Navigation: Plans "A", "B", "C", ...

[Quebramar]

I would say one needs to distinguish overkill and redundancy. Variety of sources and technology provides not only some redundancy but also complementarity.

As you said you are coast sailing, I’m glad radar was added to your list, you may want to add AIS as a means to locate others and hence yourself in relation to them.

[Cpt Mark]

AIS transceiver is a must IMHO

[Mirage35]

Worthwhile comments but, as we all do, you're basing them on your local conditions which may not be the same as mine. For example,

- Radar: My local area has no fog. Zero. None. So if I'm not sailing at night, don't need it.

- AIS: Most pleasure craft here don't have it, commercial shipping does but there are few of them and you can see them coming. I have it, it's fun, but I wouldn't call it essential.

For my sailing habits, in my present environment.

[dan104]

I have 2 raspberryPi based systems both running OpenCPN. Both have GPS pucks, with a spare set in the drawer. I have AIS daisy receiver and all of the ray marine st50 and tack tick instruments talking to them. I have fall back on top of fallback with a laptop loaded with openCPN and all the charts I can find. However I layout my sails study the charts and make a few plans and then I just go!

I check along the way, more if I get a bad feeling but I am there for the trip and the things I see along the way. For me a trip is like the silver ball on the pinball table, I go one way till I hit a bumper and then adapt to the new direction.

It is the trip that brings us life

Old engineer and sailor

[IslandInfedel]

Originally Posted by motion

During my 50 years of flying I told my copilot if in doubt look out the window. Same thing on my vessel.
Get your head out of the chart plotter and look where
You are going. Be safe

IMC?



I would say it’s best to match the data and layout over the backups

[SeanPatrick]

Originally Posted by AnglaisInHull

I am (for amusement only, be assured) learning to use a sextant.

There's nothing wrong with using celestial for actual navigation. And it doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming. Of course, you'd be crazy not to have a GPS or six on board as well that you use to cross-check your data. And it looks like you've got that covered.



Learning celestial navigation has brought me hours and hours of enjoyment. As a bonus, I've also learned a bit more about astronomy, trigonometry, geography, history and many other topics along the way. Although I should stress that none of that is necessary to actually be proficient at celestial.


Anyway, if you have any questions about anything related to celestial navigation, I'd be happy to help - free of charge.

[Enfant Du Vent]

Ahoy Captain:
Just to give you yet MORE security I would suggest 2 items you didn't mention:
VHF radio - These can be a very effective if you know how to use the “Where am I?” call.
Dinghy - It's been years since I lived in Ontario. But I recall that the natives on any shore speak English, albeit on the south side of the lake...poorly.
Mais, si vous ete en Hull, merde!


PS: When—in the late 1980s—gps units came DOWN to $1500, I put away my sextant. After that it was simply, “Land Ho.....ho-hum. “

[Mirage35]

Originally Posted by Enfant Du Vent

Ahoy Captain:
Just to give you yet MORE security I would suggest 2 items you didn't mention:
VHF radio - These can be a very effective if you know how to use the “Where am I?” call.
Dinghy - It's been years since I lived in Ontario. But I recall that the natives on any shore speak English, albeit on the south side of the lake...poorly.
Mais, si vous ete en Hull, merde!


PS: When—in the late 1980s—gps units came DOWN to $1500, I put away my sextant. After that it was simply, “Land Ho.....ho-hum. “

VHF - c'est évident. And I'm in Hull only when I'm not sailing, and I manage to communicate with natives in all of the various locations. Mais qu'est-ce que vous avais contre Hull, quand même?

[Enfant Du Vent]

Ahoy Anglais:
I don't have anything against Hull...or its inhabitants. Just thought it made a humorous contrast to the "natives" in the US speaking English.


I'm also a bit amused about all the serious advice you're getting...given you're in the Great Lakes, not the high seas.

Personally, the longest solo passage I made was Bahamas-Bermuda-Halifax. And I finally broke down and bought a GPS after a 3 day passage from Charleston to Bahamas--and then another TWO days finding the &%**$ island I wanted.