Today a friend told me that a PLB is a TLA; and do you know what, they are right!
I've posted the registration for the Personal Locator Beacon to Falmouth Coast Guard today, something required by law.
My son returned a number of my sailing books today when he arrived home for Easter; also bringing the RS800 sailing dinghy home too. That boat is now for sale... if you know anyone who wants a boat that only just gets going at 18 knots whilst the helm and crew hang off a wire?! ...
The returned navigation, meteorology, engine, first aid and yachtmaster books plus 'Rules of the Road' flash cards got me thinking a bit of revision is in order before I go. It would also be good to have them there on the trip with me, especially before my exam, but how?
I set about searching the sailing apps on my phone and do now have a 'navigation' file. In it I have put: a Maritime Calculator, a Compass, Best Knots, the Night Sky (amazing app), Rules & Signals by Imray. I already had the UK & Holland Charts by Navionics. More about charts on another day, but the app is fabulous for high & low tidal information, graphs and daily tide times anywhere until 2018! Coupled with tidal direction of flow charts plus a camera to put a picture of dolphins exactly where you saw them on the GPS navigational chart; it is immense!
The other essential app is the Met Office weather forecast which is great with its synoptic pressure charts aswell as its standard forecasting. My mentor tells me I've got to learn to look at the pressure charts first and form my own forecast before I look at the answer. Well, I sat down with my wife and tried it today only to find that what I assumed to be a low pressure to the west of Britain was in fact a high; hence I predicted SW winds only to find the Met Office forecast NE winds! No marks there then, couldn't have been more wrong - still now my forecasting can only improve!
Oh! Don't forget, it's worth also taking a good First Aid app. I've opted for the British Red Cross one. That should perhaps be on everyone's phone.
Are there any other apps essential for sailing the UK? Let me know if I've forgotten anything. Perhaps you'll only tell me to mind the battery doesn't run out and not rely on gizmos!
By the way, the PLB that is a TLA is a Three Letter Abbreviation!
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