Wednesday, May 23, 2018

This modern world...

The upside of a bad situation, an important milestone of the right sort, and something you really need to read...

I'm currently having some issues with my various Android devices deciding they no longer see or connect to my MIFI (mobile hot-spot). My computers and Kindles are working just fine. in this regard.

The worst part of this problem is that it is nearly impossible (spelled I have not quite given up hope yet) to source information and assistance from the internet provider, the company that makes the MIFI, or other independent resources. The bottom line being that there just seems to be no one to ask who has a clue and there is no repository of knowledge to research the problem.

I mention this because if, for instance, I was to have a problem with my chart plotter I'd find myself in pretty much the same situation and looking at various manuals for marine instruments there is little to no information of a problem solving sort other than the scant basics of checking to see whether the item in question is plugged in.

When calling customer support for marine gear I mostly find myself talking to people who know even less than I do who seem more interested in playing the blame game or schlepping me off to the retailer to get me off the phone.

Of course, the retailer will then send me back to the company and all of a sudden I'm doing the snake eating its tail two step.When all I actually want is just a simple answer to a simple question.

Which is why I really like the idea of buying gear from someone who actually has a clue, knows their product, and can answer simple questions.

In the not-too-distant-past I bought a used tiller pilot and I wanted to find the manual. Of course the company who built it has been absorbed by a bigger marine electronics company and trying to navigate the user support maze for a legacy product had me banging my head against a bulkhead trying to kill the pain.

Which is, in a roundabout sort of way, why you should check out the Pelagic autopilot if you have not already.


They know and understand their product and can sort out your problem if you happen to have one which is something of a rarity these days.

No head banging required.

Listening to Buck Curran

So it goes...