pescott whitehaven catamaran review

Whitehaven 11.7 Catamaran

Aug 21, 2017

Description: Pescott Whitehaven 11.7 Recent Extensive refit inside and out. Encumbrance Check?

This Mark Pescott Whitehaven 11.7m Sailing Catamaran is a Genuine Performance Cruiser capable of taking you offshore in comfort and safety with confidence. Built by a Master Craftsman under profession supervision the curved deck and saloon top with high aspect ratio hulls have produced an impressive looking profile from all angles. Best standard West System Epoxy Glassed inside and out over glued Western Red Cedar Strips creates one of the strongest and yet lightest hull constructions. Continuous curved gunwhales with no deck to hull join provides incredible strength and no leaking joins.

“Paw Paw” provides a comfortable home for a cruising couple plus an extra double cabin for your guests. Two V berths forward and a huge settee are available so can accommodate the whole family for those weekends away. Spacious bathroom and head are aft on Starboard side. The saloon with full head room has a 3 metre width settee with seating for up to 10 diners. The impressive galley takes up the centre and aft region of the Port hull. There is ample shelving and cupboard space capable of storing months of supplies. Shelving and lockers also contain a collection of cooking pots and utensils. The galley down position does not compromise the user in any way as this boat boasts specially clad panoramic windows and an easy view to the saloon and helm. A hard top bimini covers the cockpit area and from a raised central steering station you can navigate in shelter with a full view of both bows. Recently we have been cruising SE Asia and Paw Paw was hauled for an extensive refit. New items include Smev Cook top, deep Stainless Steel kitchen Sink with new Sst st tap, new settee covers, painted hulls and deck top, new Halyards, furling line, dagger board lines,

Designer Mark Pescott Builder Tony Lee Length 38′ 5″ – 11.70m Hull Material Composite West System Epoxy Glass Encapsulation over Stripped Western Red Cedar

Deck Material Epoxy glass over Western Red Cedar

Engine Make Yamaha 60 HP FOUR STROKE OUTBOARD LONG SHAFT HIGH THRUST Number Engines; 1 Fuel Consumption Approx 4.5 litres per hour at cruise speed around 5 to 6 knots

Max Speed 10 to 12 knots at max revs Cruise Speed 8 to 10 knots with potential of 15 plus under sail

Genset Honda 2.0 Fuel 100 litre narcal tank plus aft fuel in step lockers room enough for jerry’s to total over 250 l Water 3 x 100 litre in built tanks Accommodation Two double cabins over Bridge deck. Full Head Room through saloon and in hulls

2 double cabins over bridge deck 2 forward V berths or walkin robes can be entered through deck hatches when you have a crowd.

Berths Up to 8 persons comfortably using V berths and settee.

Galley Spacious Galley in Port hull with extra room to Aft Pantry and refrigeration.

Refrigeration Top access fridge box cooled through fan between freezer and fridge.

Stove New Smev Cook top Shower Yes in bathroom including outside in cockpit

Toilet Electric macerator with holding tank

Entertainment Radio stereo with up to date inputs

Dinghy Finn Spindrift 3m Outboard 8hp Mercury

Ground Tackle Rocnar 25kg Stainless Steel Chain on electric windlass plus two back ups on rode one Danforth and one rock grapnell.

Bilge Pumps Epirb Life Jackets Flares Fire Protection

Electrics 2 separate battery banks with own charging systems, one 300 amp hour LIFEPO4 and other bank 2014 Lead acid still working fine.

