I have always loved my paper charts and hand bearing compass, taking
sights and plotting my position on the cabin floor while the boat
pitches and yaws. Often I had to do this quickly because being down
below when it was rough would quickly make me seasick. However, I was
never tempted to give up my low tech ways until yesterday when I
helped a friend move his pilothouse sailboat about 10 miles. He has a
chartplotter and he sat in his captains chair watching the little boat
icon move showing its position in relation to shoals and showing his
course in relation to where we wanted to go, WOW. None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?

On Mar 17, 12:32 pm, wrote:
On Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:03:16 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch

wrote:
I have always loved my paper charts and hand bearing compass, taking
sights and plotting my position on the cabin floor while the boat
pitches and yaws. Often I had to do this quickly because being down
below when it was rough would quickly make me seasick. However, I was
never tempted to give up my low tech ways until yesterday when I
helped a friend move his pilothouse sailboat about 10 miles. He has a
chartplotter and he sat in his captains chair watching the little boat
icon move showing its position in relation to shoals and showing his
course in relation to where we wanted to go, WOW. None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?

Having a chartploter doesn't prevent you from navigating the "old way"
and just using the chartplotter for verification, or when you simply
prefer to use it.

I have two chartplotters. I still have days when I use the paper chart
just because I enjoy doing it that way.

I have a pretty slick little laptop nav table that I find
indispensable. I don't think they are made any longer but sometimes
they show up on Ebay.

search on Ebay for "Ritchie+Chart"

Weems still makes something that is somewhat similar, but the Ritchie
one is the one to have.

I don't see one currently listed. Here is the Weems version to give
you a rough idea

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Weems-Plath-Chart-Kit-Plotter_W0QQcmdZ...

Thanks for that lead on the nav table. I have been wanting to build
something like that but couldnt figure out how to deal with the fact
that some charts have weird orientations, this takes care of that. I
immediately bid on it.

Thanks

"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
I have always loved my paper charts and hand bearing compass, taking
sights and plotting my position on the cabin floor while the boat
pitches and yaws. Often I had to do this quickly because being down
below when it was rough would quickly make me seasick. However, I was
never tempted to give up my low tech ways until yesterday when I
helped a friend move his pilothouse sailboat about 10 miles. He has a
chartplotter and he sat in his captains chair watching the little boat
icon move showing its position in relation to shoals and showing his
course in relation to where we wanted to go, WOW. None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?

On a small boat... especially an open boat a mapping GPS is a real treat.
Ihave the Garmin GPSMAP 60CX and does it ever make it easy when boating in
unfamiliar waters.
Wouldn't leave home without it.
(yes...I do carry paper charts just in case)

On Mar 17, 2:47 pm, "Don White" wrote:
"Frogwatch" wrote in message

...

I have always loved my paper charts and hand bearing compass, taking
sights and plotting my position on the cabin floor while the boat
pitches and yaws. Often I had to do this quickly because being down
below when it was rough would quickly make me seasick. However, I was
never tempted to give up my low tech ways until yesterday when I
helped a friend move his pilothouse sailboat about 10 miles. He has a
chartplotter and he sat in his captains chair watching the little boat
icon move showing its position in relation to shoals and showing his
course in relation to where we wanted to go, WOW. None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?

On a small boat... especially an open boat a mapping GPS is a real treat.
Ihave the Garmin GPSMAP 60CX and does it ever make it easy when boating in
unfamiliar waters.
Wouldn't leave home without it.
(yes...I do carry paper charts just in case)

I just bought the Garmin GPSmap76 with bluecharts. GAWD I am getting
to be decadent in my age.

On Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:03:16 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch
wrote:

None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?

On a power boat that is moving right along, the convenience, speed and
accuracy of a chart plotter is hard to beat. With the aid of a
laptop computer and inexpensive USB GPS you can get most of what you
need at a very low price. The charts are free to download these days
and there are several charting software packages available for free or
very little.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=USB+GPS&aq=f&oq=

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=free+navigation+charting+software&b tnG=Search

On Mar 17, 4:03 pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:03:16 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch

wrote:
None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?

On a power boat that is moving right along, the convenience, speed and
accuracy of a chart plotter is hard to beat. With the aid of a
laptop computer and inexpensive USB GPS you can get most of what you
need at a very low price. The charts are free to download these days
and there are several charting software packages available for free or
very little.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=USB+GPS&aq=f&oq=

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=free+navigation+charting+softwar...

