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Its not the existence of £60 GPS's that worries me, its peoples total reliance on them.

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LOL! Wheras relying on wind up clock and a visible sky for your position is not worrying?

Sextants are not over the top compared to GPS they are completely ineffective!

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When you navigate by traditional methods you don't always know exactly where you are. This isn't a problem if you have developed a healthy cynicism about the plot you put on the chart. This 'eye for navigation' is something that people who have always relied on GS don't always appreciate.

If you read my posts you will see that I DON'T rely on a sextant when sailing the channel. I even suggest that its not necessary. I happened to mention that I have a sextant on board. When I sail I use my GPS, the same as 99.9% of other people. However I am reasonably confident that in the even of the boat being hit by lightning or having a major electrical fire, I will carry on navigating with my Compass paper charts and Walker log.

As it happens, I also have a mechanical chronometer which is very reliable. Not sure why you think its a joke but I don't rely on that either - and I don't know what point you are making. I could even find my latitude without a watch, but so what? In the channel, after a few hours sailing you are going to reach some land. Knowing which bit of land takes a bit of skill if you haven't got a GPS. My worry is not that people rely on electronics, but that they seem to be paranoid about the possibility of the electronics failing. If they do fail, its good seamanship to be prepared.

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“When you discover that you are riding a dead horse,
the best strategy is to dismount.”

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