Electronics Raymarine wheel pilot, B&G VULCAN 7 Chart Plotter, Mount at helm station for Tablet with Navionics, G&E AIS 120 B, depth raymarine

Sail Inventory Main fully Battened, Genoa on Profurler, Furling Screetcher on Prodder. Mast / Rigging All Yacht Spars Aluminium Deck Gear Anderson winches, ronstan running blocks

Remarks Paw Paw is a sailors vessel she responds well to wind increases above 5 knots at 8 to 10 knots of breeze you will be doing 5 to 6 knots vmg, fully laden in cruise mode. She has an internal plan which gives a cruising couple maybe with kids plenty of space in comfort. The cockpit has seating for 6 or more. The two separate battery banks are charged from their own 200 Solar Arrays. The original Lead Acid Batteries are still in service. Added in 2016 is a separate switched circuit, powered by a 300 amp hour LIFEPO4 Battery with its own battery management system and own Unisolar 210 watt panels (3x70w). Baw Baw is on the hardstand in Phuket ,Call Brent to arrange an inspection 0862697138

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Boats for crossing the Pacific

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There seem to be an infinite number of discussions about boats suitable for extended bluewater cruising. Thought I would try something a bit different. I went through the database of boats on the Yahoo groups' Pacific Puddle Jumpers group for this year and next (obviously incomplete). We don't know if these boats actually went (or will go) but they are listed by owners who intend to go from somewhere on the western shore of the Americas (US to Peru) to French Polynesia. This destination involves a passage of at least 3000 nm (Galapagos to Marquesas) for almost all of the boats. The complete list follows, but here are a few summary comments. There are 109 boats in the list with 98 monohulls and 11 multis (including one tri). The variety of models is remarkable with only one boat having more than 2 in the list (3 Valiant 40s). As well, there are only 10 others with 2 examples on the list. Most common builder is Hunter, but this still is only 4 boats. This means that there about 100 different models listed! Biggest is a Gulfstar 68 and the smallest is a Contessa 32. Among the monohulls there are 26 in the 30 to 39' range, with 60 in the 40 to 49' range, 11 in the 50 to 59' range and one in the 60+. I did not work out a median length but it would appear to be around 45' Prices range from perhaps $25k Pearson 10m the cheapest) to considerably more than $1 million (Oyster 56). Let the discussion commence. MONOHULLS (98) Alden 54 Alm.(?) 38 Atlantic 48 Baba 40 Beneteau 39.3, 46, 461 Bristol 45.5 Brolga 33 (Aussie boat?) C & C 41 Cal 36, 39 Cape North 43 Catalina 42, Morgan 440 Choate 40 Chung Hwa Magellan 36 Contessa 32 Contest 48 Corbin 39 CSY 44 Cutter 46’ LWL Dreadnought 32 Ericson 38, 39 Elliot 45 FD 12 (50’) Flying Dutchman 37 Gozzard 36 Gulfstar Sailmaster 47, 68 Halberg Rassy 352 Hans Christian 33 (2) Hunter 45cc, 466, 49 (2) Hylas 47 Ingrid 38 (2) Irwin 52 Island Trader 46 Islander 36 Island Packet 40 Joe Adams Naut 40 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45.2 Kelly-Peterson 44 Ketch 44’ (2) Lafitte 44 Le Comte 45 Liberty 458 Lidgard 49 Lyman Morse 54 Magellan 36 Mason 33 Morgan 384, Out Island 41, Out Island 51 Ohlson 38 Outbound 44, 46 Oyster 485, 56 Pacific Seacraft 37, 40 Panda 40 Pan Oceanic 46 Passport 40, 47 Passport Peterson Custom 45 Pearson 10M (33’) Saga 43 (2) Santa Cruz 50 Selestra 50 Slocum 43 Sloop 32, 40, 45 Spencer 53 Sunbeam 53 Swan 41 Tartan 37, 412 Tayana 37, 42 (2) Valiant 40 (3) Van de Stadt 50 Warner Channel Cutter Wauquiez Pretorien 35 Westsail 42 MULTIHULLS (11) Catamaran 45 Catana 431 Horstman Tristar 40 Jaguarcat 36 Lagoon 380 (2), 440 Rainier 46 Seawind 1160 (38') Shuttleworth 44 Switch 51  

• Bolt in the windows (the one I sailed has windows held in with silicone and leaked, and would not likely stand a big wave)
• Some galley mods, including a harness.
• Lee clothes for proper sea berths.
• No backstay - I just like additional mast support
• No proper sea beths and hard to retrofir lee clothes. The aft cabin was useless.
• An RV stove on which the oven handle prevented gimballing, the pot holders were on the cooking surface level and useless, and no lips on the oven racks.
• Loose floorboards that become missiles underway.
• Insufficient hand holds below.

