Strongly disagree with you, cruzan1, about the chart plotter.

A chart plotter is an aid to navigation, not a substitute for navigation.

Whilst I totally agree that they are a great, handy piece of kit, since the introduction of chart plotters aboard charter yachts, I have seen more damage done and more pain than ever took place with navigational systems that were previously well used - things like the Mark One Eyeball.

Our own dinghy dock in St Vincent is shown about 10 yards inland. We've had a boat hard and fast on Mopion sandbank because the skipper was at the chart table staring at the chart plotter rather than opening his eyes to steer through the gap (sure, it wouldn't have happened if it had been a helm-mounted plotter, but that's not my point).

I'm not suggesting that everyone has to be a Joshua Slocum and sail across oceans with a sextant and a stop watch (which I did). But the more modern electronic navigational equipment I've seen introduced over more than 3 decades in the charter business, the more complacent I've seen charterers become (often unwittingly) about basic navigation and the more accidents have occurred as a result - over-reliance on the machinery and, as above, ignoring the most important piece of navigation gear aboard, your own eyes.

Like I say, I agree that a chart plotter is a great piece of kit that can make life a lot easier. But folks need to know that it ain't the be-all and end-all ... :-)