reached the intersection.  The indicator screen showed my car 
where it wasn't.

New sailors should learn the basics of navigation before they start 
playing with toys that take their eyes off the water.  Charts should be 
in your head in local waters, and you should know where all the 
obstructions are, and where your boat is, with nothing more than your 
eyes.  Even at night.  Even in the fog.  If you are not sure, drop 
anchor and figure it out before you move in any direction.

I watch idiots steer by their GPS every time I go out on the water.  I 
see them T-Bone each other because they are looking at a computer screen 
which hasn't a clue that there is a boat between them and the next 
waypoint.  I've seen boats stopped dead by Lobster Pots attached to 
buoys with steel cables while the captain was down below running his 
boat from the screen of his chart plotter.

Frazier is going to be sailing on Long Island Sound.  People die every 
year on Long Island Sound due to completely unnecessary chart plotter 
accidents.  Learn to use your wits before learning to use a chart 
plotter.  Learn to read charts.  Learn to use a Peloris.  Learn to 
heave-to.  Learn to set an anchor...

On most other things I agree with you, Dave,

Bill Effros







DCLewis1 at aol.com wrote:
> Frazier,    
>  
> With all due respect, I disagree with Bill regarding GPS.
>  
> We have an Iris 100 handheld compass mounted on the bulkhead.  It does  the 
> job - it’s job is to  provide a steering guide.  We’ve found that  all the 
> hoopla about triangulating, navigating, etc via  compass that is  covered in 
> Power Squadron navigation courses is possible in some circumstances -  but not all 
> circumstances.  What is easy and reliable in virtually all  boating 
> circumstances is GPS - it will tell you where you are and how to get to  where you want 
> to go.  Virtually all our navigation, apart from piloting in  constrained and 
> familiar waterways (e.g. approaches to our marina),  is  done with  GPS.  We 
> use a handheld charting GPS that tells us in  virtually real time where we are 
> on the chart displayed on the hand held unit -  there’s no need to map the 
> GPS position on to a paper chart.  We know where  we are going when we leave the 
> dock - we enter that as a way point on the GPS  chart - and the machine plots 
> our course as it is sailed until we get to our  destination or decide to turn 
> around or set a new way point.   We  steer by the compass, but we monitor 
> evolution of the track in real time on the  GPS, so we know immediately if we're 
> deviating (we often  deviate -  every tack is a deviation)  and where we are 
> with respect  to navigation hazards and aids.
>  
> Our handheld charting GPS ( and I think most hand held GPS units) tracks  
> speed, average speed, time on the water, total elapsed distance sailed,  etc, 
> etc, - it’s all part of the package.  Also, we can hit a button and it  will 
> reverse course to tell us how to find our way back via our previous way  points - 
> that may be useful someday in fog or heavy rain.
>  
>  From time-to-time we cross-reference the GPS with our paper charts to  get 
> additional info regarding bottom type, correlate hazards, etc but generally  
> our hand held GPS map display shows hazards, buoys, etc, virtually  everything 
> shown on paper charts.  The GPS chart displays on our unit are  provided by 
> MapTech -the same people that provide paper charts.
>  
> I recommend a charting GPS as a safety and convenience item.  It does  not 
> replace a compass, you still need a compass to steer by, but the  charting GPS 
> will tell you where you are, what obstacles and nav aids are  nearby, and what 
> course to steer to get to your destination.   It  will also function as an 
> anchor alarm if you overnight.
>  
> Additionally, I have found the same handheld charting GPS to be very useful  
> for motor trips, hikes, etc, and it’s fun to play with.  
>  
> Dave
>  
>  
>
>
>
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