Seth,

I never suggested that a chart plotter be used as a substitute for navigation. It is an aid, and one that can be of great value. I would also suggest that the influx of inexperinced mariners running into trouble could probably be pointed more towards the blanket marketing campaigns of the industry. Heart beat, credit card, heres the boat your good to go, be back in a week. These same companies have no problem sending people off the dock with nothing more than a blurry photocopied chart and cruising guide that does a better job advertising who's got what for dinner than it does explaining the various anchorages/harbors.
Thus my logic that having a device (at the helm) that provides real time reference could be a valuable addition to those Mark One Eyeballs.

No offense, I get what your saying. Any fool can fly a plane on autopilot, its the landing thats tricky! The real question is, why is the fool sitting in the pilot seat to begin with?