I've fallen from grace

[johngsandusky]

"Grace" is neither a vessel nor a woman in this case, but purity and tradition. You see, I bought a GPS. I've always done coastal cruising with charts, bearing compass, depthsounder. Judged speed and distance by eye, or using a stopwatch and chip. Found my destinations every time. Took a fix before fog or snow closed in, sailed my course allowing for set.
To facilitate an offshore delivery of my boat from Florida, and to ease the minds of the crew, I bought a Garmin Colorado 400c. I used it on a daysail this month. It's amazing. Speed, course, location, all pictured on a color chart. I feel like I cheated. What's next? a microwave? sleeping on watch? sailing with my fenders out?

[StevenBauer]

A/c. Once you put in the a/c you know you've reached bottom. ;)


Steven

[Mrleft8]

When you hook it up to your autopilot and take a long hot soak in the whirlpool hot tub on the promenade deck, you know it's too late to turn back... :D

[johngsandusky]

LOL, thanks guys.
She actually has an air conditioner on board, one of those that fits in a hatch.
I don't want to bring it home, maybe I can trade it for something salty.
Joking aside, I'm not going to sea with that thing in a hatch, and I won't use space stowing it.

[paladin]

GPS won't work within 200 meters of me.

[johngsandusky]

That's okay Paladin, I'll steer clear, or use you as a landmark ! :)

[Concordia...41]

I have no problem with adding to the margins of comfort or safety.

Sailing with one's fenders out is the only real unforgivable sin ;)

[Mad Scientist]

Go ahead and enjoy your GPS. You shouldn't have any problems as long as you don't put absolute faith in it (or in any other single navigational aid or system).
Folks who put 'absolute faith' in the GPS/Autopilot combination tend to end up aground..or drowned.

(There's some sort of 'absolute faith' versus 'RAW FAITH' joke just begging to be made here...)

Tom

[Captain Intrepid]

A GPS is just another tool. Use it in addition to your other navigation techniques, assume it could fail at any moment and don't feel bad. Just don't neglect your other skills and rely soley on the GPS.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

I have fallen prey to the dark side this year as well. I just bought a five inch GPS/Sonar.... but it's because my depth sounder puked last fall, and I had to replace it anyway, so it was the right thing to do. I'm just tellin ya.

[johngsandusky]

Fear not, I'm still bringing paper charts, bearing compass, pencils.

[Bill Perkins]

John ; I didn't turn my GPS on for the first few months I ran my outboard boat . It had been a long build process and I just didn't want the intrusion of the video machine as I got to know her.I've always enjoyed chart and compass work too .

I keep it on now mostly because it's also the display for my depth sounder, which is tremendously useful when moving along the backwaters of the South East at speed . In my tiny cabin it's also more convenient to refer to it's compact display than to unfold the paper chart .

Of course the GPS is great to have in fog .I find that I don't feel guilty about this . It's so much more convenient on a small boat which has no chart table . I do keep a small log book in which I occasionally write the engine rpm and boat speed , with a note on the loading and sea conditions . This will give me decent speed info to refer to if I lose the GPS some day . My tach should be operable as long as the engine's still running .If the ratio of speed to rpm changes significantly over time this record may also give me an early warning that the engine needs maintenance .I've sailed with a GPS as well and the accurate speed readout gave useful and enjoyable feedback when fiddling with the set of the sails . Just another tool ,as said .

Something has been lost as well I would agree . Something of the craft of navigation , with the satisfaction of making an accurate landfall .We have a safer but diminished World in which an increasing number of people feel secure enough to move their boats through night and fog at increasing speeds , many converging on the same aids to navigation at the same time with an extremely high degree of accuracy .

[seayou7]

I have added a big GPS and Radar seems less a priority. I installed below decks so as not to be watching TV instead of sailing. Can view from companionway. No $200 arm, rather have a second unit at the helm.

[Tom Hunter]

I navigate the pre-gps way, but then check the GPS to see if it agrees.

I've found that it is most likely to disagree when I am tired, for example after a long night watch or while seasick. it's a useful tool and a nice way to see if the primary system (my brain) is functioning correctly.

[johngsandusky]

Bill, I agree. Depthsounder has always been an important nav tool, on any boat with enough weight and draft to make her unpleasant to beach. In fact I prefer an electronic sounder to a lead or stick because it allows me to singlehand in tight waters. I can't man the helm and heave the lead forward at once.
Another factor for me is that I'll be delivering Wandering Star north, out of sight of land, with volunteer crew. This makes me responsible for their safety, and for peace of mind for their families. I will use every reasonable means to insure it. It's a different story sailing in home waters alone.
Has something been lost? Surely. We lose something by not building our own homes, growing our own food, and taking starsights for position. Some people still do those things. It's nice to live in a world in which we can choose our anachronisms.

[Dan McCosh]

I have no problem with adding to the margins of comfort or safety.

Sailing with one's fenders out is the only real unforgivable sin ;)

Not in Canada.