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I remember advice I once received when I was rag sailing and living
aboard. Head out on a dark, starless and moonless night. Disconnect you
battery cables and if you cannot make it back in safely, you have no
business being out there to begin with.
The first time my son and I tried it, we were hulldown over the
horizon. We thought we had our jetty cut well in hand and were about to
round up when I chickened out and lit off the GPS. Good thing, we
would have most likely gone hard aground in a real tricky area.
After that, we started practicing religiously. Finally came to the
point where together we can make it back in and even moor or enter a
slip on our old 30' sloop totally under sail. Later we learned to
put a 20' foot on a trailer under sail. We also both can do the sextant
thing.
Now I can wander about on my Wing with just a map. But a GPS is
nice, just do not sacrifice your basic nav skills to get it.
I remember advice I once received when I was rag sailing and living
aboard. Head out on a dark, starless and moonless night. Disconnect you
battery cables and if you cannot make it back in safely, you have no
business being out there to begin with.
The first time my son and I tried it, we were hulldown over the
horizon. We thought we had our jetty cut well in hand and were about to
round up when I chickened out and lit off the GPS. Good thing, we
would have most likely gone hard aground in a real tricky area.
After that, we started practicing religiously. Finally came to the
point where together we can make it back in and even moor or enter a
slip on our old 30' sloop totally under sail. Later we learned to
put a 20' foot on a trailer under sail. We also both can do the sextant
thing.
Now I can wander about on my Wing with just a map. But a GPS is
nice, just do not sacrifice your basic nav skills to get it.
