NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Role of CN at sea, was Re: Averaging sights ...
From: Ken Gebhart
Date: 2004 Oct 15, 21:36 -0500
From: Ken Gebhart
Date: 2004 Oct 15, 21:36 -0500
on 10/15/04 1:45 PM, Robert Gainer at robert_gainer_2@HOTMAIL.COM wrote: > Herbert Prinz said, >> I do not see how one can maintain this attitude in the face of reality. In >> my >> admittedly very limited experience of ten thousand off shore miles over the >> last >> ten years I have not ONCE been in a situation where GPS didn't work, but >> cel nav >> would. In fact, I have not once been in a situation at sea where GPS didn't >> work. >> Full stop. But I have REPEATEDLY been in situations where celestial was >> unavailable for several days in a row and GPS was the only position finding >> tool >> available. Conclusion: Celestial is not even a backup! >> > > Herbert, > I almost hate to admit this, but I still only use CN and a taffrail log as > my only means of navigation offshore. More then that, I use a 56-hour > chronometer. I sail for the pleasure of sailing, if you take all the skill > out of it what?s the point to spending all the money to do a trip that can > be better made for less cost by air. Take it to the extreme, a radio > controlled boat run from your couch at home, what?s the point. > > I have several trans Atlantics now and there have been many times that CN > was not available do to weather. I maintain a plot that is compared to all > outside data and can see the effects of current and leeway so I think I can > maintain a DR track going forward for several days without any worry. > > I deal with navigation the same way I deal with sailing without an engine or > electric system. Plan ahead and try not to get into a position where you > ?need? either the engine or magic for navigation. They share some of the > same goals, stay off lee shores and don?t make landfall under poor > conditions. I know how to watch the weather, and time my landfall to avoid > bad weather and a foul tide. > > I take some pride in my skills and have no immediate plans to add any > electronics to my boat. > All the best, > Robert Gainer > > _________________________________________________________________ > Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! > hthttp://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ > Robert, Thank you for an enlightening and convincing statement of why you do what you do. I hear many similar expressions from "wannabes" at the various sail boat shows, but hearing it from a real sailor is valued. Ken Gebhart