Gary Warner wrote:

We bought the handheld Garmin 72 for our little 22 footer. We won't be
doing much if any long distance navigation, but just knowing our position
and just "playing" with the thing should be fun. Goofing around with it
inside (while it's cold and snowy outside) a few questions come to mind.

Yep, they're fun.



-- Lets say you are out in open ocean and heading for a waypoint that
it programmed into the unit. If everything was calm, no wind and no
current, all you have to do it point the arrow at the waypoint. But what
if there is a current and/or wind?

The unit should have a readout for a data point called CMG or "Course Made
Good" which means, what direction are you really travelling? When this
matches the bearing to your waypoint, you are heading directly towards it
regardless of current or leeway.


Oh, any good books out there telling how to use a GPS (not a manual
for a particual unit, but a general 'how-to' book of ideas and uses?

A book that I have found very helpful & interesting is "User's Guide To GPS"
by Bonnie Dahl. Excellent info on how the system works overall and what
specific units will do as a navigating tool.

One thing that I frown on is the tendency for many people to assume that the
GPS unit will do their navigating for them. It will not, and cannot, do any
navigating. It's a great tool, but that's all it is.

Fair Skies- Doug King