I know of three J boats that are in the process of doing the trip or equal. a J 109, 37c and 105. I a sure there are others too. A Jeanneau SO 49ip did a 2 yr from Seattle to Oz and back too. Reality is, MANY boats over 32-35' can do an ocean crossing, depending upon the how it is built, floorplan, tankage etc. Including some that have no engine, can not remember the couple that has a boat local here in Puget SOund, and another in New Zealand. Famous, but name escapes me........ Then again, a few rigs have gone from Ca to hawaii that most would not take at times. Weather and if you do it in the summer vs hurricane/storm time, be it fall or winter......... Marty  

blt2ski said: Including some that have no engine, can not remember the couple that has a boat local here in Puget SOund, and another in New Zealand. Famous, but name escapes me........ Marty Click to expand...

While I do love their philosophy and certainly put parts of it into practice, I think it is fair to say that the Pardeys are probably not the 'average' cruising couple.... This is an interesting thread, good food for thought.  

Thank you Jack! I'm probably with Chall, not my first cup o tea for how to cross an ocean, ie engine less! But then again, I would probably take my Jeannea Arcadia across a pond, needs a few things to make it safer if you will. but the design itself is fine, even if from 85, and barely not quite 30'! That is me. Others would say no way in hell! life goes on! As I recall, a catalina 27 or two has circumnavigated, Robin lee Grahm almost got around in an IOR 1/4 ton style boat......... marty  

the boat robin graham made the trip in was a lapworth gladiator 24. so 24 is not to small just may not be the most comfortable. there have been smaller ones to make the circle.  

There are a lot of boats that are capable of doing a Pacific crossing that aren't on that list.  

Yep... no Amel Super Maru's, Larger HR's, Cal 40's, Olson 40's, SC 52's, most S&S Swans, Baltics, etc.... the list of missing boats is very long.  

Just about any thing that floats will do a pacific crossing east to west, in the other direction you need a seriously strong boat to take the hammering it will get from the trades and the swell that goes with them.  

Killarney, I did a similar exercise a couple of years ago summarising yachts that registered for the Darwin to Indonesia rally, as this includes many Aussie cruising boats, plus lots of international yachts doing the rally as part of a circumnavigation. The sheer diversity of sizes and types of yachts was the thing that surprised me. Of the 557 yachts that registered between 2002 and 2008 the most common design represented only 33 boats (Roberts) and the 2nd most common design was 17 boats (Halberg Rassy). Sizes ranged from 23 ft to 80 ft. There is an almost endless range of yachts out there and it is very hard to draw conclusions on "typical" cruising yachts. Top yachts on the list were. Design - No Most common length​ 1st 2nd 3rd​ Roberts - 33 44 43 38​ Halberg Rassy - 17 40 42​ Adams - 12 40​ Amel - 11 52 53​ Beneteau - 10 38 45​ Tayana - 9 37 42 48​ Oyster - 7 53​ Jeanneau -7 Island Packet - 7 45 40​ Herreshoff - 6 35​ Najad - 6 44​ Earlier this year I was right into planning a trans Pacific trip that would of entailed travelling around 7,000 NM to complete the trip, before ill health changed my plan. My selected vessel was a Tayana 37 for the trip. However it really is personal preference and there was easily a 100 other types and sizes of yachts that I could of picked for the trip. Ilenart  

Ilenart, I would be interested to see that whole list if you have it still.  

