whats the best bit about your chart plotter,

[powerskipper]

Which function do you use most.

 

[LeytonC]

Best but i like is the keypad - takes seconds to enter a route from my passage plans! - no up-a-bit down-a-bit entry, which really narks me off.

 

[theguvnor]

Just finished my Day Skipper and a Chart Plotter is a must for my Xmas stocking.
Any suggestions - all I have is a compass, depth sounder & elderly VHF.
Your knowledge gratefully received

 

[duncan]

Julie,
Have formally voted in line with most used of the options given but I mainly use it as a chart with my position/direction marked on it!

 

[Talbot]

You ask for the advantages for a plotter, and then only list the advantages for a GPS!

IMHO The plotter advantages are:

ability to see where you are on the chart

ability to see where the boat is going, as speed and course over ground

ability to see tidal height and tidal range

ability to quickly zoom in and out for detail/overview (unless you are still in the stone age and using raster charts)

Not sure I would really want to prioritise between these functions, as I use all of them. I also use routes and waypoints

 

[powerskipper]

Big question, /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

What do you want to use it for, is what you need to ask yourself, do you just want something to give you a lat and long you can plot on a chart or use for GOTO and XTE functions, in which case a hand held would be fine,
If you want one with a chart display, showing your boat moving over it, that can still be a handheld but the upper price bracket kind.
Then you are into the more fixed or bracket set, that are wired into the 12v and for use on the boat only.
Then what add on do you want or may want to add at a later date, some take a radar feed, fish finder, forward facing depth thingy.
The newest charting plotters can display potoes similar to the pilot book and display all you engines management info as well, [but who want to know how much fuel they are using /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif]
You need to write down what you want it for and then look at the systems that will give you that. Navman, Raymarin , Garmen, Simrad, are the ones with the good back up service for the chart cartridges, check they do charts of your cruising area, also size can be a deciding factor, we would all like a nice 12 in screen but do need to be able to either see out the front screen or turn the wheel, So do some measuring. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif




thanks for replies. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[powerskipper]

thanks Mark, your use is similar to mine. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[mjf]

makes with good back up

Oi! What about Furuno? - I think their's is the biz.

I use mine with C Map (and the C-Map pc plotter for doing Nav stuff when away from the boat).

 

[powerskipper]

Re: makes with good back up

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif sorry , knew I missed off someone,
humble apologies , grovel grovel, /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[duncan]

Re: makes with good back up

Lowrance - that's 2 then?

 

[powerskipper]

Re: makes with good back up

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[mjf]

Re: makes with good back up

NavMan seem good too! so Thats at least three ommitted.

Bad, bad form! back of class miss please

 

[PCUK]

Re: makes with good back up

Interesting remark from powerskipper:-
"Who would want to know how much fuel they were using"
Clearly a light hearted remark. However, fuel consumption and range are all part of passage planning.
My floscan fuel computer tells me exactly what I am using in real time and allows revs to be adjusted for remarkable fuel savings. Also if fuel consumption suddenly rises we know there is a problem somewhere. Usually prop' crap.

 

[tcm]

erk, fuel consumption

ooer, I can't agree with this. I hated our fuel metre which went up and up the faster we went, so i ripped it out and chucked it away.

I learnt from a crewmember that we use about 12 litres per mile and use this for any passage planning.

 

[powerskipper]

Re: makes with good back up

for passage planning yes, fuel consumption is important, as you say the remark was made in jest. LOL

 

[nicho]

None of those - it's the radar overlay with collision avoidance (MARPA), along with accuracy to a couple of metres, it's bloomin' fantastic. Now if they could do a moving map GPS with those features for a small plane, for the same price, I would be very happy!!

 

[pvb]

Agreed...

Certainly agree that the radar overlay is a great feature, and MARPA is very useful. I also find the split-screen facility useful to show 2 chart windows at different scales.

 

[Malcb]

Re: makes with good back up

Stand in the corner, Powerskipper included Navman.

 

[mjf]

Re: makes with good back up

Oh! The shame, the shame..........

 

[TigaWave]

It must be that I can print off the route and chart for pilotage and route planning on A4 sheets should the electronics all go pear shaped.