Excellent... you determined both set & drift as well?? That's not easy on a
current that appears to average at over 2 knots at times.

Observing the track set on the GPS, sailing on a reach, with 1.5-2.5 knots of
current against, we only deviated from our track by about a mile. Once 20 miles
of the return trip were under the keel we could see the Manhattan skyline and
it became a line-of-site sail, though i maintained a specific (245 If I
remember right) SW compass heading anyway.

RB

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| Excellent... you determined both set & drift as well?? That's not easy on
a
| current that appears to average at over 2 knots at times.
|
| Observing the track set on the GPS, sailing on a reach, with 1.5-2.5 knots
of
| current against, we only deviated from our track by about a mile. Once 20
miles
| of the return trip were under the keel we could see the Manhattan skyline
and
| it became a line-of-site sail, though i maintained a specific (245 If I
| remember right) SW compass heading anyway.

So I take it that you only used the GPS on occasion to verify your chart
plot and rightly considered a cross track [drift] error of one mile in 20 as
not worth concern as long as you knew where you would be on arrival to
corrected waypoint?

Excellent Bob... this is what I was hoping to gently persuade you to discuss
in the first place.

I often find myself too lazy to tweak and set trim to compensate for this as
well... especially when I have dinner in the oven and the heel is perfect
for cooking while underway. Good Show!

CM

So I take it that you only used the GPS on occasion to verify your chart
plot and rightly considered a cross track [drift] error of one mile in 20 as
not worth concern as long as you knew where you would be on arrival to
corrected waypoint?

Actually, some dumb behavior on my part. I failed to put fresh batteries aboard
for the the GPS and left the new power cable home. I was "spot" using the GPS
by Sunday and I even failed to buy batteries at port jeff!
Yes, the small drift was just not a factor over such a short distance. The most
I know about the Sound's bottom is that taking more "near coastal" tracks can
ease current woes. On the other hand, I was expecting wind direction changes
and I wanted more course options afforded by being in the center of the sound.

RB

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
Yes, the small drift was just not a factor over such a short distance. The
most
I know about the Sound's bottom is that taking more "near coastal" tracks
can
ease current woes. On the other hand, I was expecting wind direction
changes
and I wanted more course options afforded by being in the center of the
sound.

OK! I was just about to ask about this. A two knot current is quite
significant.
Even allowing for the potential wind changes, I would have assumed that you
would have been much better off trying to stay in close.

How many hours of contrary tide did you have? What was the wind direction
? What was your course?

Is there a chart on-line?


Regards

Donal
--

Even allowing for the potential wind changes, I would have assumed that you
would have been much better off trying to stay in close.

How many hours of contrary tide did you have? What was the wind direction
? What was your course?

Is there a chart on-line?

Yes, I probably should have headed in for less current, but we were having a
grand time. Current ran against us from around 1:30 to 4:30. 245-250 SW was our
course, I believe. I have no idea if there's a chart online. I think Maptech
may have some freebee charts of the area.
Even yesterday, sailing out of Manhasset, we faced heavy current in the
afternoon, making our 7 knots into 4.7-5.0 OG.

RB

How many hours of contrary current,etc other bull ****

Who the hell cares? Is each time a pleasure sail is made is it really
necessary to log every fart, every tack made, every change in wind
speed, every tide change?

I don't do that kind of log keeping. I'm wondering just how many of this
group really makes a log entry and completion of every afternoons sail
around the Bay? I DON'T. I don't really keep a running log of a simple
overnite in my immediate sailing area. I enjoy sailing! I hate paper
work! Keeping a running log is dumb paper work. If you like doing it,
then by all means do it. I think of all the millions of useless logs
recorded on private recreational boats is something that is over done.

I'm not a good log keeper. My log has more entries this season with less
sailing than I can ever remember. I logged the date of the new bottom,
the new main and the changes made because of it. Even at that I'm not
sure I haven't over done it? My filed copies of the paid bills are more
necessary than the log.

You pencil pushers enjoy your log duties. Don't expect to see a history
of each sail I've taken. You won't find it.

Right or wrong, that's the thrufffff and:

"I'll Drink to That!"

