Home for the winter:) Thanks guys!

[imagine2frolic]

For less than a hundred bucks. You can always know your exact position, no matter what the weather? I don't see the reasoning behind you not having one? Even Magellen took advantage of everything he could. You don't have to look at it every second...........i2f

[JimsCAL]

I am also baffled by not seeing the value of a handheld GPS. I guess it will take getting lost in the fog trying to find a narrow channel entrance with rocks and shoals on either side. I spent many of my early sailing year navigating with chart, compass and depthsounder. I have no desire to go back to the (not so) good old days.

[Garffin]

Being irresponsible?
Ok If I where docking to the international space station, traveling say 20+ knots in my which I don’t think the hull speed is anywhere near that or even going places that don’t have charts I would get one hands down. But man we live for the most part in a country that employs navigational buoys everywhere. I bet you can’t go more than 2 hours in any direction in the us or Canada without seeing at least 1 if not more. They are even employing smart buoys here in the Chesapeake Bay the buoys collect and transmit data via the internet for scientific c and educational use. Meteorological, physical, water
quality, water level, chemical, biological, optical, and acoustic measurements
are among the data that are collected and transmitted in near-real time. This
information is relayed from the buoys to the internet using cutting-edge wireless
technology, where it is used by people for a variety of needs..
Not only that but how many run into boats, land break walls etc… while using the gps? I could go on forever as to why I don’t use one but the fact is I don’t and more than likely will never use one as my source for my location. If I need a gps to tell me where I am I don’t need to be on the water. Just my 2 cents.

[chef2sail]

GPS is an aid to navigation. Having charts and knowing how to navigate with them is not a luxury. It usually is what seperates the PB with their electrontic charts vs the sailor who learns with charts. GPS is an assist to charts.

In the beginning of your posts I castigated you for lack of even the basic charts for the areas you were headed to. I still feel that was irresponsible for putting you life as well as those who would have had to rescue you should you have gotten in danger. Enough said it is great you have arrived safe and sound and recognize the error of your ways. You are top be commended on your adventure.

For those who want to remain with just charts nothing else, God bless you. It does not make you anymore a purist than I am anymore than the Amish who do not drive motorized vehicles. It is merely a choice. For me, I will use as many aids to navigation as I can, with the caveat that I still use the basic paper chart. We have a nice C-80 chartplotter to aid in our navigation, figuring out high tides, currents as well as facilities available wherever we go to mention a few of its capabilities. Yes I could bring a library of books to accomplish the same. To those who look at us who use charplotters/ GPs and other creature comforts, I say go for it. Please stay consistant though.
No PVC or haplon dingys...wooden instead...and only oars
No propane stoves.. only wood fired
No LED lights...kerosene laterns
No windlass....just your back
No self tailing winches
No furlers
No radio...just signal flags.
No refrigeration...or even ice...just dried food

How far back into the olden days do you wish to go.

Dave

[lapworth]

Do you think when they invented the Compass,Sextan or chronometer there where sailors who thought they where a waste of time. You don't need GPS if you don't care where you are going.

[Garffin]

I don’t know if I have said this before but while I was coming down from LI. I stopped over on the upper bay of New York. Just behind the statue of Liberty. There is a marina there it’s on the Hudson River I guess. Anyway while I trying to figure out how I could run to the store real fast and get a few packs of smokes I meet a guy from Canada. He spoke broken English with a very strong French accent. I forget his name and his boats name but he was there heading for parts down south. His boat was 35’ and had all sorts of gear on it. Solar panels, wind vane, outboard, dingy ect… I mean this thing looked like it could go anywhere. So naturally I was drawn toward it. After talking with this guy for a short time I found out that he rebuilt this boat over the course of 4 years. He was retired now and was making this dream come true. I found out the reason he was there was because he needed 4 new batters. Not 1 or 2 but 4. His generator was broken the wind vane had broken two nights before while he was on anchor at the steps of the statue of liberty. His 1 year ole water maker was acting up. I mean this guy had a running list of stuff he needed to fix.
I felt bad for this guy. I mean honestly. Here he was making a go of it with what seemed to be a boat with all the gear and gadgets. But at what cost do you pay for having all that even when it does work. Where does the list stop? At what point do I put down the sailing simulator and leave my comfortable chair and go out and sail? Sure a gps would have helped me a lot getting into Cape May in the dark while there were 4 other boats trying for the same spot. Sure the day the fog rolls in and I can’t see 10’ maybe a gps would help the guy not run me over. Or maybe just maybe I say no to the gps and keep it simple and enjoy the fact that I sail not for glory, fame or friends but for the simple reason that Me, my boat and the water have a great time together. I really believe that people sail for all sorts of reason some like it fast. Some like hot. And some well just like anyway they can get it. I say for all the people who have a gps get two. Just in case that first starts to act up. For me. I have my compass, charts, binos, and a good watch. Oh If I were to win the lottery and could have any boat I wouldn’t hire anyone to take it anywhere nor would I need a gps but I might would get one. It would have a 12” screen though. Dan

[Garffin]

oh and dont even start looking around for how many boats and people have been lost due to gps

[lapworth]

Garffin you can't fool me if you think your going to sail around on your boat with out fixing things then why did you borrow my harness?

[Garffin]

Dang lapworth you should be in bed right now you have some fishing to do in the morning

[lapworth]

I know I will call you tomorrow