I repeat, WE'RE NOT TALKING BIG SHIP CRAP HERE!

Depth sounders give a depth for sure and generally they are
pretty accurate. However, what good is a depth when a
vessel could be any number of miles along a contour or on
a flat? Answer - no good at all. What matters is lat/lon with
high degrees of accuracy. Knowing your depth is very vague
information at best when attempting to place a fix on a chart.

Small sailing yachts can rely on GPS so they do not need depth
sounders as much as big ships. When a small sailing yacht is
getting into dangerously shallow water the eyes of an experienced
will look at the wave action, color of the water etc. and be able
to ascertain the depth to a high degree of accuracy.

Now, get out of here and go back to rec.boats where you belong.

S.Simon

"Shen44" wrote in message ...
Subject: Faulty depth finder attributed to whale attack!!
From: "Simple Simon"
Date: 10/07/2003 08:10 Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Bull****. A chart shows contours, bottom make up such as
rock, sand, shell etc., possible upcoming obstructions and
the like. This info is simply not available on a yacht depth
sounder.

S.Simon - not talking about big ship crap here . . .

Not talking about "big ship crap" .... talking about Navigation.
A chart is nothing more than a "picture" of an area that you may be in .... by
itself, it's useless, until you can start applying other information, gleaned
from other sources to locate yourself in a position on that chart.
A fathometer, be it a recording, digital readout, or blinking light will help
give you information to locate that position (personally, prefer the
recording).
Prior to the advent of all the electronic nav aids, such as LORAN, GPS,
fathometers were much more frequently used to check, and even locate, ones
position on a chart, be it in shallow or deep water.
It's just another tool you have available .... shame you don't understand it's
use .... but expected .....

Shen