All of the nav equipment got a thorough test with many nights of dense fog, new harbors to navigate and over 1200 miles of open ocean. We were running Nobeltec on Dell computers with Simrad monitors as the primary navigation system. The Dell computer is backed by a twin. I added the Milltec AIS system just before we left and it was a great help. The AIS made crossing shipping lanes much less stressful and provided data on ships passing in the night.
With all the gizmos i have on the bridge, i still rely on paper charts and had them available the entire trip. There might be those who think i am old fashion– Ok i am a dinasour– but there will always be paper charts on my bridge. Speaking of old school verses modern practises i got a constant kidding about my north up display. I always run charts, electronic or paper, north up so when i dosed off and awoke to the boat heading the wrong way it took a while to find out that the boys had changed the computer. We had a good laugh as my constant companion, my Jerry Garcia doll, and i tried to figure out which way we were going!
At the certain risk of being called a dinosaur, old school, and several other adjectives (all true) i insisted on North up!
