Interesting artifact...

[ancora]

Saw this apparatus mounted on a trophy last night. I'm guessin' it was in use long before GPS was available.

 

[cafesport]

Nice find. The walker taffrail log was accurate and also a favorite lure for sharks.

Via iPad using Trawler

 

[KJ]

Saw this on an Old Timer in Seattle.

It reminds me of Robby the Robot. KJ

 

[rjtrane]

My first coastal trip as skipper was from Halifax Nova Scotia to Portland Maine the summer of '69. We hit the fog a few miles from the Halifax harbor entrance and stayed in it till Mantinixus ME.

Navigation was done with the compass, Walker taff rail log and a time piece along with paper charts. Made our land fall within miles of where we were headed.

I still have the taff rail log in its original dovetail box.

 

[Art]

In days past we navigated throughout New England by chart table, compass and timed watch in coordination with rpm-to-speed logs for our boats. Keeping an eye on winds and tides as well as unusual currents in some locations. Dad was a master at navigation. We loved to see just how close to our originally charted estimations we could accurately arrive to a buoy turn, lighthouse or other land mark after many hours travel... cruising from one port to the next... What FUN we had! RDF/Loran became our backups.

 

[Northern Spy]

Saw this apparatus mounted on a trophy last night. I'm guessin' it was in use long before GPS was available.

Predicted log race trophy?

 

[ancora]

The trophy was presented at our Predicted Log change-of-watch dinner to the most deserving observer. On every race, we have an assigned observer from the San Diego Observer Association on board to keep track of our times and see that we adhere to the prescribed course.
That's me on the right, accepting a trophy for best score in the first contest sponsored by Southwestern Y C in 2013.

 

[Art]

The trophy was presented at our Predicted Log change-of-watch dinner to the most deserving observer. On every race, we have an assigned observer from the San Diego Observer Association on board to keep track of our times and see that we adhere to the prescribed course.
That's me on the right, accepting a trophy for best score in the first contest sponsored by Southwestern Y C in 2013.

Marin would never buy that statement!

Me - That's as I pictured you!

Congrats on winning the trophy!

 

[yachtbrokerguy]

Reuben says

"Navigation was done with the compass, Walker taff rail log and a time piece along with paper charts. Made our land fall within miles of where we were headed."


Imagine with the typical boat owner today having accuracy of "within miles"

 

[Xsbank]

KJ, that radar unit looks like the devices in shoe stores when I was a kid, you stood in front of it and stuck your feet in the little caves and you were irradiated with enough energy to make your toes glow for a week. You were supposed to see if your new shoes fit properly. I'll bet all the plutonium from those machines, after using some of it in those radar units, ended up in Iran.