Bobbie: Yes, charts have GPS coordinates; they are the latitudes and longitudes. We just finished 2 weeks in the San Juan and Gulf Islands and used the GPS units to plot routes, assess speed over the bottom, determine how much the current was moving us and in what directions (when comparing with compass readings). And if you did get lost in the fog--well a GPS could be a life saver. --Gary Hyde N24 'Sailabration' M15 #235 'Vanilla' On Jun 05, 2005, at 7:23 AM, Bobbie Mayer wrote:
I feel as though I've been asleep like Rip Van Winkle for many years. While I wasn't sailing much, GPS became a relatively inexpensive tool, not to mention cell phones. I see a handheld GPS for sale this morning at Target for $89. Figuring speed sounds nice, but other than getting lost in the fog, what can I do with GPS when I'm sailing on Puget Sound in an area I know with good navigational markers? Dad had one on his fishing boat but he kept a log of where he found the fish or where he dropped the crabpots. Would I use one for more than measuring speed over land? And how would I use it? (Do charts have GPS coordinates?)
Bobbie
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