Is GPS the right tool for all navigation problems?
It is easy to believe that using a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver on a boat is the answer to all the navigation problems you will encounter. It is true that they are a great aid to navigation but they should not be relied upon entirely. Some traditional navigators have often felt that the navigation system in use on the vessel should be capable of being dropped in a bucket of water and still work! And that to rely on electronic equipment is dangerous. Whilst there is still a case for this belief, it is also true that many boats carry more than one GPS receiver, in fact when I run practical courses there may be 5 or 6 sets aboard. The reduction in cost and size made it possible to have a main unit and at least one spare on any yacht. This still leaves the possibility that the whole network would be shut down, and whilst extremely unlikely a prudent navigator will still have a back up plan. In practice the main danger in using GPS to navigate is normally operator error caused e
