|
|
|
|
|||||
|
||||||
From: (no name) (no email)
Date: Thu Nov 04 2004 - 19:23:04 EST
Quoting Richard Goodwin <>:
> I really have to wonder -- how many mistakes does a
> human with paper charts, using non-electronic methods
> of determining his position, make compared to a gps?
REPLY
Wrong question!
The issue is how often will a human not interpret the data available correctly.
With paper charts, ther is an audit trail (DR plot and calculations) whereas
with the electronic system the systemic errors remain hidden and if the
operator is not well trained, unknown.
You wrote:
> If you keep the traditional tools for emergencies, and
> use electronics for your primary method of location,
> how often is that going to make a mistake as compared
> to how often YOU will make a mistake using the
> traditional tools?
>
> I'm really asking here, I don't know what the answer is.
The answer to that lies in how disciplined and consistent the navigator is in
applying the appropriate techniques to the job at hand.
I would rather trust a competent paper chart navigator than someone who doesn't
know the differnce between a datum and a datapoint.
I have made landfall in pea soup fog using LORAN with a twenty foot error.
At the time this was better than GPS could provide with SA active.
I have also made safe journeys in similar fog using no instrumentation at all,
not even the traditional ones.
We had to resort to a hand lead line, a wrist watch timer and a pop can knot
meter while plottting on a 1:50,000 scale paper chart.
All in all it was a routine, boring delivery trip covering two days and over a
hundred miles.
I have also navigated at 30 knots using no plotting and only glancing at the
strip chart - in the small craft chanel in Georgian Bay.
You only do that with good local knowledge. No amount of paper or electronics
will match that.
So it comes back to basic skills plus work habits when navighating.
Everything else is simply aids and tools of the trade.
regards
Arild
___________________________________________________________________________
|| The Live-Aboard List : send a "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" request ||
|| in body of message to: ||
|