"Charles Summers" wrote in
:

Same here... even watched the driver drive around in a big circle
trying to find the marina.


"Jerry Barton (NervisRek)" wrote in message
...
There's been many a morning that fog has set in while I was already
out in my boat, and if I didn't have the GPS I would have had a real
problem finding my way around.


"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
"Charles B. Summers" wrote in
t:

Piece of Mind? Yes. Know that you can run anywhere, on any lake
and get back is a great feeling.

Yes, it does offer piece of mind, but just keep in mind that its
really
a
horrible idea to be dependent on the GPS. If without the GPS you
would
be
lost, and if being lost would be dangerous, then you're doing
something wrong.

Scott






All well and good if things are going right, as sitting a few hours waiting
for a fog to burn off if your GPS dies is just fine. But when things start
going wrong, like say its cold out, you fell in and managed to get back in
your boat, so you're fighting off hypothermia, and your GPS doesn't work,
you're up ****s creek. If, in this situation, you had a compass, and
practiced beforehand estimating your distance travelled, and kept up this
skill by practicing every once in a while, you'd have a better chance of
getting back to the dock (even if there's no visibility to take a siting).

A GPS is a very convenient thing, but relying on it too heavily can really
get you into some trouble by encouraging a false sense of security. A
pretty good compass will run you $15, learning to use it is fun, its an
outdoor skill you can be proud of, and its a really sensible backup for a
GPS

Scott