Nobody really needs to know how to navigate anymore, do they?

[goboatingnow]

The answer is of course , is a modern gnss based navigator going to get lost probably very unlikely . Should you be aware and maintain older navigational skills and techniques. Yes of course however many of us concede that most people will not follow this advice. I don’t think it matters a lot anyway.

[Jammer]

I think the attitude that the chartplotter will always be there is part and parcel of the toeboatus/EPIRB dependent mindset where electronics and professional rescue services make up for unseamanlike behavior and unseaworthy boats.


Trad nav is complicated by the fact that the aids that made it feasible are gradually disappearing. First we lost the radio beacons. Then we lost the foghorns. We've started losing the lights, and the paper charts, and the ranges.

[NPCampbell]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Doing it the old fashioned way is fun especially on a long multiple day passage .

But I sail the Pacific

Just curious, are you taking visual bearings to known waypoints to dead reckon or do you just plot your GPS coords on a paper chart?

All the course material was using a chart around Martha's Vineyard. A simple example from MV to Block Island would take about 30 minutes to draw out.
All the examples had stuff like using DR to determine drift due to current, correcting courses for heading vs bearing, etc.

[boatman61]

Ahh.. The Cocked Hat technique.. vital in old fashioned coastal cruising.. along with soundings..

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by NPCampbell

Just curious, are you taking visual bearings to known waypoints to dead reckon or do you just plot your GPS coords on a paper chart?

All the course material was using a chart around Martha's Vineyard. A simple example from MV to Block Island would take about 30 minutes to draw out.
All the examples had stuff like using DR to determine drift due to current, correcting courses for heading vs bearing, etc.

Night octant sightings of known star positions and times . Hopefully a Polaris sight.
Then noon sightings of sun . Using known longitudinal time point extrapolate to local solar noon. .
I have a slow boat so . Now days I calculate my position and verify against gps. Old android phone and the app ( my GPS . No cell service needed .
Never more than 20 or so miles off so .
Go back to the beginning of this thread . My offer stands.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Ahh.. The Cocked Hat technique.. vital in old fashioned coastal cruising.. along with soundings..

Yep and it's good for the classroom . When coastal it's easy to just sightings on known points and simple triangulation. The mark 1 eyeball instrument rarely needs calibration.
Mine is getting that tomorrow Dec 2nd . Required biannual check .

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Yep and it's good for the classroom . When coastal it's easy to just sightings on known points and simple triangulation. The mark 1 eyeball instrument rarely needs calibration.
Mine is getting that tomorrow Dec 2nd . Required biannual check .

I don't bother.. just go to the nearest Chinese shop when my arms get too short and spend €3.50.. currently using 2.5 for reading.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I don't bother.. just go to the nearest Chinese shop when my arms get too short and spend €3.50.. currently using 2.5 for reading.

No not new glasses appointment with my ophthalmologist.
I get foster grants +2.0 for $15 3 pack .
It's the progression of my cataracts I'm keeping tabs on .

[NPCampbell]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Ahh.. The Cocked Hat technique.. vital in old fashioned coastal cruising.. along with soundings..

You learn something new every day. I hadn't ever heard it called this before but it makes sense now that I know.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Yep and it's good for the classroom . When coastal it's easy to just sightings on known points and simple triangulation. The mark 1 eyeball instrument rarely needs calibration.
Mine is getting that tomorrow Dec 2nd . Required biannual check .

Originally Posted by NPCampbell

You learn something new every day. I hadn't ever heard it called this before but it makes sense now that I know.

The small triangle your boat sits in from the bearings is the 'Cocked Hat'..

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Yep and it's good for the classroom . When coastal it's easy to just sightings on known points and simple triangulation. The mark 1 eyeball instrument rarely needs calibration.
Mine is getting that tomorrow Dec 2nd . Required biannual check .

Even coastal a sextant can be useful. If you're in a harbor/inlet/river you can take bearings on multiple points and triangulate. If you only have one point and know its height, the angle gives you distance.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Jdege

Even coastal a sextant can be useful. If you're in a harbor/inlet/river you can take bearings on multiple points and triangulate. If you only have one point and know its height, the angle gives you distance.

Yes and you can do that with your wrist watch as well.

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Yes and you can do that with your wrist watch as well.

I can't envision by how to measure small angles with a wristwatch.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Jdege

I can't envision by how to measure small angles with a wristwatch.

Especially a digital one.

[Bulawayo]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I'm curious if any of the folk in here have experienced electrical failure at sea and loss of position updates 1000nm+ from land.. what would these "I have 10+ back ups" folk would do if this happened..
Asking for a friend..

Yes, it does happen. A couple of people on here even deny that the GPS system was taken off line during Gulf War 1.
I was mid-South Atlantic when that happened and the SSB was burning with people seeking help. It was only off for two days but it created mayhem for some people. Electrical failure for any reason is more likely to occur and is realistic.
The nativity of some people though is meaningful - just to keep heading in one direction until they reach land. They’ve simply no idea of potential consequences. My belief is that the majority of these people ‘sail’ their boats whilst sat under a palm tree 😎