Wayne.B wrote:
On 5 Mar 2006 08:11:31 -0800, "Da Kine"
wrote:


If someone goes off shore with the hopes that GPS is going
to do it all for them then sooner or later, they will lose their boat
and maybe their life.


That is nonsense.

I sort of agree. The vast majority of bozos out there never lose a
boat. But, relying completely on GPS does increase your odds of
misadventure. Those who habitually employ alternatives are safer.


There is no viable alternative offshore

It isn't "offshore" that's important. You can be 50 miles off course
in the middle of the ocean without problem; its only when you approach
land that there is an issue.


other than celestial, and even
the Navy has stopped teaching it.

Urban Myth. Of course they still teach it, and its required for many
majors. I'm sure, however, that they do not spend as much time on it
as they used to.



A couple of spare GPS handhelds with some extra batteries and you are
as secure as it gets these days. You DO need to know how to use them
of course.

On this I think you're dead wrong in piloting situations. I'm not
saying I'd throw away my GPS (or the spare) but only a fool ignores a
depth sounder, compass bearings, log, radar, etc.