Chall, it's a bit rough & the format is a bit crappy, but here goes! Ilenart Design Length Adams 40 Adams 40' Adams 40ft Adams 42' Adams 52' Adams 56' Adams 40 40' Adams 42 40 ft Adams 45 45' Adams 45 45' Adams 66 66' Adams A40 40' Alajuela 38 44 ft Alan Pape 37 ft Alan Warwick 44' Alden 50 ft Allan Mason 41' Allegro 26 ft Amazon Sloop 37' Amel 39 Feet Amel 39 Feet Amel 46' Amel 53' Amel 41' Amel Mango 52' Amel Maramu 52 ft Amel Maramu 47' Amel Maramu 52' Amel Maramu 2000 53' Amel Sharki 40' Aphrodite 41 Feet Atkinson 50 Atkinson 15M 49' Avance 36 36' Baba 30 33' Barens 39' Barnett Offshore 65' Bavaria 42' Bavaria 38 40' Bavaria 42 42 ft Bavarian 46ft Beale 32 Benateau 38 Feet Benateau 45 Feet Beneteau 38' Beneteau 375 37' Beneteau 393 40' Beneteau 435 44' Beneteau F5 45 ft Beneteau First 456 46' Beneteau Oceanis 38' Beneteau Oceanis 250 34 ft Benford 36 Feet Berret Racoupeau 49' Birdsall 53' Birdsall/Bakewell 70' Blueseas 50 50' Boden South Seas 40' Bollard 49' Bowman 47' Breeon 36' Brewer 37' Brewer 43 44ft Bristol 41 41' Bruce Farr 56 ft Bruce Farr 65' Buhler 45' Buizen 48 48' Buizen 48 48' Cabo Rico 46 Feet Cairns Custom 65' Cal 39' Cal 2-29 29' Cal 3-46 46' Cal2/46 46' Calypso 42 42' Camelot 40 ft Camper and Nicho.. 54' Cape Dory 40 ft Carbineer 46 ft Cartwright 44 Feet Cascade 36 36' Cascade 36 36' Cassidy 55 55 Cassidy 55 55' Cassidy 55 55 Feet Catalina 40' Catalina 47 ft Catalina 42 37' Catamaran 33' Catamaran 38' Catamaran 43' Catamaran 50' Catana 431 43 ft Catana 471 47 ft Cavalier 32 32' Cavalier 395 39' Cavalier 395 40' Cavalier 45 45' Celestial 48 ft Centre Cockpit 34 ft Centre Cockpit 51 Feet Chamberlain 38' Cherokee Catamaran 40' Chincogan 520 52' Chuck Paine 62 ft Chuck Paine 45' Columbia 45 ft Columbie 451 45' Contest 38 38' Contest 43 43 ft Contest 44 44' Corbin 36' Corbin 38 ft Corbin 39 39' Corsair 3600 36' Cougar Catamaran 47' Countess 37 37' Crealock Pacific 36' Cross Trimaran 36' Crossbow 40 40 ft Crowther 39 ft Crowther 40' Crowther 42; Crowther 46 ft Crowther 49' Crowther 50' Crowther 56' Crowther 85 54' Crowther 85 45' Crowther Catamaran 48' Crowther Eureka 33' Crowther Windspeed 39' Crowther Windspeed 40' CT 34 33 ft CT 49 49' Cumulant 39 Feet Davidson 37 37' Dean 38' Deerfoot 61 Deerfoot 62 62 ft Deerfoot 74PH 74' Dehler 41 40' Dehler 41DS 41' Design Length Devries 34 Dick Newick Native 38' Diesel Duck 462 48' Discovery 43' Dix 38 38' Don Brook 54 ft Doug Pedersen 47 ft Downeaster 45' Dubois 80' Dufor 54' Dufour 35 ft Dufour 395 40' Easton 40 ft Easton 43 43' Easy 36' Endurance 35 Feet Endurance 35 37' Engholm Boat 35 ft Fantasi 44 44' Farr 39' Farr 40 Feet Farr 46' Farr 1104 36' Farrier 41 41' Farrrier 31' Fastback 43 43' Feltz 38' Flint 51 ft Fontaine Pajot 40' Formosa 46 45' Formosa 47 47 ft Founaine Pajot 41 ft Fountain Pijot 42' Fountaine Pajot 