[sailingdog]

Jim-

I'd recommend The Boater's Bowditch as a good book for you to get on navigation. It is a more readable, re-written and edited version of Bowditch's, designed for the small craft navigator specifically.

The GPS Plotter is a parallel rule, but it moves perpendicular to the long axis, rather than at an angle to it... and it has small holes for a pencil tip to fit into at various locations on it. I have one... the only thing I didn't like was the rubber feet...they came off about a week after I started using mine... and had to be replaced.

Defender.com, landfall navigation, west marine, bluewater books, all sell the navigation tools.

If you do use a mechanical pencil on-board, highly recommend you spray it down with Boeshield T9 to prevent it from corroding and jamming. I use the Pilot Vanishing Point mechanical pencils. They have a lead type indicator collar and an extended fine tip that retracts to protect it from breakage or damage. BTW, I generally use HB lead in the mechanical pencils, as it is a bit harder than 2B, so it doesn't break as readily IMHO.

Originally Posted by SEMIJim

SD,

The GPS Plotter is a parallel rule, is it not? (Albeit a very nice one .)

Where's a good place to get dividers like those?

Any protractor, or something special? (And what, precisely, do you use it for?)

I really gotta make a navigation book choice...

Thanks,
Jim