Empathy List Archives

JO

John Owen

Wed, Nov 1, 2006 2:39 PM

Having just come out of cruising under sail for 25+ years, most of which was
done with sun sights, keeping a good DR, and even for a while a lead line, I
became addicted to the ease of a Chart-plotter when we bought a small Garmin
172 a couple of years ago- worked great. Unfortunately it went with the
OI-41 and now I am dealing with 15-year-old electronics, which are no longer
supported, in our new INTERLUDE- the CHB 41. I still am very confident of
navigating from A to B using the tried and true traditional techniques, but
the gadgets sure are fun, and add a degree of accuracy we never enjoyed in
the old days. We have a decent GPS (seems to be working fine)- so am now
trying to decide about how to go.

Buy a new dedicated Chart-plotter with all the new chips, e.g. Garmin,
C-map, etc. or,
Buy software and charts (CDs) for the laptop..

Would really appreciate thoughts, recommendations, advice, both pro & con.
Certainly cost is a factor and value (bang-for-the-buck) is important.

Thanks,

JohnO
INTERLUDE, CHB41
Jacksonville, FL

Having just come out of cruising under sail for 25+ years, most of which was done with sun sights, keeping a good DR, and even for a while a lead line, I became addicted to the ease of a Chart-plotter when we bought a small Garmin 172 a couple of years ago- worked great. Unfortunately it went with the OI-41 and now I am dealing with 15-year-old electronics, which are no longer supported, in our new INTERLUDE- the CHB 41. I still am very confident of navigating from A to B using the tried and true traditional techniques, but the gadgets sure are fun, and add a degree of accuracy we never enjoyed in the old days. We have a decent GPS (seems to be working fine)- so am now trying to decide about how to go. 1. Buy a new dedicated Chart-plotter with all the new chips, e.g. Garmin, C-map, etc. or, 2. Buy software and charts (CDs) for the laptop.. Would really appreciate thoughts, recommendations, advice, both pro & con. Certainly cost is a factor and value (bang-for-the-buck) is important. Thanks, JohnO INTERLUDE, CHB41 Jacksonville, FL

DS

Dan Stone

Wed, Nov 1, 2006 3:01 PM

John

I can tell you what's working well for me, running the fairly new Coastal
Explorer nav program from Rose Point on a laptop.

http://www.rosepointnav.com/default.htm

For a GPS data source I'm using a several year old Garmin, though I also
have one of the cheapo GPS's which have been discussed here. It does fine,
too.

http://dealnews.com/deals/16-Channel-USB-NMEA-0183-GPS-Receiver-for-35/13783
5.html?ref=html_dealnewsletter

Dan Stone
M/V Slow Dance
Albin 43
St. Petersburg, FL

-----Original Message-----
From: trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com
[mailto:trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com] On Behalf Of John
Owen
Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 9:39 AM
To: CHB List; Trawlers List
Subject: T&T: Computer Nav software

am now
trying to decide about how to go.

Buy a new dedicated Chart-plotter with all the new chips, e.g.
Garmin,
C-map, etc. or,
Buy software and charts (CDs) for the laptop..

Would really appreciate thoughts, recommendations, advice, both pro & con.
Certainly cost is a factor and value (bang-for-the-buck) is important.

Thanks,

JohnO
INTERLUDE, CHB41
Jacksonville, FL

http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering

To unsubscribe send email to
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UNSUBSCRIBE and nothing else in the subject or body of the message.

Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of Water World
Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

John I can tell you what's working well for me, running the fairly new Coastal Explorer nav program from Rose Point on a laptop. http://www.rosepointnav.com/default.htm For a GPS data source I'm using a several year old Garmin, though I also have one of the cheapo GPS's which have been discussed here. It does fine, too. http://dealnews.com/deals/16-Channel-USB-NMEA-0183-GPS-Receiver-for-35/13783 5.html?ref=html_dealnewsletter Dan Stone M/V Slow Dance Albin 43 St. Petersburg, FL -----Original Message----- From: trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com [mailto:trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com] On Behalf Of John Owen Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 9:39 AM To: CHB List; Trawlers List Subject: T&T: Computer Nav software am now trying to decide about how to go. 1. Buy a new dedicated Chart-plotter with all the new chips, e.g. Garmin, C-map, etc. or, 2. Buy software and charts (CDs) for the laptop.. Would really appreciate thoughts, recommendations, advice, both pro & con. Certainly cost is a factor and value (bang-for-the-buck) is important. Thanks, JohnO INTERLUDE, CHB41 Jacksonville, FL _______________________________________________ http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering To unsubscribe send email to trawlers-and-trawlering-request@lists.samurai.com with the word UNSUBSCRIBE and nothing else in the subject or body of the message. Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of Water World Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

JS

Jeffrey Siegel

Wed, Nov 1, 2006 3:50 PM

I can enthusiastically recommend Coastal Explorer...

