On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 20:01:02 -0500, Jeff Morris
wrote:

Sailors in 1975 were much better navigators than today.

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That's probably a true statement as far as it goes. We had to be
"better" navigators in terms of skill breadth and techniques. It was
a matter of survival. To some that was all part of the challenge and
fun, to others it was just something that had to be done so that you
got where you were going. Reality is however, that many of those
skills are doomed to obsolesence except among those who keep them
alive as a hobby, just like knowing how to shoe your own horse or brew
your own beer. Is that a bad thing? Perhaps, but there is a good
side also. It is REALLY nice to know where you are at all times, and
if practiced prudently, is a lot safer also.

Sailing in the 70s was not always experienced navigators skillfully
finding their way no matter what. I still remember calls to the Coast
Guard from those lost in the fog asking for a RDF bearing to their
boat. The USCG actually offered that service in the early 70s believe
it or not, and could sometimes provide an approximate two bearing fix.
The one thing they would not do was provide directions for obvious
liability reasons. They would come out and try to find you however if
it looked like you were in danger as a result of being lost, and it
was not uncommon. Every person I know from that era, regardless of
skills, quickly jumped on the latest technology breakthrough as soon
as it became available at a reasonable price.