I'll have to confess that you've got me thinking about something that
hadn't occurred to me. In the 15 years since I did any cruising,
cheap gadgets probably have changed the behavior of all the other
boats. The idea that these yuppies and dot-com'ers are out there
blindly following little cursors around like a video game is so
consistent with human nature as to be inevitable. I may not like this
world I'm going to find when I get back out there again in a couple
weeks.

Every vessel is required to keep a visual watch and be able to stop
and maneuver within the limits of the visibility, regardless of the
equipment on board but that's certainly right up there with observing
road speed limits. I never had a problem with a lobsterboat back in
my cruising days. They came out of the fog, waved, and disappeared.
Few had radar or autopilots at that time. I'm sure the probability
of collision is much higher now that they do.

Maybe I should have just stuck with flying.

--

Roger Long

Roger Long wrote:

I don't know what part of Maine you've been sailing in but radar is
hardly standard equipment up here.

I have been sailing in the part that starts at Kittery and ends near
Eastport.

Decades ago I sailed the Maine coast confident that my piloting skills,
updated charts, superior eyesight, and good hearing, plus my tremendous
good luck, would keep me out of trouble.

Recently (say in the last 8 to 10 years or so) I noticed that radar sets had
gotten got a lot cheaper, a lot easier to use, and a lot less power hungry.
I also noticed that just about every 17 foot Whaler I saw in and around
Mount Desert sported a radome. Hmmmm.

Having been using a small radar for a while now, I don't think I would be
without. Further, I no longer get really dirty looks from the professional
fishermen I sometimes bump into.

Well, not actually "bump."

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

Not sure if my last post went thru. Please forgive me if I am double
posting

Wanted to say thanks to everyone for being so helpful. You have given
us alot to think about. we have the charts and cruising guides that you
suggested. We are still in the early planing stages and will have more
questions I am sure after we do some deeper research.
PS-We launched our 25 footer today for the season and we couldn't be
happier.
If anyone has any other thoughts that would be great. thanks again
Richard