NavList:

Frank,

I agree with you up to a point. If someone was only going to stay in the city than any map orientation will do. When sightseeing Washington, DC or London I had a subway map and used it. As you know, a subway map does not even look like the city but gives you all the info to get around.

The map on "The New Yorker" says it all. New Yorkers don't care that West Point is north or the Pokonoes are west - they never leave New York :)

When I flew into Paris or Tokyo or Rio, etc. I would look at things I wanted to visit, then glance down at my compass and get a bearing. Then, after getting a car I knew that Mt. Fuji was west or Kamakura was south, etc. I did not read Japanese but if I was driving and crossed a river, looked at my watch and knew the sun was SSW and I was heading NE then I must have crossed so and so river. I drove like I flew ( real fast ? )

I do not think many of the sailors here would like a map ( chart ) of Hawaii with the Big Island on top and the other islands strung out below. If you never left the island you landed on it would be OK but I would like to sail to another one and think North up would be better.

Small area - up anyway that the local folk want is great but for large scale I think North up is better. IMHO

Brad - we must be of different generations. I have carried a GPS since 1991 but have never used one to drive or get directions. A while back there was a discussion on how different people find their way around - North, South etc or " Go down the trail until you see a big rock then turn left and look for a pine tree -------   I am a North, South kind of guy.

The best thing about NavList is the different people and the many ways we use to find our way.

John H.