Nah, too much technology involved. Yep. It's amazing how technologically advanced sailboats, and particularly navionics, has become.

But it misses the whole point. In order to fall in love with sailing, it isn't necessary to circumnavigate the globe, or even cross an ocean. Just dropping the hook and spending the night in a secluded cove just a few hours from your home can be a soul-healing experience. And all the technology in the world can't help you do that any better.

I bring the same philosophy to observing with my telescope, no go-to computerized mounts, no image intensifiers or hi-tech filters, no sophisticated CCD imaging devices, hypered film emulsions, or digitized star charts. All I want is a really dark night and billion year-old photons hitting my retina. Technology won't get you that, either.

It's the difference between looking at video images of exotic birds taken by the world's most skilled nature photographers, and going out into the woods and tracking down a rare warbler yourself.

Don't get me wrong, for the professional astronomer, or mariner, or for the guy who just loves the gadgets, the tech is fun, maybe even essential, and more power to them. I don't begrudge them that at all. After all, even a wooden boat with hemp rigging and canvas sails was super high technology at one time.

But that's not why I go there.