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> From: "Peter Fogg" 
>
> On Sat, Jan 10, 2009 at 18:31,   wrote:
> And here is the simple answer. If, where he is sailing, he can
> tolerate a one minute of longitude error all he needs is a watch that
> is accurate within 4 seconds. If sailing in the middle of the ocean
> more than fifteen degrees of longitude away from any danger you can
> use a watch with a one hour error.
>
> Hmm.  The assumption that the purpose of position finding is to avoid danger
> may obscure a more important reason for the activity.  I propose that the main
> reason for deriving a position, particularly when well away from land, is to
> find out in what direction the destination lies.  Depending on how far away
> that destination (or waypoint) may be, an hour's worth of time error could
> make a great deal of difference to the correct heading.  And if the error was
> consistent, which it presumably would be, could lead to the poor sailor
> becoming altogether lost.
>
> Tell us you're pulling our leg, Gary ...

I suppose the the old Bob Dylan lyric, "You don't have to be a weather man
to know which way the wind's blowing" would not have any connection with
position, typical wind velocity and direction, currents, and location? Heck
no, you could be off by hundreds of miles and still catch a ride on the Gulf
Steam. Why do those silly chart makers even put the seasonal information for
the nominal wind direction and velocity on the charts? A waste of good ink
IMHO. 

Bill B.


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