In order? 1 Depth 2 VHF 3 Stereo 4 GPS 5 Plotter 6 Speed 7 wind 8 radar or AIS, depending on area of use; offshore, I'm not sure that AIS isn't the more valuable tool 9 SSB
Andy C&C 40 Peregrine On Thu, Jan 16, 2014 at 8:30 AM, Dr. Mark Bodnar <drbod...@accesswave.ca>wrote: > > For me this brings up a good question. I'm intrigued to hear that > Curtis's new GPS has several additional features I didn't expect. > > If you were starting from scratch - what electronics would you put on the > boat. > Speed and depth are obvious. Seems thru hull depth sounder is preferable > if you don't already have a hole. > Mast head wind instruments? > Chartplotter/GPS? Handheld GPS backup? > VHF and handhelf VHF > Later on the list an autopilot > Not sure about radar - we get pretty serious fog, but not sure how much > I'll be out sailing in it > > I've read lots about the challenges of getting different systems to talk - > so I assume a suite of electronics from one manufacturer would be simpler. > Preferences - quality, cost, value > > Not like I'm going to jump in all at once, but my new boat only has speed, > depth and a VHF - and I expect I'll be adding to that as I move forwards - > I want to make sure I don't have to go backwards because I made a bad early > choice. > > Thoughts appreciated, > Mark > > --------------------- > Dr. Mark Bodnar > B.Sc., D.C., FCCOPR(C) > Bedford Chiropractic > --------------------- > > There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval. > - George Santayana > > On 16/01/2014 8:31 AM, Curtis wrote: > > Glad you guys are sharing this. This is my First time learning how to use > the gps. I sail in sight of land most of the time. I do want to learn and > go of shore this spring. If fact, That's why I got a new GPS. keep in mind > I have been studying paper charts and dead reckoning I do understand that > the fundamentals should not be bypassed in lew of technology. I will be > using the GPS/ Sonar and I find that is a great tool. You got to admit it. > It gives me Local weather, temp, sonar Depth, Local marinas with phone > numbers, it gives me tides and velocity, It has a WiFi hot spot.It has > anchor drag alarms. It has a snooze alarm. The modern Garmin is not junk. > How ever that being said, It is a tool and only a tool. I've seen paper > charts that if followed you would be high and dry on a sand bar as well. > They are all tools and should be used only with a human looking and seeing > and using piloting skills learned form experience. I think as far as tool > go for helping a sailor find his way its a great invention. We should not > be afraid of technology but we should never forgo basic fundamentals on > navigation. > there in a nut shell is my 2 cents. > Cheers, Curtis > > > > On Wed, Jan 15, 2014 at 9:19 PM, Rick Brass <rickbr...@earthlink.net>wrote: > >> About 15-20 years ago, when GPS started to become ubiquitous, it was >> not uncommon to hear about GPS assisted groundings where a skipper set a >> waypoint here, and a waypoint over there a few miles, and forgot to look at >> the shoal or headland between the two waypoints. So much so that the Power >> Squadron Piloting course segment on GPS navigation was changed to teach >> folks to avoid the situation. >> >> >> >> Then when GPS accuracy increase significantly, there was rash of GPS >> assisted collisions with objects. I had a friend, a two time >> circumnavigator with decades of wxperience, who used a channel market for a >> waypoint and left a big blue paints stripe on the marker as his boat >> scraped along side. And a far less experienced local was bringing his >> new-to-him Bermuda 40 home under full sail, using all those expensive >> instruments to steer the boat, when he ran head on into a channel turning >> marker mounted on a dolphin made of 3 12” telephone poles. Actually I was >> really impressed by the Bermuda 40, which had bent the polished stainless >> CQR and the bow pulpit when it hit the dolphin, but which did not even >> crack the fiberglass of the boat. Again the course was changed to teach >> offset waypoints. >> >> >> >> Now you hear about the occasional collision between boats using almost >> the same waypoints to steer a route. And on my recent delivery up the ICW >> from Port Royal to Pamlico Sound, I saw an uncomfortable number of boats >> who seemed to be following the ”Magenta Line” with no one at the helm. I >> can recall several stretches of the ICW where I was firmly in the middle of >> the cut, but the boat icon was in the weeds on the chart and the Magenta >> Line was a fair bit away from it. At times like that is is good to recall >> that the positions shown on the chart were determined 25, 45, 65, or more >> years ago by using methods far less accurate than GPS. >> >> >> >> Makes sense that the warning on electronic navigation devices say they >> should not be your only means of navigation. The rule should be that you