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From: Norm of Bandersnatch (no email)
Date: Sat Mar 03 2007 - 15:47:14 EST
Well, the long offshore routes often have only a few waypoints. Especially
important to me is the bits at the beginning and the end where I am leaving
or entering entrances, perhaps with jetties and shallow spots, and distance
off capes, like Cape Fear. Just like the most dangerous part of an
airplane flight is the takeoff and the landing. It gives me a good peace
of mind to know that no matter what the conditions, which can be dark and
stormy, as long as I am on the "yellow brick road" I will be safe. We use
many of the same routes year after year so much of the time all I have to
do is simply upload the route from a library of them on my laptop to the
GPS.
Being essentially a motorboat, I do not have to adjust courses to take
advantage of winds.
Using a pre-programmed route eliminates any confusion so I can concentrate
on other things, like collision avoidance.
It is also handy to know the distance to go and ETA of the next waypoint
ahead of me and final arrival.
When near the coast, I simply will not travel without a preplanned route in
the GPS. Relying on spotting buoys to keep safe is not my cup of tea,
especially in tidal currents or where fog may be encountered, especially at
night when you could not tell if a light was hidden by fog. A grounding
would almost certainly mean the loss of the vessel and would probably kill
us too.
Even in places in the ICW we use preplanned routes, as in the rivers and
sounds of North Carolina. This allows us to easily navigate in all
weathers and at night in safety without fear of grounding.
I have done it with and without these preplanned routes and I much prefer
using them. It makes travelling so much more boring.
Norm
S/V Bandersnatch
Lying 30 07.715N 081 38.394W
Julington Creek Estuary FL
> [Original Message]
> From: Ken James <>
> To: <>; LIVE_ABOARD
<>
> Date: 1/31/2007 3:20:11 PM
> Subject: Re: lv-ab: Looking for reading suggestions on sailing solo
>
> I seldom go so far as to make a route with waypoints offshore, at least
> not one I intend to follow, as I have found that when sailing, plans
> change so much so often it is a waste of time. So I do plan the route
> in general terms, but then sort of go with the flow.-Ken
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