Finally bought a GPS to augment my DR and coastal piloting via compass
and chart. At first, I hated it (havent even had it on the boat yet)
because it has all these damned menus that make it worse than
programming a VCR. I was afraid it would ruin my geometric fun in
finding position. My wife was also ****ed that I bought a gadget.
THEN, I decided to bring it to work with me in my old truck. My truck
with 280,000 miles hasn't had a speedometer in the last 10 yrs since
the electronic one broke. I put the GPS in the windshield and
suddenly realized I had a speedometer. Now, she likes it as a
speedometer in the truck. It also finds altitude and I was never
aware of the relative amount of elevation in Tallahassee, even when
commutting by bicycle.
Now, to see how it does on the boat.

On 8 Apr 2004 09:46:02 -0700, (Parallax) wrote:

Finally bought a GPS to augment my DR and coastal piloting via compass
and chart. At first, I hated it (havent even had it on the boat yet)
because it has all these damned menus that make it worse than
programming a VCR. I was afraid it would ruin my geometric fun in
finding position. My wife was also ****ed that I bought a gadget.
THEN, I decided to bring it to work with me in my old truck. My truck
with 280,000 miles hasn't had a speedometer in the last 10 yrs since
the electronic one broke. I put the GPS in the windshield and
suddenly realized I had a speedometer. Now, she likes it as a
speedometer in the truck. It also finds altitude and I was never
aware of the relative amount of elevation in Tallahassee, even when
commutting by bicycle.
Now, to see how it does on the boat.


Do not believe the altimeter. When you get on the boat with the GPA
you will seldom find yourself at sea level. The errors can be ass
much as 100 feet or more.

Check out:

http://gpsinformation.net/main/altitude.htm

Jack

__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
Swiftsure Sailing Academy
Director/ISPA and CYA Instructor
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
Phone: 1 (877) 470-SAIL (toll free)
__________________________________________________

On 8 Apr 2004 09:46:02 -0700, (Parallax) wrote:

Finally bought a GPS to augment my DR and coastal piloting via compass
and chart. At first, I hated it (havent even had it on the boat yet)
because it has all these damned menus that make it worse than
programming a VCR. I was afraid it would ruin my geometric fun in
finding position. My wife was also ****ed that I bought a gadget.
THEN, I decided to bring it to work with me in my old truck. My truck
with 280,000 miles hasn't had a speedometer in the last 10 yrs since
the electronic one broke. I put the GPS in the windshield and
suddenly realized I had a speedometer. Now, she likes it as a
speedometer in the truck. It also finds altitude and I was never
aware of the relative amount of elevation in Tallahassee, even when
commutting by bicycle.
Now, to see how it does on the boat.


Do not believe the altimeter. When you get on the boat with the GPA
you will seldom find yourself at sea level. The errors can be ass
much as 100 feet or more.

Check out:

http://gpsinformation.net/main/altitude.htm

Jack

__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
Swiftsure Sailing Academy
Director/ISPA and CYA Instructor
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
Phone: 1 (877) 470-SAIL (toll free)
__________________________________________________

Parallax wrote:

Finally bought a GPS to augment my DR and coastal piloting via compass
and chart. At first, I hated it (havent even had it on the boat yet)
because it has all these damned menus that make it worse than
programming a VCR. I was afraid it would ruin my geometric fun in
finding position. My wife was also ****ed that I bought a gadget.
THEN, I decided to bring it to work with me in my old truck. My truck
with 280,000 miles hasn't had a speedometer in the last 10 yrs since
the electronic one broke. I put the GPS in the windshield and
suddenly realized I had a speedometer. Now, she likes it as a
speedometer in the truck. It also finds altitude and I was never
aware of the relative amount of elevation in Tallahassee, even when
commutting by bicycle.
Now, to see how it does on the boat.


Don't rely on the gps for altitude. I recall sailing down the ICW last
summer and observing the gps telling me I was converted from a sub (-40
feet) to a plane (+50 feet) within a few miles. I was seldom at sea level.

Jim.

Parallax wrote:

Finally bought a GPS to augment my DR and coastal piloting via compass
and chart. At first, I hated it (havent even had it on the boat yet)
because it has all these damned menus that make it worse than
programming a VCR. I was afraid it would ruin my geometric fun in
finding position. My wife was also ****ed that I bought a gadget.
THEN, I decided to bring it to work with me in my old truck. My truck
with 280,000 miles hasn't had a speedometer in the last 10 yrs since
the electronic one broke. I put the GPS in the windshield and
suddenly realized I had a speedometer. Now, she likes it as a
speedometer in the truck. It also finds altitude and I was never
aware of the relative amount of elevation in Tallahassee, even when
commutting by bicycle.
Now, to see how it does on the boat.


Don't rely on the gps for altitude. I recall sailing down the ICW last
summer and observing the gps telling me I was converted from a sub (-40
feet) to a plane (+50 feet) within a few miles. I was seldom at sea level.

Jim.

I've got a neat little garmin that works as well on land as water. You can
get either marine or streets and roads CD's and they download into the unit
as needed. It was originally a backup for the boat systems, but it rides in
the car a lot now.

