Rose Point Coastal Explorer - Our Choice for the Great Loop
- Thread starter Pat Anderson
- Start date
Pat,
I have run CE since about 2006 and wouldn't go on any boat without it. I started off using a RAM mount for a Dell Tablet PC on a CD-22, moved it over to a CD-25, moved that to a 38 foot CHB and now have it on a Nordic Tug 42. It is an order of magnitude easier to use than a conventional chart plotter, and shows more data on the larger screens than you can ever see on a chartplotter. I have some engine data, course, depth, SOG, and nearby vessels (from the AIS). With a right click I can get current tide data for my location.
Two things to consider that I do. One is look at using a cordless Logitech trackball. It eliminates moving the mouse in a confined space. On the 25 I put it just to the right of the helm on the flat spot. Using a piece of velcro, it stays in place and you can work with it in rough water. The second thing is a USB powered monitor. I recently got a 16 inch AOC monitor on Amazon for less than $150. There are smaller monitors available and a standalone monitor will fit at the helm better than a laptop. You can also use an IOS or Android tablet as a remote wireless monitor, great for the rear deck.
Finally, you can install it on up to 3 systems (great to have a spare).
Tom
I have run CE since about 2006 and wouldn't go on any boat without it. I started off using a RAM mount for a Dell Tablet PC on a CD-22, moved it over to a CD-25, moved that to a 38 foot CHB and now have it on a Nordic Tug 42. It is an order of magnitude easier to use than a conventional chart plotter, and shows more data on the larger screens than you can ever see on a chartplotter. I have some engine data, course, depth, SOG, and nearby vessels (from the AIS). With a right click I can get current tide data for my location.
Two things to consider that I do. One is look at using a cordless Logitech trackball. It eliminates moving the mouse in a confined space. On the 25 I put it just to the right of the helm on the flat spot. Using a piece of velcro, it stays in place and you can work with it in rough water. The second thing is a USB powered monitor. I recently got a 16 inch AOC monitor on Amazon for less than $150. There are smaller monitors available and a standalone monitor will fit at the helm better than a laptop. You can also use an IOS or Android tablet as a remote wireless monitor, great for the rear deck.
Finally, you can install it on up to 3 systems (great to have a spare).
Tom
I have been using Coastal Explorer for 7 years or so.
I would recommend a backup computer. Buy another $140 laptop and put CE and all your charts on that computer also. CE allows three installs on one license.
I have an ASUS 12 inch laptop running W7 as a backup.
Remember, Any computer can quit working at any time.
Once you have routes, those can be copied to a USB drive, and transferred to a backup computer, or kept as a backup file.
I would recommend a backup computer. Buy another $140 laptop and put CE and all your charts on that computer also. CE allows three installs on one license.
I have an ASUS 12 inch laptop running W7 as a backup.
Remember, Any computer can quit working at any time.
Once you have routes, those can be copied to a USB drive, and transferred to a backup computer, or kept as a backup file.
We also carry a back up with C.E. loaded with the charts for the area. Spilling something on the keyboard or take some saltwater thru a window will break your toy. Once you use C.E. boating without it is real heartbreaker. The water proof thing on a conventional chart plotter is the only short coming of using a laptop. We lost a keyboard that way and Rosepoint support showed me how to put a virtual keyboard on the screen click letters on the screen and still able to use the computer. One other caution. I took a video of us idling down a pretty canal in Florida. I loaded it on to the picture portion of C.E. After that I could not figure why the program would lock up loading on start up. I called Rosepoint and the guy said you have a really big file. I told him about the video and he laughed asked for permission to remove it. He did and all was well again. I was like their problem child for a while. Those people are very sharp. They are the most computer savvy people I have ever talked to. A backup is good advice as the previous poster mentioned.
D.D.
D.D.
that Coastal Explorer does not work on Android devices 
Here I was thinking I was going to be able to go and get all modern and stuff. :crook 
Yes, Coastal Explorer only works on Windows operating systems. It works on W7 up thru W10. CE is not available for Mac OS, iOS or Android. It is reported to work on touch screen Windows systems. You can go to http://rosepoint.com/coastal-explorer/ for more information.
I use MX Mariner on an Android tablet. It uses free NOAA charts. The charts can be downloaded to the device for offline use.
It does not do Canada or ACoE. The developer told me once that he was going to implement ACoE river charts, but so far it hasn't happened.
MX Mariner also can show the ActiveCaptain markers right on the charts. It works a lot better than the ActiveCaptain app (IMO).
It does not do Canada or ACoE. The developer told me once that he was going to implement ACoE river charts, but so far it hasn't happened.
MX Mariner also can show the ActiveCaptain markers right on the charts. It works a lot better than the ActiveCaptain app (IMO).
Here is a NEW laptop with touch screen
Microsoft Store offers the 2.7-lb. Dell Inspiron 11 3000 Series Intel Celeron 1.6GHz 11.6" Touchscreen 2-in-1 Signature Edition Laptop in Bali Blue, model no. i3168-00288, for $199 with free shipping. That's tied with our mention from three weeks ago and the lowest total price we've seen. (It's the best deal now by $31.) It functions as a laptop or tablet and features an Intel Celeron N3060 1.6GHz Braswell dual-core processor, 11.6" 1366x768 LED-backlit touchscreen LCD, 2GB RAM, 32GB SSD, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, HDMI, media card reader, 720p webcam, 2-cell battery, and Windows 10 Home 64-bit. (It doesn't have an optical drive.)
Note: Qualifying students, parents, and faculty can get an extra 10% off, dropping the price to $179.10. Microsoft Signature Edition devices feature a clean operating system without any third-party trial ware. Click here to learn more.
http://dealnews.com/Dell-Inspiron-Celer ... 91267.html
Microsoft Store offers the 2.7-lb. Dell Inspiron 11 3000 Series Intel Celeron 1.6GHz 11.6" Touchscreen 2-in-1 Signature Edition Laptop in Bali Blue, model no. i3168-00288, for $199 with free shipping. That's tied with our mention from three weeks ago and the lowest total price we've seen. (It's the best deal now by $31.) It functions as a laptop or tablet and features an Intel Celeron N3060 1.6GHz Braswell dual-core processor, 11.6" 1366x768 LED-backlit touchscreen LCD, 2GB RAM, 32GB SSD, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, HDMI, media card reader, 720p webcam, 2-cell battery, and Windows 10 Home 64-bit. (It doesn't have an optical drive.)
Note: Qualifying students, parents, and faculty can get an extra 10% off, dropping the price to $179.10. Microsoft Signature Edition devices feature a clean operating system without any third-party trial ware. Click here to learn more.
http://dealnews.com/Dell-Inspiron-Celer ... 91267.html
twistedtree
New member
hardee":3etqbjan said:
Quite the opposite. I think CE has among the most diverse support for charts of any product out there. I originally bought it because I was going to Chile, Argentina, South Georgia Island, and Antarctica, and I was able to get charts for all of those places.
For BC waters, Rose Point makes and sells both vector and raster charts for Coastal Explorer. They buy the data from Canada, and process it into the charts. The cost is about $100 per year for each kind of chart. That is an annual subscription, which allows the user to get updates, in the same way as the free US charts. After the year is up, you can keep the last updated charts and continue to use them, or renew your subscription. The Rose Point Canadian charts also include tide and current data. The charts are purchased from inside the CE program.