How Does a Yeoman Chartplotter Work?

[CaptainBob]

Reading another thread in here about chartplotters I saw something I'd not seen before... a "Yeoman" chartplotter.

I had a look at their website but it's left me confused.

It's basically a table you can stick on your lap, and which you can put charts on... but it somehow knows the location of a "mouse" as you move it about the chart? Is that all it does?

How does it track the location of the mouse relative to the chart? I guess that's the clever bit that commands the £400+ price tag? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[oldgaffer1]

Basically, the 'table' knows electronically where the mouse is relative to itself. You then 'register' the chart using the mouse to pinpoint three pre-loaded (either from manual entry or built in library) lat/long co-ordinates shown on the chart which in turn tell the mat the location of those co-ordinates in relation to itself (i.e. 'pins' them to the mat). From this beginning it can then calculate bearings, etc. on the chart relative to those 'pinned' points. Overlay a GPS feed and it can then extrapolate a real time position onto the chart. Wonderful bit of kit that I wouldn't be without. Hope that the foregoing is not too confusing!

 

[Norman_E]

I am told that it contains a grid of wires that enable it to locate the position of the mouse. therefore once you have fitted a chart in place and set a datum point and the scale of the chart it can give you a readout of Lat and Long anywhere you place the mouse. Alternatatively there may be a very small fellow inside it, who reads the chart by the light that the mouse shines through the paper. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Otter]

Those that have them must love them, I've been on the lookout for a 2nd hand one for ages and only ever seen one come up.

 

[kds]

MAGIC _ or so it seems to me !!
But - it does all the things a chartplotter can do - on real paper charts, which I can understand.
Ken /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[tillergirl]

Get Sailing Today. There's a product review of it in the January edition

 

[jimbaerselman]

Superb product, method of operation correctly described above.

In addition to the 'sport' portable version, there's also a 'fix to the chart table' version. I mounted mine upside down under the chart table lid. The mouse could read through the 3cm of ply.

Compared to 'chart plotters' it has a really big screen! Zooming or scrolling is much less frequent, and achieved by changing charts, which takes about 20 seconds. Operation is also intuitive. Draw a pencil lline to show where you want to go. Two clicks for each waypoint (one for the number, one for the place). If you've preplanned it, those waypoints go directly into your route plan . . . have a simple GPS with a 'route' screen on deck to show your steering commands . . .

I used to do demos of the kit at boat shows - well - I didn't, but I got kids and partners to register maps, put positions in, tell me course to steer for wherever. They then sold the product to cynical dad. 'Much easier than a pooter dad! Anyone can use this'.

No, I have no connection.

 

[Abigail]

We have one and have found it great. It sits under the chart table and then you put the chart on top, register it, and away you go. (Right this mo it's not talking to the GPS but that's a new prob and we'll fix it in the spring.)

One of several great things is that if you're feeling seasick and want to check bearing to waypoint etc it's really fast. And for us - well one loves nav and playing with chartplotters etc but the other one doesn't. The less nav-mad, when on watch can pop below and show position, record on chart and in log and that's it, all done.

When we had the 23' there was no one making new Yeomans, and I yearned for the sports version that you can put on your lap in the cockpit. Also I see now the latest toy has an incorporated GPS so it's wholly independent of the boat's set up, so you could even take it walking or driving!!

No connection but enjoying having one.

 

[castaway]

Yeoman..now owned by B&G I think..

I love mine as I have never enjoyed navigating off a little screen.

2 versions that Im familiar with. The version that I have which goes on a chart table and the Sportsman which has a combined mat and table so is usable on boats with out a built in chart table.

Regds Nick

 

[jimbaerselman]

No, it's owned by a small independent outfit. Yeoman Web Site

10 or 15 years ago, Yeoman went public and bought B&G. Later, the whole lot except the plotter, was sold on to (I think) Silva. A couple of independent electronic engineers rescued the plotter after a one year hiatus.

 

[Richard_Peevor]

I read the ST article with interest but it didn't explain how it works or the functionality of it. I didnt rate that article actually..

 

[Skyva_2]

The Yeoman is probably the most intuitive piece of navigation kit we have ever used. Although we now have Raymarine plotter with all the bells and whistles we still regret not having the Yeoman.

The paper chart sits on the Yeoman backing grid and you set up 3 grid points which tells the Yeoman the lat and long scales of the paper chart. It then remembers the chart coordinates for future use. After that the mouse can indicate your position, and lets you upload waypoints to your GPS.

Easy peasy!

 

[alldownwind]

We think the Yeoman is utterly brilliant, especially my no.1 mate/wifey/bottlewasher/dayskip who loves it to bits.
Note there are various models. The one reviewed in ST is one with (I think) its own GPS so it is completely stand-alone. Ours is a 'Compact', suits folio-size charts and smaller chart tables, and gets a feed from the ship's GPS.
Precision Navigation will I'm sure be at Excel and do a good demo if you ask.

 

[Sans Bateau]

Was talking to the guys from Yeoman at SIBS, I was drawn to their stand seeing a radar plotter connected to a Yeoman. Out of interest I asked how the 2 worked together, I was told that using the two together plus of course a GPS you could hover the puck over a chart and that this would be mirrored on the radar screen, thus you could plot a targets course etc on paper. Plus of course this would extend the usefulness of radar for general navigation.

It turned out that my old (Raymarine) Yeoman would need upgrading, a complete upgrade would cost £150. Now to me that sounds good value.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Owned by Precision Navigation from Ipswich way....

 

[ditchcrawler]

www.precisionnavigation.co.uk

 

[brownsox]

They are brilliant.
Best with folio charts - with big charts you have to fold it to show the relevant part which is a bit of a fiddle.
But really easy to use otherwise and it's so comforting to be using the paper chart - but to be able to plot position so quickly.
Admiralty folio charts have the co-ordinate points ready marked which makes it even easier to reference the chart (eg "tell the Yeoman" where the the grid points mentioned above are).