Pilotage plotter

[Spuddy]

Expanded the shipboard technology by getting some white coated hardboard down the offcut shop and finding some CD pens at back of sofa. So I can now put down buoys and stuff for harbour approaches. Is it worth splashing out on a few more coloured pens to turn this into a colour plotter? The pen marks should come off with meths on a sponge ( invested £1.25 on an airtight box from Waitrose - well, you do get what you pay for ) but leave a ghost. Anyone with experience know how to get rid of all traces?

 

[Danny]

Are these the "CD" pens that write on any surface? I use ones called Write-4-all by Stabilo (for CDs). If so, they're very persistent! Maybe you should try some ordinary permanent fibre tips. I use fibre tips for plotting on folio charts in their plastic envelopes, but I use washable ones so clean up with wet rag or spit on handkerchief.

 

[Scillypete]

Try a chinagraph pencil, good selection of colours.

 

[tobble]

What about white board pens? Will wipe straight off, which I guess is the reason no-one's mentioned it already... but if you had a clear sheet of plastic of some description over the top?

other thing is I have no idea where one would get them - maybe put the kids up to raiding the stationary cupboard at school?! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Tisme]

I use a piece of white formica and write in pencil. It cleans with Cif and is waterproof. I've only got the monochrome system, though I am considering an upgrade this season.

Change your outdated piece of hardboard to a piece of widescreen high definition formica.

 

[Parsonsheath]

Is no problem young man, just don't go home and you will not notice anyone missing!

 

[Spuddy]

Chinagraph could be the way. May consider upgrade to formica but it's the expense - the h'bd cost 50p already.
Cif - I'll try that first. Was planning a session with kitchen cleaners.

 

[Scillypete]

Chinagraph has to be the best of the lot, it wont wash off in the rain and all thats needed to wipe it clean is a dry cloth and some elbow grease no other costs involved, maybe a pencil sharpener but you've probably got one of those by the chart table already.

 

[snowleopard]

Whiteboard pens

Tips from a trainer...

Get them from an office stationery supplier. They are quite thick, Magic Marker size rather than pen size. The best surface to write on is something glossy. How about laminating a sheet of A4. You could add useful information on the paper, e.g. a plan of your home port, tide data etc.

An alternative is OHP pens, designed for writing on acetate film. They are available in permanent or washable (obviously you'd need a cover to keep it dry. The advantage over whiteboard markers is that they draw much finer lines.