56' François Chevalier 46' Frans Maas 48 Feet Freres 38 ft Frers 48' Ganley 46 Feet Ganley Pacemaker 40' Ganley Tara 39 40' Garcia Passoa 47 47' Gib Sea 40' Gib Sea 402 39' Gibsea 126 42' Grainger 46 Grainger 43' Grainger 52' Grainger 420 42' Grainger 430 42' Grainger 52 52' Grainger MC420 42' Grand Soleil 39ft Granger 42' GRP Sloop 43 ft Gulf Star 50 50 Feet Gulfstar 43' Gulfstar 50 50 ft Haag 48' Hakker 44' Hallberg Rassy 30 Hallberg Rassy 33 Hallberg Rassy 34 Hallberg Rassy 35 35 Hallberg Rassy 352 35 Hallberg Rassy 36 Hallberg Rassy 36 36 Hallberg Rassy 37 Hallberg Rassy 38 Halberg Rassy 39 Halberg Rassy 40 Hallberg Rassy 40 Hallberg Rassy 40 Hallberg Rassy 42 Hallberg Rassy 42 Hallberg Rassy 49 Hallberg Rassy 52 Hans Christian 50' Hans Christian 51' Hans Christian 52' Hans Christian 48 48 ft Hanse 371 DS 37' Hartley 50 ft Hereshoff 52' Herreschoff 35 ft Herrescoff 35 ft Herreshoff 35' Herreshoff 40 Feet Herreshoff 47' Hill 50 Hood 23 Hood 38 Feet Hortsman 38' Hunter 45' Hutting 45' Hylas 49' Hylus 48 Feet Hywel Price 36' Island Packet 40' Island Packet 40ft Island Packet 45' Island Packet 45 Feet Island Packet 42' Island Packet 45' Island Packet 485 52 ft Island Spirit 37' Janneau 37' Jarkan 10.5 34' Jarkan 10.5 35' Jarkin 41 Jeaneau Sunkiss 45 ft Jeanneau 40' Jeanneau 42 ft Jeanneau 47 ft Jeanneau 43DS 43' Jeanneau Espace 36' Jeanneau Sun Fizz 37' Jeantot 43 ft Jim Young 42' Jim Young 41' John Pugh 50' Kahn Walker 28.8 Kalik 40' Kappa San Yawl 34 ft Kaufmann 50' Kelly Peterson 44 44' Kennex 42' Ketch 49' Ketch 50 ft Ketch 53' Ketch 56' Kirk Amel 36' Koopmans 43 43' Kronos 45 45' Ladd 48 48 Lagoon 47' Lagoon 380 38' Lagoon 410 40' Laurance Gills 48 ft Lauren 49 Feet Laurent Giles 48' Lavranos 43 ft Lavranos 45 ft Lavranos 50' Lawrence Giles 50 ft Leopard 42 41' Liberty 49 54 ft Lidgard 45' Lidgard 45 ft Lidgard 42 42' Lidgard 44 44ft Lightwave 38 38' Magellan 36 36 ft Magnum Baltic 42 ft Malcom Tennant 40' Maple Leaf 48 48 ft Marco Polo 55 Feet Marie Tanton 26' Mason 48 47 ft Maxi 108 35 ft Mayotte 46 ft Mon 391 38' Monte Video 43 Feet Montevideo 43 43' Moody 40 ft Moody 42' Moody 376 37 ft Moody 42 40 ft Mooring 51 51' Morgan 40 ft Morgan 51' Morgan 53' Motor Sailer 46' Motor Sailor 77 Feet Mottle 33 33 ft Mull 45 44 ft Mummery Millenium 54' Mutt 43' Najad 32 ft Najad 33' Najad 39ft Najad 440 44' Najad 441 44 ft Najad 650 34 ft Nauticat 331 34' Nauticat 43 43' Niagra 35 35 ft Noon Ocean 44 ft Norlin 34 34' Norseman 447 44 ft Norseman 447 44 ft Norseman 447 44 ft Norseman 447 44' Northshore 370 37' Northshore 46 46 ft Northwind 36 36' Not Given 47 ft OC 35 35 ft Oceanic 46 46 ft Oceanic 46 46' Oceanis 45 41 ft Oege Karbling 42 ft O'Kell 52' Olympic 40' Oram 45' Orams 52 Orion 48 ft Ovni / Alubat 42' Own Design 40' Oyster 42 ft Oyster 43' Oyster 53 53' Oyster 53 55' Oyster 55 55' Oyster 