Chartplotter or PC based Nav

[georgeo]

I hope this wont bore the forum too much, but considering that i am about to spend a fair amount of readies at SBS on new gear for my impending craft, I would wish to know the collective view on whether to go for laptop based nav or chartplotter. I suspect this subject has been debated before, in which case apologies, but a brief delve into the search facility did not yield too much. I suspect the forum will be divided, but look forward to hearing views. And i will always have paper charts as back up.

 

[DeeGee]

IMHO - PC based is superior in scale and operation, but dedicated plotters appear to be much easier to keep the charts updated. They dont even sell the CMap NT+/PC (suppposedly amongst the v best) charts the same as mine anymore, so I am offered the chance to buy new ones at the full price, about twice what I paid originally. Those people who have plotters have all said it is v straightforward to change theirs.

The PC based have loads of advantage otherwise, not being dedicated to one supplier being one of the biggest.

You are otherwise right, there have been numerous threads on the topic and flame warnings have been hoisted.

 

[flaming]

Dedicated chart plotter.
They have the advantage of being maranised and generally pretty waterproof, so can be mounted where you really want them, in the cockpit.

Also they're a lot less likely to throw a paddy because of some virus, or just crash for no reason at all.

 

[georgeo]

Sorry. Just found the excellent review posted by oldhand dated 14/08/06 which is comprehensive to say the least. But an addendum, Mac based software uses US charts which are worldwide and apparently free. Any use, perhaps as back up? Also, the GPS aerial for the Mac appears to be a USB plug in, which seems novel. As a recent convert to Mac from PC these factors add to the debate

 

[Csail]

If you have a laptop why not have both systems? The laptop nav i think is better for down below (we use Transas Nav Pro) and a chartplotter on deck.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

yup,

thats what we do....

'cept we use Maptech down below on the PC....

We couldn't afford a plotter with the same size screen as the laptop... another consideration....

 

[stevebirch2002]

Being a PC geek, I really like PC bAsed navigation software. I use SeaPro which now provides full UK coverage with their program. As I have a small yacht (27' Vega) I have found a chartplotter to be of more use with waterproof, power consumption, no crashes of software etc. More reliable hardware and built for the job. Only problem I find with chartplotters are the size of teh screen.

All IMHO

 

[TigaWave]

Best thing about PC set up is to have a small printer (B/W) and you can print of a selection of charts at different scales as screen captures on A4 sheets and keep them in plastic for use in the cockpit or when the electronics fail. That way you have your paper back up for the cost of a printer.

 

[wingdiver]

Or, alternatively have the laptop down below and a waterproof touch sensitive screen up top. (I may know someone who has one of these for disposal>ahem) /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Or, if you are really sensible, buy a boat where the electronic stuff doesnt get wet (see picture)!
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Oldhand]

This thread is worth reading in respect to your question:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/1529847/an/0/page/2#1529847

 

[exfinnsailor]

Hi .. Dont forget you need CHARTS as well .. PC's are great till they get damp .. But if like me you have a small chart table then unless you put the PC on a shelf where do you put your charts .. Also think charts easier to read / see when boat is surfing etc .. So for me .. Charts down below and a Chart Plotter on deck so the boat at least knows where it is even if I don't .. Happy Sailing /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif <span style="colorurple"> </span>

 

[Gunfleet]

I think a plotter uses an awful lot less power than a laptop. i Use a little Garmin 276C. It runs for about 16 hours with a charged battery. If it dies I have the old 176C in the locker!

 

[MoodySabre]

Mid-size chartplotter reviews in PBO out this week

 

[Robin2]

In my view the short answer is BOTH. I bought a Standard Horizon CP180 plotter earlier this year, and I'm very pleased with it. I bought it at the time because none of the cheap PC/Chart combinations was better - and the plotter is weatherproof as well. Before I bought it I had not realized how much better its screen is in sunlight. You can see the CP180 quite easily in all conditions. The PC screen is unusable in any sort of brighter light.

However ...

When I went to plot a route for a trip to Wales (which was postponed due to the weather) it was immediately apparent that it was virtually impossible to do route planning on the plotter because the screen is too small and movement around the screen is too slow. I think that even the bigger plotters are slow compared with a PC - but I can't afford to find out.

After assessing several PC programs I opted for a Canadian product called SailCruiser which uses C-Map PC charts. The software and the charts cost about the same as the CP180 and its chart. A big part of the choice was due to the fact that it is the product that mostly closely mimics the Microsoft recommended way of using the PC - thereby minimising the learning and reducing infuriating errors - like the chart jumping about when you click the mouse by accident. Also the licence allows you to install it on 2 PCs and I am in the process of buying a C-Map dongle so I can use the charts on either PC (one at a time only).

Sailcruiser also has a nice feature to propose tacking courses if you tell it the windspeed and direction (probably wasted on me).

Since buying it I have found the SailCruiser people to be very good to deal with.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
......But an addendum, Mac based software uses US charts which are worldwide and apparently free......

[/ QUOTE ]

Interested in the "free worldwide ....." As far as I know US produced charts are only free for US controlled waters and where other Hydrographic Authorities allow there waters to be so covered. US charts of UK are not free - well they weren't last time I was on a ship !! In fact US chart coverage of UK is generally based on UKHO info anyway ...

 

[Guest]

Ummmmmm he did say he has charts ....

 

[richardwatson]

I am not a great lover of using laptops for navigation. They get wet, get viruses, and in the case of one laptop, it had a 'smart' hard drive protection system that shut it down every time it sensed motion, very amusing indeed.

Not that I have had so much luck with plotters either, my once very expensive and state of the art Raymarine RL80C, is now 4 years old, has had to be returned twice for warranty repairs, and since Raymarine switched from C-Maps to Navionics, if I have to replace it, the charts go too.

I recently tried a handheld Garmin with a colour screen and once you get used to the small screen, theres not much it cant do - all for £650 including the charts, and no installation worries. If I was starting afresh this is probably the way I would go.

 

[freeman]

Go for a dedicated plotter. It is waterproof. it will not crash and does not use much power.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Having an offer of a laptop on a take it away basis I plan to experiment. I'll use the fixed Garmin as the GPS data supply but as yet I'm unsure how to connect the GPS to the laptop. Is there such thing as a serial connector one might buy, or is it out with the sodlering iron? The NMEA output is one of thos round multipin jobs, like a DIN plug.

 

[charles_reed]

Personally, though I've both, I wouldn't consider a PC for onboard real-time navigation.

It's OK for route planning (though large-scale paper charts are better), but far too unreliable (even the Toughbook), especially on Microsoft OS, for serious work.

I have a Linux laptop on board, it's used for the log, digital imaging, internet operation and SSB downloads, none of which are mission-critical.

I've used chartplotters since their beginnings in '94 - the 1st I got is still used as a back-up, though support for the chart format has been discontinued - and sail about 4.8K nm a year, mainly single-handed.

During that period I've had 6 laptops, which have either been overtaken by software "progress" or (in 2 cases) died from hardware failure (motherboard in 1 case and HDD in the other).