Rounding Cape Hatteras

[John Stone]

Serving as sailing master and coach on 58’ ketch delivery from Norfolk, VA around Cape Hatteras to Charleston, SC. Working south just outside west wall of the north setting Gulf Stream. Winds NW at 18 kts.

[Paul D.]

Nice. John, are you finding iNavX charts generally accurate and easy to use?

[John Stone]

iNAVX works fine. I use it to read both raster snd vector charts. I prefer raster charts which are scans of NOAA charts. All the NOAA charts are a free download. There is more info in the raster charts as it includes shore cartography info. You have to local each chart though when you cross from one chart to the other. Vector charts however load seamlessly.

Paper charts are my preference and what I mostly use on the Far Reach. These days I think most people have switched to the convenience of vector charts.

[fmueller]

9.5 knots ... zoom zoom !

John, I've got iNavX on my phone and an iPad (backup) ... great program.

Don't turn the B&G chart plotter on much at all anymore - which runs Navonics - and works well - but just not necessary. Its on my bulkhead and do use it when it's really wet, or at night.

I use Navonics and the NOAA charts about 50/50 on the phone. I like that I can set the "safety depth" to 6' when using Navonics in Narragansett Bay - which for me means anything white is "go", blue is "no-go". I've also got Ayetides running parallel with iNavX.

Most of the time I have the iPhone nearby, B&G depth sounder on, and a Maptech (waterproof) chart out in the cockpit. Ritchie compass is on the bulkhead. Fuji binos have a sighting compass, plus I have one of those little yellow domed sighting compasses in a dodger pocket. I usually don't have my masthead VHF on, but do have my hand held VHF on - and it tri-scans 9/16/22. That way I get all the CG com (which is powerful), and anyone nearby can holler at me on 9/16.

Tons of Where's Waldo toys !

[Paul D.]

I always have a paper chart out for eyeball mapping in the Islands, and on passages I plot fix, time, course and speed on them about hourly. I have been liking Navionics recently on an iPad as it is big enough to plan and look around on and zoom in, share the course and ideas etc. And great for plotting stuff out too. I also have use a Garmin GPX76c. iNavX raster on the phone is good too, not used vector charts on it yet though. My way of trying all the options. The only expensive one is the Garmin but that has proven more accurate in remote Canadian waters.

But I will not sail without paper and I like to use it. Call me old school, Ishmael, whatever you like.

[John Stone]

I always have a paper chart out for eyeball mapping in the Islands, and on passages I plot fix, time, course and speed on them about hourly. I have been liking Navionics recently on an iPad as it is big enough to plan and look around on and zoom in, share the course and ideas etc. And great for plotting stuff out too. I also have use a Garmin GPX76c. iNavX raster on the phone is good too, not used vector charts on it yet though. My way of trying all the options. The only expensive one is the Garmin but that has proven more accurate in remote Canadian waters.

But I will not sail without paper and I like to use it. Call me old school, Ishmael, whatever you like.

We are living in an era of great change and innovation. Electronic charting is here to stay. Probably just as well. So many people don't know how to read a street map much less a chart. It's not my thing but electronic navigation is hard to avoid as paper charts have gotten expensive and even harder to come by. I enjoy plotting by hand. I enjoy the challenge of celestial navigation. It's not difficult but it is work and requires discipline....

Nonetheless, we arrived in Charleston at sunset yesterday. I think about 470nm. Thee days of sailing including two nights. We had a brief two hour stop in Beaufort NC to take on fuel then back out to sea. I think about 62 hours underway. More motor sailing than I like but it was a delivery so you need to keep moving.

I get back home tomorrow and go right back to work on the Far Reach. Barring unforeseen events we should be ready for a late Nov departure.