I write navigation software and have to agree. Coastal Explorer is what I use. I think it is
the best, most well written software for the PC/Windows.

I have no affiliation with Rose Point or Coastal Explorer.

========================
Jeffrey Siegel
M/V aCappella
DeFever 53PH
Arriving in New Bern today
Mobile phone cruising blog:
www.mvacappella.blogspot.com

>I can enthusiastically recommend Coastal Explorer... I write navigation software and have to agree. Coastal Explorer is what I use. I think it is the best, most well written software for the PC/Windows. I have no affiliation with Rose Point or Coastal Explorer. ======================== Jeffrey Siegel M/V aCappella DeFever 53PH Arriving in New Bern today Mobile phone cruising blog: www.mvacappella.blogspot.com

SS

Steve Sipe

Wed, Nov 1, 2006 3:53 PM

John Owen wrote:

Having just come out of cruising under sail for 25+ years, most of which was
done with sun sights, keeping a good DR, and even for a while a lead line, I
became addicted to the ease of a Chart-plotter when we bought a small Garmin
172 a couple of years ago- worked great. Unfortunately it went with the
OI-41 and now I am dealing with 15-year-old electronics, which are no longer
supported, in our new INTERLUDE- the CHB 41. I still am very confident of
navigating from A to B using the tried and true traditional techniques, but
the gadgets sure are fun, and add a degree of accuracy we never enjoyed in
the old days. We have a decent GPS (seems to be working fine)- so am now
trying to decide about how to go.

Buy a new dedicated Chart-plotter with all the new chips, e.g. Garmin,
C-map, etc. or,
Buy software and charts (CDs) for the laptop..

Would really appreciate thoughts, recommendations, advice, both pro & con.
Certainly cost is a factor and value (bang-for-the-buck) is important.

Thanks,

JohnO
INTERLUDE, CHB41
Jacksonville, FL

John,
I can enthusiastically recommend Coastal Explorer, it's a reasonable
cost (<$375), and the charts can be downloaded for free. It will use
virtually any GPS source, and in my case, it's communicating with my
existing Raymarine equipment nicely, including talking to the autopilot
and reading all the data that the Raymarine system is outputting.

I previously used ChartView, the precursor to Nobeltec, and I find
Coastal Explorer easier to use, by far. I haven't found any shortcomings
other than the capability to overlay radar which the Raymarine hardware
will do, and is a great feature, although one can live without it.

Steve Sipe
Solo 4303 "Maerin"
Chesapeake Bay

John Owen wrote: > Having just come out of cruising under sail for 25+ years, most of which was > done with sun sights, keeping a good DR, and even for a while a lead line, I > became addicted to the ease of a Chart-plotter when we bought a small Garmin > 172 a couple of years ago- worked great. Unfortunately it went with the > OI-41 and now I am dealing with 15-year-old electronics, which are no longer > supported, in our new INTERLUDE- the CHB 41. I still am very confident of > navigating from A to B using the tried and true traditional techniques, but > the gadgets sure are fun, and add a degree of accuracy we never enjoyed in > the old days. We have a decent GPS (seems to be working fine)- so am now > trying to decide about how to go. > > 1. Buy a new dedicated Chart-plotter with all the new chips, e.g. Garmin, > C-map, etc. or, > 2. Buy software and charts (CDs) for the laptop.. > > Would really appreciate thoughts, recommendations, advice, both pro & con. > Certainly cost is a factor and value (bang-for-the-buck) is important. > > Thanks, > > JohnO > INTERLUDE, CHB41 > Jacksonville, FL > John, I can enthusiastically recommend Coastal Explorer, it's a reasonable cost (<$375), and the charts can be downloaded for free. It will use virtually any GPS source, and in my case, it's communicating with my existing Raymarine equipment nicely, including talking to the autopilot and reading all the data that the Raymarine system is outputting. I previously used ChartView, the precursor to Nobeltec, and I find Coastal Explorer easier to use, by far. I haven't found any shortcomings other than the capability to overlay radar which the Raymarine hardware will do, and is a great feature, although one can live without it. Steve Sipe Solo 4303 "Maerin" Chesapeake Bay

T

trawlerphil

Wed, Nov 1, 2006 4:34 PM

It boils down to comfort level with PCs. If you are comfortable and not
intimidated by "confusers", a pair of laptops would be the best bet--more
flexibility and all of the capabilities of the expensive gear. However, if
you are a neo-Luddite, you'll be much happier with the special purpose
navigation gear.

