Sat Nav for Rivers/Canals??

At first thought a GPS on the canals (or rivers for that matter) would seem to be a bit of a boy's toy. After all your direction is determined by the channel - and there aren't many junctions.

Some years ago I bought a Garmin as I was getting fed up at being screamed at by folks on the Wey (especially at Addlestone). That gave a good indication of my speed, so I could offer "I'm only doing 2mph" as a rejoinder.

If one records the position of locks (on an unfamiliar navigation), it can be useful in planning umm - one's domestic needs.

All very well to have a good GPS, but a laptop on deck on inland waterways??
 
I must admit i've taken to carying the car satnav when on the narrowboat, the theory being, if i have make a 999 call, i might have some idea of the nearest road. I supose linking this with somting to tick of daily progres ect is the next logicle step, although until i get a usb gps for the yacht, i doubt i'll bother. Thanks for the heads up though!

(And don't worry all you Thames lot, the NB is on the Leeds-Liv!)
 
Very useful

I have fitted a Garmin Nuvi 5000 (intended for trucks, larger vehicles etc) to my Linssen. Invaluable for all the reasons mentioned. I even used it for navigating in fog at Bourne End reach early one morning last year!
 
Being me I use GPS\mapping most of the time when out on canals and rivers.
GPS to see my speed so that I can tell people I am not speeding.
and the laptop with full OS maps so that if I want to go off to the pub I know where to go.

The real benefit is matching engine speed to land speed many times I have found that I can slow the engine by a couple of hundred RPM and still travel at the same speed on the GPS.
Saves fuel.......also tells me where the shallow bits are as the speed slows for a given RPM.
 
apollo said:
Shame it's not available as an IPhone app, would make it more usable on a boat.
Click to expand...

A.Whats an Iphone
and
B.there appear to be some letters missing from the word app,were you going to say something on the benefits of soft fruit and lost interest ?
 
Ho Hum. Chavham

"
The sign would look good though"

and I was really looking forward to setting fire to that sign ,not much to do down here in the evenings apart from a bit of petty larceney and the odd bit of arson between street fights and muggings,there was a proposal to twin with Henley on Thames but our residents thought that was one proposal to far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kbuLZo0Zxg&feature=related
 
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Andrew_Fanner said:
You have clearly not visited the BCN, especially in the early 1980s when the signposts were missing and there were occasional cryptic notices like "OML blocked before Neth, use Albion."

:-)
Click to expand...

Or if you're broken down in the middle of nowhere and need to call RCR for assistance - frinstance Wormleighton Hill, but a good GPS'll do that
 
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