be >> at the helm and keep your eyes out of the boat. >> >> >> >> Maybe the GPS should have a button that needs to be pressed at random >> intervals of 2 minutes or less, and if not pressed the boat stops. Think of >> it as a sort of “deadman switch” for the terminally stupid boater. >> >> >> >> *From:* CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] *On Behalf Of *Dennis >> C. >> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 15, 2014 4:44 PM >> *To:* Cn Clist >> *Subject:* Stus-List Setting GPS Waypoints (long) >> >> >> >> I made a transit with a learning sailor who had just bought a new >> handheld GPS. It was a lower priced model with a map but not a true >> chartplotter. He wanted to see The Rigolets, the outlet of Lake >> Pontchartrain, so he wouldn't be intimidated should he ever do it himself. >> >> >> >> As we made turn after turn along the route, I noticed he wasn't setting >> any waypoints in his GPS. I mentioned it and he said he didn't need to >> because all the marks were in the pre-loaded database in the GPS. I >> suggested to him that it might be a good idea to have waypoints set in the >> middle of the channels where he wanted to turn rather than using the fixed >> marks that lined the channel. He thought about it and then the light came >> on. >> >> >> >> On another occasion, I helped a friend bring his new boat home from >> across the lake. It had a nice Raymarine charplotter. Imagine his >> amazement when, as we motored down the middle of Mandeville Harbor, the >> symbol for the boat on his chartplotter went through the middle of the >> seawall on our port side. What if the visibility had been zero and we were >> totally relying on the chartplotter? I have a waypoint set a hundred yards >> or so off the entrance. I can arrive at the mark then feel my way into the >> harbor entrance in low visibility once I have visual contact with the >> lights or seawalls. >> >> >> >> I have two fixed mount GPS's and 1 handheld (kept in a waterproof pouch >> with the batteries removed). The fixed mounted GPS's are at the >> helmstation and navstation and are routed through a switch so that one or >> the other is interfaced with the instruments and autosteerer. >> >> >> >> Anyway, relative to the subject line, ALL the waypoints in my GPS's are >> *OBSERVED*, That is, I took the boat to the spot where I wanted the >> waypoint and hit the "Mark" button on the GPS unit. If I'm not comfortable >> with it, I've been known to swing the boat around and go back and re-mark >> it. I always delete the other one. >> >> >> >> If I'm going somewhere new, I may enter a waypoint from a chart but once >> I reach that point, I may adjust it according to where I really want it >> when I observe the conditions at the waypoint. >> >> >> >> I'm always amazed at how many boaters use government marks, bridges, etc. >> for waypoints. For instance, I set a waypoint on either side of a bridge >> opening. I don't want to use the center of the opening. Never know when >> you're going to arrive in a thick fog or other adverse conditions. >> Government marks, buoys, bridges, etc. are things to be avoided, not to be >> used for waypoints. >> >> >> >> My mid-channel waypoints are set such that I am well away from points, >> shoals, etc. If I need more than one waypoint to navigate safely around a >> bend, I set them. I can always cut the corner in good visibility. >> >> >> >> So, the next time you enter a waypoint in your GPS, ask yourself "Is this >> REALLY where I want my boat to be in zero visibility?" >> >> >> >> Still, having waypoints you are comfortable with doesn't relieve you from >> maintaining a diligent watch or totally, completely trusting them. >> Remember, aids to navigation and navigational aids are used to help you, >> the boatowner, skipper, to properly navigate. >> >> >> >> I still have paper charts on board and, although I don't have a sextant, >> I do know how to determine my position by triangulation using a hand held >> compass and charted objects on the shore and waterways. The paper charts >> are always out for reference every time I make a long passage. >> >> >> >> Dennis C. >> >> Touche' 35-1 #83 >> >> Mandeville, LA >> >> _______________________________________________ >> This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album >> http://www.cncphotoalbum.com >> CnC-List@cnc-list.com >> >> > > > -- > > *At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much. - Robin Lee > Graham* > > > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo > Albumhttp://www.cncphotoalbum.comcnc-l...@cnc-list.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album > http://www.cncphotoalbum.com > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > > -- Andrew Burton 61 W Narragansett Ave Newport, RI USA 02840 http://sites.google.com/site/andrewburtonyachtservices/ phone +401 965 5260
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