56 56' Oyster 62 62 Feet Pacific 38' Pacific Seacraft 31 ft Pacific Seacraft 40' Panda 40 40' Passport 42 40 ft Paul Lucas 60 Pearson 36' Pearson 386 38 Feet Pearson 424 42' Perry 42 Feet Perry Passport 44 Feet Perry/Tatoosh 42 ft Pescott Whitehaven 37 ft Pescott Whitehaven 42' Peter Hatfield 41' Petersen 46 44 ft Peterson 44 44' Phil Curran 47 ft Pouvreau 38' Privelege 47 Cat 37' Prout 34' Prout 45 45' Pugh Fairwind 46' Pugh Northern Star 42' R J Salthouse 41 Radford 450 45' Ray Richards 41 Feet Reinke 13 46' Reinke 16 52' Rival 41 41' Rival 41 41' Robert Clark 50 Feet Roberts 36' Roberts 37' Roberts 38' Roberts 40' Roberts 40' Roberts 42' Roberts 43 Feet Roberts 43 ft Roberts 44' Roberts 44' Roberts 44 Feet Roberts 45' Roberts 55' Roberts 36' Roberts 48' Roberts Spray 36 ft Roberts 345 34' Roberts 370 39' Roberts 39 41' Roberts 434 43' Roberts 44 44 ft Roberts 53 53' Roberts Mauritius 42' Roberts Mauritius 45' Roberts Mauritius 44' Roberts Offshore 38' Roberts Offshore 38' Roberts Offshore 43 ft Roberts Offshore 44' Roberts Offshore 45' Roberts Spray 37' Roberts Spray 36' Roberts Spray 40' Roger Hill 48 Feet Rogers Evolution 36' Ron Holland 44' Ron Holland 52' Runn 37 37' RW 41 43' S&S 37 Feet S&S 40' S&S 43' S&S 43 Feet Sadler 34' Salar 40 39 ft Salthouse 49' Savage 43 42 ft Saxe 38 40 ft Schionning 40' Schionning 44' Sciomachen 68 Feet Scorpion 3 44' Seawind 1160 38' Serendipity 43 ft Shawn Arber 38 ft Shearwater 39 39' Shearwater 39 39' Simpson Cat 38' Simpson Seadrive 35' Slocum 43' Sloop 35' Sloop 36 Feet Solaris 42 42' South Coast 36 36' Spencer 1330 43 Feet Spencer 1330 44 ft Spray 44' Spray Carvel 43' Sprited 380 38' St Francis 43 ft St Francis 44 44' Stevens 50 ft Stevens 47 47 ft Stewart Ganley 52' Stroud 44 44' Sunbeam 42' Suncat 40 40' Sundeer 60' Sundeer 60 60' Super Maramu 51 ft Super Maramu 52' Super Maramu 53' Swan 431 43ft Swan 44 44 ft Swanson 38' Swanson 38' Swanson 40' Swanson 45' Sweden Yachts 36 Feet Tanton 44 44ft Tartan 41 41 Feet Taswel 43 43 Feet Taswell 43 Feet Tayana 37 Feet Tayana 37 37' Tayana CT37 40' Tayana V 42 42' Tayana 42 42 ft Tayana 47/48 48' Tayana 48 48' Tayana 52 ft Tayana 60' Ted Brewer 44' Townson 47 ' Transpac 49 49' Trawler Yacht 52' Trintella 38 38' Twin Peak 45 45' v.d. Stadt Caribean 40' Vagabond 53 Feet Vagabond 42 47' Valiant 50' Valiant 40 40 ft Valiant 40 40 ft Valiant 42 42' Van De Stadt 35 ft Van de Stadt 35 ft Van de Stadt 37 ft Van De Stadt 40' Van De Stadt 40' Vancouver 25 25' VanDe Stadt Seal 40' Vanguard 950 31' Warick 50 54' Warick 50 50' Warrior 40 ft Warrior 40 ft Warrior 40 40' Warwick 39 ft Warwick 55 55 Wauquiez 31 ft Westerly 31 Feet Westerly Conway 35' Westerly Oceanlord 40' Westsail 32 32' Westsail 32 39' Wharam Tiki 38 38' Wharram 41 ft Wilf O'Kell 47' William Garden 52 Feet William Garden 40' Yorktown 35'  

