Roger Long wrote:
Someone, probably me, wrote:

With a 25 footer you should be very sure to have a radar and
electronic piloting gear. If your 25 footer is an outboard, you should
make your way only in settled weather with good visibility.

Nonsense! (But, like much nonsense, good advice.)

Maybe someone else knows what this means, but I don't.

Don't let lack of radar stop you. Unless you really train in how to
interpret it, it may actually distract you dangerously ...

I used to believe that sailing the Maine coast was only for the hardy and
well prepared (piloting-wise), and by and large I still do. But these days
there is _no_ excuse for laying the onus on the lobsterman and running
without radar. If a person decides to go without radar in these waters,
what he is essentially saying is: "Hey, I'm just up here to have a good
time, so please keep your eye on your radar. While you are pulling your
traps and a hundred or so other things, stare at the radar so you don't
spoil my fun, run over me and my kids, and kill me." Strangely, many
fishermen don't take kindly to this.

The original poster who is learning the "piloting ropes" to prepare for this
expedition should also take into account the possibility that laying a GPS
course to (or cleaning out the ear wax to be able to hear) a bell buoy
involves the assumption that the bell buoy is still where you think it was 2
years ago when the chart was printed. Often this is the case.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.home.comcast.net/