--


Keith
__
If you lend someone $20 and never see them again, it was probably worth it.
"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
Finally bought a GPS to augment my DR and coastal piloting via compass
and chart. At first, I hated it (havent even had it on the boat yet)
because it has all these damned menus that make it worse than
programming a VCR. I was afraid it would ruin my geometric fun in
finding position. My wife was also ****ed that I bought a gadget.
THEN, I decided to bring it to work with me in my old truck. My truck
with 280,000 miles hasn't had a speedometer in the last 10 yrs since
the electronic one broke. I put the GPS in the windshield and
suddenly realized I had a speedometer. Now, she likes it as a
speedometer in the truck. It also finds altitude and I was never
aware of the relative amount of elevation in Tallahassee, even when
commutting by bicycle.
Now, to see how it does on the boat.

I've got a neat little garmin that works as well on land as water. You can
get either marine or streets and roads CD's and they download into the unit
as needed. It was originally a backup for the boat systems, but it rides in
the car a lot now.

--


Keith
__
If you lend someone $20 and never see them again, it was probably worth it.
"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
Finally bought a GPS to augment my DR and coastal piloting via compass
and chart. At first, I hated it (havent even had it on the boat yet)
because it has all these damned menus that make it worse than
programming a VCR. I was afraid it would ruin my geometric fun in
finding position. My wife was also ****ed that I bought a gadget.
THEN, I decided to bring it to work with me in my old truck. My truck
with 280,000 miles hasn't had a speedometer in the last 10 yrs since
the electronic one broke. I put the GPS in the windshield and
suddenly realized I had a speedometer. Now, she likes it as a
speedometer in the truck. It also finds altitude and I was never
aware of the relative amount of elevation in Tallahassee, even when
commutting by bicycle.
Now, to see how it does on the boat.

Despite working with computers, I was like you regarding gadgets on
boats. I cook in the cockpit on a camp stove and take pride in knowing
how to work a pelorus and parallel rules.

But...

A GPS is so damned useful in so many ways that I have one for the boat
and an old Magellan 300 for the "crash" box I throw in the Zodiac. I
use it less for position (it's Lake Ontario, get out and look,
dummy!), but I find the cross-tracking and ETA functions very helpful
in improving my helming, and in letting people know when I should
arrive. The speed over ground and course over ground allows me to
calibrate my compass and speedo, and finally, I do like finding buoys
in fog, thanks to waypoints.

Even the cheapest models seem to also feature sunrise, moonrise and
other data...which is an aid to celestial, which I intend to pursue.

Have fun with the thing...it's a great help if you just keep in mind
that it can be turned off and it's an aid, not a substitute, for
proper pilotage. The rock approaching your hull doesn't care if you
have a GPS and not a paper chart of current vintage.

R.

On 8 Apr 2004 09:46:02 -0700, (Parallax) wrote:

Finally bought a GPS to augment my DR and coastal piloting via compass
and chart. At first, I hated it (havent even had it on the boat yet)
because it has all these damned menus that make it worse than
programming a VCR. I was afraid it would ruin my geometric fun in
finding position. My wife was also ****ed that I bought a gadget.
THEN, I decided to bring it to work with me in my old truck. My truck
with 280,000 miles hasn't had a speedometer in the last 10 yrs since
the electronic one broke. I put the GPS in the windshield and
suddenly realized I had a speedometer. Now, she likes it as a
speedometer in the truck. It also finds altitude and I was never
aware of the relative amount of elevation in Tallahassee, even when
commutting by bicycle.
Now, to see how it does on the boat.

Despite working with computers, I was like you regarding gadgets on
boats. I cook in the cockpit on a camp stove and take pride in knowing
how to work a pelorus and parallel rules.

But...

A GPS is so damned useful in so many ways that I have one for the boat
and an old Magellan 300 for the "crash" box I throw in the Zodiac. I
use it less for position (it's Lake Ontario, get out and look,
dummy!), but I find the cross-tracking and ETA functions very helpful
in improving my helming, and in letting people know when I should
arrive. The speed over ground and course over ground allows me to
calibrate my compass and speedo, and finally, I do like finding buoys
in fog, thanks to waypoints.

Even the cheapest models seem to also feature sunrise, moonrise and
other data...which is an aid to celestial, which I intend to pursue.

Have fun with the thing...it's a great help if you just keep in mind
that it can be turned off and it's an aid, not a substitute, for
proper pilotage. The rock approaching your hull doesn't care if you
have a GPS and not a paper chart of current vintage.

R.

On 8 Apr 2004 09:46:02 -0700, (Parallax) wrote:

Finally bought a GPS to augment my DR and coastal piloting via compass
and chart. At first, I hated it (havent even had it on the boat yet)
because it has all these damned menus that make it worse than
programming a VCR. I was afraid it would ruin my geometric fun in
finding position. My wife was also ****ed that I bought a gadget.
THEN, I decided to bring it to work with me in my old truck. My truck
with 280,000 miles hasn't had a speedometer in the last 10 yrs since
the electronic one broke. I put the GPS in the windshield and
suddenly realized I had a speedometer. Now, she likes it as a
speedometer in the truck. It also finds altitude and I was never
aware of the relative amount of elevation in Tallahassee, even when
commutting by bicycle.
Now, to see how it does on the boat.

" Now, to see how it does on the boat.

If you listen to the VHF much you'll find that among the first things any
rescue agency (C.G., Seatow, etc) asks for is GPS Lat/Lon. After a portable
VHF, I consider a alkaline battery powered GPS vital...