GPS Orientation

Pat Anderson · Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 9:30 am Post subject:

This is fun! I literally CANNOT drive the boat South with North up without standing on my head! So I always set it to Heading up! Then when Patty takes the helm, it goes back to North up, the way it is "supposed" to be! Good thing it is fairly easy to change back and forth!

Dora~Jean · Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:56 pm Post subject:

That's too funny Pat! I have to relate a quick story. When my wife and I took the Coastal Piloting and Seamanship course (...years ago), she actually beat me on the final exam score, 97 to my 93, which was/is amazing considering she has never driven or steered for any length of time any of the 15 boats we've owned!!! I envy you for having a wife that a) Can and will take the helm, and b) Is a NORTH UP kind of gal!

tpbrady · Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 7:47 pm Post subject:

Course up.

I've flown more hours with a VOR or compass than I've driven a boat with a GPS plotter. If I ran north up I would be contantly running into things I didn't think were in the way and dodging things that weren't.

Is north up something that's hung on from the old Loran days when processing power was so limited. It was probably simple to display north up but hard to display heading up without more cpu power?

TyBoo · Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:17 pm Post subject:

Well, I wearied waiting on the Modulators to turn this into a Poll, so now it is one.

Dora~Jean · Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:50 pm Post subject:

Actually, thinking about it, I use BOTH. My radar is heading up, used for colision avoidance, the GPS is North up for course navigation. So....that's makes me bi-oriented? Confused

Otter-BelleHavenMarina · Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:03 pm Post subject:

Heading up, until I run into something hard; then I switch it to north up to figure out where the heck I am.

Sawdust · Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:01 am Post subject:

OH! My turn.

North up always. All my life, North up... haven't got a clue what's going on if I put course up. Can't imagine any other way Laughing

Dusty

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:15 am Post subject:

Eyeballs out the windows.

Who needs to turn on the GPS or Loran on a lake with five 25 mile long fingers?

I do use the RADAR once every 3-5 years, though, which is heads up!

Joe.

CatyMae n Steve · Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject:

We're not IN with the Rogers -- heading up for us...would drive me nuts any other way.

doc · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 1:06 am Post subject:

Heading up, except when I am heading north. Rolling Eyes

Salmon Slayer · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 1:58 am Post subject:

I always orient North up on land and at sea, couldnt change now even if I wanted to.

cradydavis · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 1:45 pm Post subject: GPS orientation

GPS orientation for me always North just like paper charts.

computer-rooter · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 2:33 am Post subject:

I've done both. I thought I liked "heading up" on the gps because it's easier to find the darn boat when I drive it off the chart, and because when I'm zoomed way in and need to scoot the chart quickly to see what's ahead it's easier to scoot "up" without having to think about it. I'm currently driving "north up" because I find the way the screen jumps around on "heading up" to be distracting, because I use paper charts and topos that way, and because, as my young daughter said "Isn't it harder on the engine to always be driving up?"

Byrdman · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 11:04 am Post subject:

Neat stuff here...as well are some of the answers too.

North up for me, and yes, I do know how to change it from the factory setting before some of you ask....

I like being able to communicate with comercial trafic on the VHF as to where they want me to go in the tight rivers. It also helps me to follow real charts/maps... and there is simply not enough room to spin the maps on the dash....and it is real hard when you have the map taped to the roof so ya can't spill ya beverage of choice on the map and ya just have to look up for a "scan out peek."

Ya know something that always amazed me being raised in the hardware business..... when helping a customer with a screen door or other door question about it being henged left or right side.... no matter which direction they were facing in the store..... they would just about 75% of the time, turn about and act like they were opening that door....turn back around and give me the answer. They more than likely enjoyed the heading up...and twist maps in circles too.

Got a lots of kicks when attempting to meet up with some other chart folks on the lake when asking them to give me a directions/distance answer to a solid known good hard target....and their 1st response was.... " I aint sure, let me set my beer down and switch the map...."

I guess as long as we get there...and we gather. Life is good on a C-Dory.

416rigby · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 2:42 pm Post subject:

Heading up! I want to look out the window and match what I'm seeing with what is in front of the boat on the plotter. I don't care what direction north is...I want to know what's in front of me. Just easier for me.