Ted wrote:

snip
Jack, the subject line says "...why do we use GPS to track buoys??"
Do you use your GPS to navigate to buoys?
With how many of them have you collided?

You changed the subject to read that way, and you asked "Now that we
have GPS, why are buoys needed anymore?" The subject, the rhetorical
question, and the following posts lead me to conclude that you meant
that buoys are unnecessary with GPS. Did I get that wrong?

I have used GPS to navigate to within a reasonable distance of buoys.
If I put a GPS waypoint near a buoy, I offset the waypoint from where
the GPS thinks the buoy is. And if I or the autopilot steer to the
waypoint, I don't expect that to hit the buoy or count on it to miss it.
I use my eyes and/or maybe radar to do that.

I've not hit one. Not yet anyway. I can remember a couple of times of
bad conditions and equipment breakdown or uncertainty when I would have
been glad for a very near miss on one though. Just to acquire it
visually, read its markings, and get that warm fuzzy feeling again.

I'm one of the old geezers that is looking at charts too. I've not kept
a pure DR plot on paper in a long time but would do it if was the only
way I could get a warm fuzzy feeling.

To answer your question, "..why are buoys needed anymore?" I'd say they
they great for inducing warm fuzzy feelings in the hearts and minds of
those of us who consider it unwise to put all our eggs in one basket.
Hey! That's almost an Easter joke.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)