Ole Thom
P/S I'm heading for the Boat right now. Have a lot of catching up to do;
Wind is calm (below 5 knots)
Weather Forcast Rain
Distination (?)
Point of Departure Squilcum Harbor, Bellingham, Washington
Estimated time of Voyage (?)
Time of departure About a half an hour from now (1000 o:clock)
Completion When I'm ready
Crew list "Jazz" my dog

So there

"Thom Stewart" wrote in message
...
How many hours of contrary current,etc other bull ****

Who the hell cares? Is each time a pleasure sail is made is it really
necessary to log every fart, every tack made, every change in wind
speed, every tide change?

16 years ago, I set out on my first sea voyage. I was in a power boat that
was capable of doing 39 kts - according to the sales brochure.

The trip was from Chichester to Bembridge, and the distance was 6 miles
(IIRC).

I spent hours, if not days, planning the trip. I worked out the tidal
stream, magnetic variation and our course to steer. I tried to plot a
position every 10 minutes(very difficult on a power boat that is bouncing
along at 20 kts). Visibility was poor (1/2 mile). I cannot describe the
pride that I felt when the Bembridge Entrance marker appeared less than 100
yards off our port bow.

For the return trip, I didn't bother to do a passage plan. I simply
reversed the course. We ended up 4 miles west of Chichester entrance.
That was on a 6 mile trip!! Variation accounted for an 8 degree error and
the tide did the rest.

Bob claims that he has just done his first 50 mile trip. I would suggest
that there is nothing in his posts to suggest that he has just navigated 50
miles for the first time ever.


My first cross channel trip (75 miles) involved days of planning. Now I do
it in 15 minutes max.

You have many years of experience, and therefore feel confident at sea.
Bobsprit has never undertaken a long trip before, and therefore would do a
lot of planning, if he were the skipper.


Let's face it. If Bob actually did do the trip, then he wasn't the
skipper.






I don't do that kind of log keeping. I'm wondering just how many of this
group really makes a log entry and completion of every afternoons sail
around the Bay? I DON'T. I don't really keep a running log of a simple
overnite in my immediate sailing area. I enjoy sailing! I hate paper
work! Keeping a running log is dumb paper work.

Your comments are absolutely correct. I don't keep a log when I am sailing
in the Solent. However, Bob was describing a big adventure to a
destination that was well outside his normal cruising grounds.


Regards


Donal
--

Let's face it. If Bob actually did do the trip, then he wasn't the
skipper.

You're right! Suzanne handled most of the Nav stuff. I had the GPS in my pocket
and steered like a bus driver. She pointed right and left and I followed.
Seems to work!

RB

That's fast. I didn't know Cementa could do 300 knots.

Cheers MC

Donal wrote:



My first cross channel trip (75 miles) involved days of planning. Now I do
it in 15 minutes max.

I hera what you say but if ever there is an accident you will wish you
had a log.

Cheers MC

Thom Stewart wrote:

How many hours of contrary current,etc other bull ****


Who the hell cares? Is each time a pleasure sail is made is it really
necessary to log every fart, every tack made, every change in wind
speed, every tide change?

I don't do that kind of log keeping. I'm wondering just how many of this
group really makes a log entry and completion of every afternoons sail
around the Bay? I DON'T. I don't really keep a running log of a simple
overnite in my immediate sailing area. I enjoy sailing! I hate paper
work! Keeping a running log is dumb paper work. If you like doing it,
then by all means do it. I think of all the millions of useless logs
recorded on private recreational boats is something that is over done.

I'm not a good log keeper. My log has more entries this season with less
sailing than I can ever remember. I logged the date of the new bottom,
the new main and the changes made because of it. Even at that I'm not
sure I haven't over done it? My filed copies of the paid bills are more
necessary than the log.

You pencil pushers enjoy your log duties. Don't expect to see a history
of each sail I've taken. You won't find it.

Right or wrong, that's the thrufffff and:

"I'll Drink to That!"

Ole Thom
P/S I'm heading for the Boat right now. Have a lot of catching up to do;
Wind is calm (below 5 knots)
Weather Forcast Rain
Distination (?)
Point of Departure Squilcum Harbor, Bellingham, Washington
Estimated time of Voyage (?)
Time of departure About a half an hour from now (1000 o:clock)
Completion When I'm ready
Crew list "Jazz" my dog

So there