Electronic Verses Traditional Navigation

In the mid-1990s, when I started undertaking yacht deliveries, electronic navigation was just starting to appear. It usually involved using a small handheld GPS that offered basic latitude and longitude coordinates, which then had to be plotted on a chart. These devices often had short battery life and could take a while to determine a position fix.

With the advent of the internet, mobile phones, chart plotters, and tablets, electronic navigation has become standard for most individuals. However, is there still a role for traditional techniques, and what are the pros and cons of electronic navigation?

Advantages of Electrical Navigation

Transporting charts is now much simpler! In the past, when traveling to a yacht for a delivery, we had to bring along bundles of charts, making it impossible to carry detailed charts for every area you may sail through. Today, you can have detailed charts of an extensive sailing area right in your hand on a tablet or mobile phone.

For a delivery skipper, electronic navigation charts greatly simplify your work.

Marina information is now easily accessible; if we require fuel or repairs, we can simply zoom in on a marina and click for details. This allows us to see if fuel is available, the location of the fuel dock, contact information for booking, and additional details like repair facilities or haul-out options.

Tidal information: Apps such as Navionics offer tidal details, including flow direction, depth at specific locations and times, and flow strength.

Weather info: With apps like Windy, we can precisely map our position on a chart and view forecasts and predictions for our future locations.

Having real-time positioning, which allows you to view your current location on a chart and track your course/heading, is a significant advantage compared to the past when you had to determine your longitude and latitude and plot them on a paper chart.

Disadvatages of Electronic Navigation

Cost, most apps operate on a subscription model that requires annual renewal, whereas paper charts, once bought, can last indefinitely if well-maintained, though they do need occasional updates.

Navigation apps running on tablets or mobile phones often consume a lot of power. However, this isn't a problem if you have multiple 12V sockets available or if your chart plotter is directly connected to the yacht's electrical system.

Equipment can fail, but paper remains reliable in any weather, rain or shine. Tablets and phones are susceptible to failure, as the marine environment is harsh on electronic devices due to constant exposure to the elements and saltwater environment.

Many navigators, both professional and amateur, have erred by failing to zoom in sufficiently to view all the details, such as a solitary rock or reef extending from an island. A well-known example is Team Vestas Wind, where a simple mistake made while fatigued resulted in disastrous consequences.

Passage Planning

Navigational apps can definitely save time in planning. With apps like Navionics, a sailor simply needs to mark their starting point and destination, and Navionics will chart the optimal course. However, this should always be verified, as we've discovered that it can occasionally plot courses crossing Traffic Separation Schemes incorrectly or can take a vessel in to areas with dangerous overfalls in bad weather. Always double-check and take in to account the weather on the day.

Ensure you input the boat parameters in to your app, such as estimated cruising speed, draft, and air draft to allow for accurate course plotting.

To Sum Up

Embrace traditional and new methods of navigating.

The convenience of electronic charts and the capability to store detailed maps of extensive cruising areas on a tablet or mobile device is undoubtedly a major benefit. However, there remains a risk that your device might malfunction, or the vessel could lose power, preventing you from charging it. Therefore, paper charts and traditional navigation methods still have an essential role on a vessel.

There are also regions that have not been precisely charted, as well as areas where shoaling or shifting sandbars can lead to inaccuracies on both paper and electronic charts. In these areas, it is crucial for a skipper to rely on their "sixth sense" and remain aware of their surroundings, the movement and color of the water, and that indescribable feeling that something is amiss.

Be mindful that electronic devices can sometimes experience glitches. I encountered such a situation a few years ago. Late one night, while approaching Portsmouth on a familiar vessel, with calm seas and no wind, I was using a chart plotter to monitor our progress. I sensed something was amiss and reduced speed. A quick glance at the screen confirmed my suspicion: it was unresponsive. The screen had frozen, likely for just 1-2 minutes, but in close proximity to various hazards, this is enough time to lead to disaster. I had covered nearly 2000Nm on this vessel and this had never happened before or after.

One final example of over use of screens.

One night, as we approached A'Coruna, my crew wanted to practice their navigation skills, so I agreed to helm while they directed me into the marina from the southwest.

They both used their phones with Navionics to provide a course that avoided all hazards.

They did a great job, bringing us within 50 meters of the harbor wall, but they hadn't lifted their eyes from their screens once. At this point, I had to say, "Guys, look up from the screens! Observe your surroundings, find the channel markers confirm the chart is correct; you can almost reach out and touch the harbor wall. You need to look around, not just at the screen."

Effective navigation demands continuous monitoring, particularly in areas with potential dangers. It involves integrating various skills and utilizing multiple sources. Crucially, if you suspect something is amiss, retreat to safe waters, check everything, and begin again.