Laptop as GPS/Chartplotter

[Ben]

I am relatively new to C-Dory ownership (just bought a 1999 22 foot cruiser last month); but I have been messing around on boats since I was a young teenager. Anyhow, I've found that electronics tend to last a lot longer when you take them off the boat and away from the salt air between outings. With this in mind, I figured I could use my laptop on the boat as a GPS/Chartplotter (as I have been doing in the car on the road). After looking into different software, I found the cheapest way to get into this is with Maptech's Offshore Navigator Lite which I bought for $129.

This includes all the charts for the Chesapeake/Delaware bay area, both electronically as well as paper charts. The program allows me to make routes fairly easily, which will then tell me my cross track error, distance to next waypoint, etc. This has been a huge step up for me from my previous methods of using a handheld GPS, manually putting in each waypoint (by estimating Lat/Lon on the paper charts). I particularly appreciate seeing the depths on the chart in the area I am running, and being able to easily avoid shoals this way. It allows me to zoom in very close when approaching an anchorage. For the first time, I felt comfortable arriving to a new anchorage after sunset without fear of running aground or needing to keep an eye on the paper chart.

As for the laptop, the little rubber feet that came with the laptop tend to hold it in place very well on the center area to the L of the helm. I went out last weekend on the Chesapeake in fairly rough conditions (~20 knot winds with 3-4 chop) and it holds very well without additional straps, etc.
The laptop is a 12 inch Averatec that I picked up at Sam's Club for $700 and it fits and works very well in this location. A 12 inch screen does take up a good bit of space when looking forward, but it also allows a great deal of detail to be displayed. But is very easy to close the top and regain that visibility.

In addition obviously a laptop allows other uses such as viewing DVDs, keeping the boat log, email, etc. that a dedicated chartplotter would not have.

I am writing to see if others might share their experiences with other software for laptop navigation. I have the stripped down version of Offshore Navigator, and so far it works pretty well; however I am interested in the collective wisdom of the group regarding other fancier and more costly software. Or is this setup adequate? I hope this Labor Day weekend allows you guys to get out and enjoy a long weekend on the water. For us Ernesto is making things a little wet and rough. Ben

[thataway]

You can get all of the United States U S boating charts, including the Major Rivers and inland waterways with Offshore navigator lite for $49 plus S & H from: http://www.maptech.com/water/usboatingcharts/index.cfm

I keep all of these charts down loaded on my hard drive. They can be updated from the NOAA site and from the U S Army Corp of Engineers Web site for free--or the charts can all be downloaded free.

I have used computers on boats since 1982, and they seem to last almost as long as at home (including two Atlantic and two Pacific crossings,plus a fair amount of tropical and high latitude sailing). However I do not use lap top for navigation of the C Dory or Tom Cat. I have used laptops for trawlers and larger slow vessels. The reason I prefer dedicated chart plotters is that they are faster, easier to use and can be positioned right below the sight line when driving the boat at speed. The skipper needs to keep his eyes on the water, and when diverting them, do it easily and rapidly. Also generally chart plotters have better night vision screens than computers do.

I like to use the computer as a back up and planning tool, but still do the final planning with a paper chart. It is too easy to make a mistake as I once did: There were two paths into a major waterway after crossing Tampa Bay. I failed to note on the small scale of the computer that one of the bridges only had a 19 foot clearance. My boat had an 18'6" air draft. We arrived at the bridge to discover that we were marginal for clearance. Fortunately, the Admiral watched and we squeezed under, with a few inches to spare--but we always double check each bridge and clearance on paper charts after this experience.

[journey on]

Using the PC as a chartplotter works great, and since most cruisers have a laptop is the cheapest solution. I got a cheap USB GPS from Duglos, and it works well. Most dedicated chartplotters use a proprietary chart (C-Map, etc,) and these can get expensive, not including the chartplotter cost.

Some navigation programs will also output NMEA 0183/2000, and this can be used for your radar (get a cheap one and use it,) as well as for your DSC VHF.

Using on screen charts with the GPS is like cheating, since you just drive the boat. I do agree that you need an overview chart, but we used Maptech chartbooks for the east cost.

Boris

[smittypaddler]

I use a Sony VAIO PCG-V505EXP Notebook, with Fugawi Marine ENC, and swear by it. I made a mount for it that straps to my dinette table. I put it in suspend mode when it's rough, but after 6000 miles on the greatloop, my hard drive needed to be replaced. For long open-water trips, I program the route in my Garmin 2006C, in case the PC goes down. I also keep a second, older VAIO on board as backup, and of course I have paper charts. The one thing I like most about Fugawi is that I can calibrate and use my own charts. I spent several hundred hours scanning and calibrating all the charts I needed for the great loop. I strongly object to the proprietary formats used by most of the electronic chart vendors, and refused to spend any money on any chips for my Garmin.

[Not For Hire]

I also have the Fugawi Marine Enc software. Nice program and great using the available NOAA charts both raster and enc. It uses a 12 v bluetooth puck gps that I velcro to the underside of the electronics shelf. But I use it for planning and for back-up and for all normal laptop uses on the road. Often my little boat bounces way too much for me to use a laptop while running, and I prefer the smaller chartplotters right in front of me. I did use it as primary chartplotter for a few days when my dashmount malfunctioned on one trip.

Steve "Shearwater" put in the Ram-Mount laptop holder. He had it attached on swing out articulated arms bolted to the side of the dash. It would swing into the cuddy or out into good viewing position. If you use a laptop as your primary nav you should check out that mounting system. This is a previous thread on laptops and so on including a link to pictures of Steve's nice work, vendors, etc.
Laptop thread

Regards,

Mark

[journey on]

I've used Fugawi also, but now I have a problem. Does anyone know how to start laying out a new route after you already have one? Yes, it's brain fade, but also an honest question. Nothing I've tried works.

Boris

[smittypaddler]

Click on the down arrow to the right of the RTE icon in the vertical toobar along the left of your chart. This pulls down a menu with two items: Edit and Freehand. Select freehand. Then click on the chart at the starting point of your desired new route. This will pop open a new little window labelled "Drawing Route" with the name field containing "New Route". Replace "New Route" with whatever name you desire, and you're off and running with a new route.