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Don White Don White is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,997
Default Not so much a Luddite in my old age


"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
On Mar 17, 8:28 pm, DK wrote:
Don White wrote:
"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
I have always loved my paper charts and hand bearing compass, taking
sights and plotting my position on the cabin floor while the boat
pitches and yaws. Often I had to do this quickly because being down
below when it was rough would quickly make me seasick. However, I was
never tempted to give up my low tech ways until yesterday when I
helped a friend move his pilothouse sailboat about 10 miles. He has a
chartplotter and he sat in his captains chair watching the little boat
icon move showing its position in relation to shoals and showing his
course in relation to where we wanted to go, WOW. None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?


On a small boat... especially an open boat a mapping GPS is a real
treat.
Ihave the Garmin GPSMAP 60CX and does it ever make it easy when boating
in
unfamiliar waters.
Wouldn't leave home without it.
(yes...I do carry paper charts just in case)


On your rowboat, dummy? Got an EPIRB, too?


I thank DK for reminding me to re-register my EPIRB.


I thank him for showing his trademark ignorance.
He just can't help himself.