No Worries
New member
I currently have a Garmin 178 C with the blue water charts for the puget sound. This has fit my need perfect for the south sound where I am located and do 80 percent of my boating.
However, we are going to stretch our legs and take the cape cruiser north for a week and I would like to have somthing that is bigger to look at, I can plan better courses and so on.
I dont want a whole new GPS. I would like to use a lap top set up, for I have a ton of lap tops laying around. I have searched the threads and have found links and have reviwed software but I am more confused more then ever....
On to my questions.....
1. Is there a way I can link my Garmin GPS to my lap top and use the blue chart software I already have? (Cheap route)
2. If no to 1. Can I get some recommendations on a GPS/chartplotter software package that is user friendly. If there are any iphone sync function great. I would like somthing that is fairly easy to use but at the same time want features that will provide me with the best boating saftey. I am willing to pay extra money to have good features that will increase my boating experance and boating saftey. Also is there any charts with recommend routes to avoid such things as shipping lanes, hairy tidal currents and so on?
I have been boating for years in the south sound and am pretty salty, but I want to have a bit more extra confidence when heading out on a week long trip and I dont want to look at a 4 inch screen all day. I know how to read paper charts and will have a solid copy of those on me at all times.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Doug
However, we are going to stretch our legs and take the cape cruiser north for a week and I would like to have somthing that is bigger to look at, I can plan better courses and so on.
I dont want a whole new GPS. I would like to use a lap top set up, for I have a ton of lap tops laying around. I have searched the threads and have found links and have reviwed software but I am more confused more then ever....
On to my questions.....
1. Is there a way I can link my Garmin GPS to my lap top and use the blue chart software I already have? (Cheap route)
2. If no to 1. Can I get some recommendations on a GPS/chartplotter software package that is user friendly. If there are any iphone sync function great. I would like somthing that is fairly easy to use but at the same time want features that will provide me with the best boating saftey. I am willing to pay extra money to have good features that will increase my boating experance and boating saftey. Also is there any charts with recommend routes to avoid such things as shipping lanes, hairy tidal currents and so on?
I have been boating for years in the south sound and am pretty salty, but I want to have a bit more extra confidence when heading out on a week long trip and I dont want to look at a 4 inch screen all day. I know how to read paper charts and will have a solid copy of those on me at all times.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Doug