Thankyou. Very Interesting.... A Hood 23? ummm Wow.  

Our long term goal is to take our Hans Christian 33 around the world.  

I notice that as years have gone by, the average size of the cruising boat is going up. That doesn't make the smaller ones that have historically been used any less seaworthy.... I think part of the problem is that the average skills of the sailors involved has decreased over time as the size of the boats has increased. IMHO, it is more difficult to make a long passage on a smaller boat, and it generally requires far more actual sailing skills. Just look at all the sailors who go out and pull the trigger on their EPIRB when it really isn't necessary.  

SD, I think part of the issue is that we cruisers demand more creature comforts today than we did 4 decades ago, and with more stuff you need more size. The same thing has happened with houses, RVs, etc. For example, in the 60s/ early 70s the motorhome of choice was a VW Westfalia- now, no manufacturer would dare to build an RV that small- where would you put the microwave and the A/C? Few of us are happy with a small boat.  

That may be true as well, but I still think that a lowered level of seamanship is still an issue-look at all the GPS induced accidents that have occurred because the Nintendo generation of sailors couldn't use the Mark I eyeball and other, more traditional methods of navigation.  

GPS units are a tool, and not a panacea to navigation issues. They're only as good as the charts they're based on. Too many people interpret the icon in the chartplotter as their actual position but it isn't. It is a calculated position in a mapmaker's interpretation of the world that may or may not be accurate.  

Oh, I get that. But how many sailors have been lost because they relied on "traditional" navigation techniques? Charts now, at least those that have been updated, are a lot more accurate than those used by our more traditional forebears. Even the 60 meters circle of uncertainty that you can get with a GPS is a lot more accurate than many of the traditional charts. Sailors have always used the latest in technology to navigate. The need for accurate navigation has been the spur for development in optics, mathematics, and time pieces. I agree though, that doesn't mean we don't have to keep our eyes open and use some common sense. Also it helps to have at our disposal a wide range of options so if that nifty bit of technology fails, we have alternatives.  

• Military exercise area WK just south of Victoria is shown as a wreck.
• The port hand bifurcation day deacon on Atkins reef is shown as a standard lateral daybeacon.

jackdale said: Chartplotters with vector charts tend to be worse than the charts on which they are based. In the Gulf Islands I have seen many errors on the chartplotters on the boats I use for instruction and on my handheld GPS: Military exercise area WK just south of Victoria is shown as a wreck. The port hand bifurcation day deacon on Atkins reef is shown as a standard lateral daybeacon. These are just two examples that come readily to mind. Because the chartplotters often shown me on land when I am anchored stern-to or going through a narrow channel, I use SD's mark I eyeball in those situations. I do use chartplotters, radar, VHF, etc.; but I also teach their limitations. I just did a trip with one student who was staring at the chartplotter so much, I turned it off for the last day as we went from Bedwell Harbour to Sidney on a bright sunny day using paper charts. Some time ago I started another thread on this topic http://www.sailnet.com/forums/seamanship/60925-trust-your-eyes-not-gps.html Click to expand...

I think that there may be another reason why the size of cruising boats is increasing - the age of cruisers has increased quite a bit and people a) can often afford a more costly boat and b) want more comforts. My wife, who suggested that we do a circum, insisted that we needed a bigger boat than our Niagara 35.  

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