I think overall GPS cause more grounding than they avoid. I had the hard time teaching my son-in-law to look at the color of the water, he kept looking at gps. He ran aground. Now he looks out more than in.
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On a another similar story. I used to work for West marine at one point selling electronics. People would come in all the time for vhf, chartplotters etc... One day a large spunky guy came in looking for the best gps for his 45 foot sportfisher. He want to make sure that he could navigate all around in South Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL. Most of south Biscayne Bay you can walk across, no more than 3 feet at low tide. So if you leave channels your SOL.
Anyway, sold him unit, recommend he get some Coast Guard Aux class and off he went.
Two weeks later he came back to sign up for class, TowUS annual membership, I asked him how was GPS. It said it was fine, boat however, it ran aground at 30 knots and was presently needing new shafts, rudders, props, etc...
GPS give a false sense of security... Charts can be wrong. Looking is more important... Check points on horizon when you leave.
Another story, I was out of North Miami, many years ago before ridiculous new skyline everywhere. I went out to Bahamas and had electrical problems.
I isolate problem and turn around. I had lost GPS and radio. But I figured I just turn around and be back to same place. I didn't realize we drifted with current about 25 miles and now I was in Dania. It took a while to figure out where I was. I wasn't paying attention because of GPS and then needed but it failed.
So now if I go offshore, I have 3 gps, vhfs, cellphones, compasses....etc...
Want another story about dual compasses.... lol
06-15-2009, 08:05 PM
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