                                      Regards....

Phil Rosch
Old Harbor Consulting
M/V "Curmudgeon" MT44 TC
Currently lying Bond Creek, NC

It boils down to comfort level with PCs. If you are comfortable and not intimidated by "confusers", a pair of laptops would be the best bet--more flexibility and all of the capabilities of the expensive gear. However, if you are a neo-Luddite, you'll be much happier with the special purpose navigation gear. Regards.... Phil Rosch Old Harbor Consulting M/V "Curmudgeon" MT44 TC Currently lying Bond Creek, NC

RM

Robert Meyer

Wed, Nov 1, 2006 5:27 PM

Hi John,

We have used NavPak Pro with C-map charts for the last
5 years and have been extremely pleased. We have this
loaded on our Dell Laptop (which we use for Internet
(Weather/e-mail/area info/etc) (Verizon Air
Card)/logs/etc) Our cruising grounds are the Great
Lakes. Here is a link to their website.

http://www.globenav.com/

Enjoy your day,

Robert Meyer

1990 32' Sundowner Pilothouse "BRAZO"
Sturgeon Bay, WI

--- John Owen owenjc@bellsouth.net wrote:

Having just come out of cruising under sail for 25+
years, most of which was
done with sun sights, keeping a good DR, and even
for a while a lead line, I
became addicted to the ease of a Chart-plotter when
we bought a small Garmin
172 a couple of years ago- worked great.
Unfortunately it went with the
OI-41 and now I am dealing with 15-year-old
electronics, which are no longer
supported, in our new INTERLUDE- the CHB 41. I still
am very confident of
navigating from A to B using the tried and true
traditional techniques, but
the gadgets sure are fun, and add a degree of
accuracy we never enjoyed in
the old days. We have a decent GPS (seems to be
working fine)- so am now
trying to decide about how to go.

Buy a new dedicated Chart-plotter with all the
new chips, e.g. Garmin,
C-map, etc. or,
Buy software and charts (CDs) for the laptop..

Would really appreciate thoughts, recommendations,
advice, both pro & con.
Certainly cost is a factor and value
(bang-for-the-buck) is important.

Thanks,

JohnO
INTERLUDE, CHB41
Jacksonville, FL

http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering

To unsubscribe send email to
trawlers-and-trawlering-request@lists.samurai.com
with the word
UNSUBSCRIBE and nothing else in the subject or body
of the message.

Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of
Water World
Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Hi John, We have used NavPak Pro with C-map charts for the last 5 years and have been extremely pleased. We have this loaded on our Dell Laptop (which we use for Internet (Weather/e-mail/area info/etc) (Verizon Air Card)/logs/etc) Our cruising grounds are the Great Lakes. Here is a link to their website. http://www.globenav.com/ Enjoy your day, Robert Meyer 1990 32' Sundowner Pilothouse "BRAZO" Sturgeon Bay, WI --- John Owen <owenjc@bellsouth.net> wrote: > Having just come out of cruising under sail for 25+ > years, most of which was > done with sun sights, keeping a good DR, and even > for a while a lead line, I > became addicted to the ease of a Chart-plotter when > we bought a small Garmin > 172 a couple of years ago- worked great. > Unfortunately it went with the > OI-41 and now I am dealing with 15-year-old > electronics, which are no longer > supported, in our new INTERLUDE- the CHB 41. I still > am very confident of > navigating from A to B using the tried and true > traditional techniques, but > the gadgets sure are fun, and add a degree of > accuracy we never enjoyed in > the old days. We have a decent GPS (seems to be > working fine)- so am now > trying to decide about how to go. > > 1. Buy a new dedicated Chart-plotter with all the > new chips, e.g. Garmin, > C-map, etc. or, > 2. Buy software and charts (CDs) for the laptop.. > > Would really appreciate thoughts, recommendations, > advice, both pro & con. > Certainly cost is a factor and value > (bang-for-the-buck) is important. > > Thanks, > > JohnO > INTERLUDE, CHB41 > Jacksonville, FL > _______________________________________________ > http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering > > To unsubscribe send email to > trawlers-and-trawlering-request@lists.samurai.com > with the word > UNSUBSCRIBE and nothing else in the subject or body > of the message. > > Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of > Water World > Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

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Computer Nav software