But ultimately, I think all of
this becomes a major distraction, and if you dont know how to navigate
using
your compass, paper charts, a depth sounder, and traditional radar. The
real question is not "will my electronics fail?", it's "when will they
fail?"

I wouldn't call it a 'major distraction' but I can certainly attest to the
'WHEN will it fail' issue. Seems our autopilot computer decided to start
chattering scrambled packets onto the seatalk network. This drowned out the
GPS signal being recieved by the E-80.

I could still use the chartplotter aspects. But it was actually easier to
eye up the route on plain old paper charts. The chartplotter does have the
buoy numbering but they weren't as quick to find/read as the paper ones.
What with the scrolling around, zooming and what-not.

It also gave me the opportunity to give the guests on the boat a short
course on navigation. That and having them eyeing up the chart, instead of
all trying to see the chartplotter, kept things from getting crowded at the
helm. Granted, it was only a daylight trip from Annapolis to St. Michaels,
so it's not like it was much of a challenge.

The upside is I now have a better idea of how the network is routed. Along
with a new set of modular connectors that'll let me re-route the GPS
directly to the chart plotter should this ever happen again. The GPS was
previously routed directly to the autopilot, rather inconveniently mounted
behind a panel under the stairs. So it came down the arch, through the helm
behind the chartplotter, then down and aft along the starboard gunwale,
across the engine compartment, forward along the port gunwale, to the
autopilot. And then all the way back again to the autopilot control and
THEN the chartplotter. Go figure.