Peter B wrote:
Coming in bit late, but for what it's worth, I use course or heading up, but quite happily refer to charts north up. That is because mentally the GPS is sort of like looking at what is out front of me like through the windscreen, but in relation to surrounding landmarks, and tells you where you are going NOW. Whereas when looking at the chart I am an eye in the sky, as it were, looking down on the boat, and taking in where we have come from, where we are heading, and where we are in relation to far off objects. In our main sailing area, we have many channels where it is almost like driving along with marker buoys like road signs, so course up just makes most sense. Way out in the ocean might be different, but if I had radar, even then I think I would go course up, but marking position and progress on a chart nearby as well.