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(Parallax) wrote in message . com...
Jack Dale wrote in message . ..
On 24 Jan 2004 09:18:25 -0800, (Parallax)
wrote:

Any other useful things?

Portland Plotter - after one of my coastal navigation students showed
me one I put away the parallel rules. I still like a Douglas
protractor, but I use the parallel rules as an antique. The Plotter
is my mainstay.

After I demonstrate all 3, almost all of my students opt for the
Portland Plotter.

Jack

Oh, so that's a Portland Plotter. I actually used once when I flew on
a friends AeroStar plane in the late 80s. Useful in confined areas
for doing stuff with charts.

Thanks (the best gadget yet, simple and effective)

Portland Plotter? I'll do a search on it.

I hate the parallel rules because they are hard to use with the chart
spread on a pitching cabin floor. Instead I use my hand bearing
compass mounted to aplastic square I can align with north and
perpendicular to the edge of the chart. I have a protractor mounted
to it so I can rotate it about the compass axis. Works for me.
Around here, in most cases, i can ignore the difference between
magnetic north and true north.

I seriously considered the Fujinon 10X50 binocs with internal compass
but decided that I have never wanted to take a bearing on anything
with binocs so bought the ones without the compass. So, I still use
my trusty Suunto hand compass (the kind with the mirror) that has
lasted through many caving and sailing trips.