Generally, it has been on the Tolman rather than the sailboat where a
chartplotter would have been most useful.

Don White wrote:
"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
I have always loved my paper charts and hand bearing compass, taking
sights and plotting my position on the cabin floor while the boat
pitches and yaws. Often I had to do this quickly because being down
below when it was rough would quickly make me seasick. However, I was
never tempted to give up my low tech ways until yesterday when I
helped a friend move his pilothouse sailboat about 10 miles. He has a
chartplotter and he sat in his captains chair watching the little boat
icon move showing its position in relation to shoals and showing his
course in relation to where we wanted to go, WOW. None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?

On a small boat... especially an open boat a mapping GPS is a real treat.
Ihave the Garmin GPSMAP 60CX and does it ever make it easy when boating in
unfamiliar waters.
Wouldn't leave home without it.
(yes...I do carry paper charts just in case)



On your rowboat, dummy? Got an EPIRB, too?

On Mar 17, 8:28 pm, DK wrote:
Don White wrote:
"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
I have always loved my paper charts and hand bearing compass, taking
sights and plotting my position on the cabin floor while the boat
pitches and yaws. Often I had to do this quickly because being down
below when it was rough would quickly make me seasick. However, I was
never tempted to give up my low tech ways until yesterday when I
helped a friend move his pilothouse sailboat about 10 miles. He has a
chartplotter and he sat in his captains chair watching the little boat
icon move showing its position in relation to shoals and showing his
course in relation to where we wanted to go, WOW. None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?

On a small boat... especially an open boat a mapping GPS is a real treat.
Ihave the Garmin GPSMAP 60CX and does it ever make it easy when boating in
unfamiliar waters.
Wouldn't leave home without it.
(yes...I do carry paper charts just in case)

On your rowboat, dummy? Got an EPIRB, too?

I thank DK for reminding me to re-register my EPIRB.

"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
On Mar 17, 8:28 pm, DK wrote:
Don White wrote:
"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
I have always loved my paper charts and hand bearing compass, taking
sights and plotting my position on the cabin floor while the boat
pitches and yaws. Often I had to do this quickly because being down
below when it was rough would quickly make me seasick. However, I was
never tempted to give up my low tech ways until yesterday when I
helped a friend move his pilothouse sailboat about 10 miles. He has a
chartplotter and he sat in his captains chair watching the little boat
icon move showing its position in relation to shoals and showing his
course in relation to where we wanted to go, WOW. None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?

On a small boat... especially an open boat a mapping GPS is a real
treat.
Ihave the Garmin GPSMAP 60CX and does it ever make it easy when boating
in
unfamiliar waters.
Wouldn't leave home without it.
(yes...I do carry paper charts just in case)

On your rowboat, dummy? Got an EPIRB, too?

I thank DK for reminding me to re-register my EPIRB.

I thank him for showing his trademark ignorance.
He just can't help himself.

Don White wrote:
"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
On Mar 17, 8:28 pm, DK wrote:
Don White wrote:
"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
I have always loved my paper charts and hand bearing compass, taking
sights and plotting my position on the cabin floor while the boat
pitches and yaws. Often I had to do this quickly because being down
below when it was rough would quickly make me seasick. However, I was
never tempted to give up my low tech ways until yesterday when I
helped a friend move his pilothouse sailboat about 10 miles. He has a
chartplotter and he sat in his captains chair watching the little boat
icon move showing its position in relation to shoals and showing his
course in relation to where we wanted to go, WOW. None of this "My
bearing to that mark cannot exceed 280 or we are in danger from the
shoal" business, you just look at the plotter. I could get to like
that........maybe.
However, I wonder how much one gives up when he goes hi-tech. Do you
lose the sense of 'figuring it all out"?
On a small boat... especially an open boat a mapping GPS is a real
treat.
Ihave the Garmin GPSMAP 60CX and does it ever make it easy when boating
in
unfamiliar waters.
Wouldn't leave home without it.
(yes...I do carry paper charts just in case)
On your rowboat, dummy? Got an EPIRB, too?
I thank DK for reminding me to re-register my EPIRB.

I thank him for showing his trademark ignorance.
He just can't help himself.



Those were fair questions, dummy.