Navigation Software

Re: Navigation Software

feeds@yuku.com (stevesnyder) — Thu, 30 Jun 2005 04:07:12 GMT

We have Raymarine electronics...GPS, chartplotter, autopilot, radar, speed, depth, etc. I also have a laptop running Nobeltec. Love it. It's expensive, but very complete with currents, etc. It's at the navstation and receives a signal from the GPS. I can send waypoints to my Raymarine chartplotter, also. Very complete setup. Fine Lion is a 2001 with 6300 miles under her keel. We live in Annapolis, and are on our New England cruise at the moment...sitting in Martha's Vineyard.

Re: Navigation Software

feeds@yuku.com (sashay567) — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 14:46:56 GMT

I gave up on cheap/free charting software. I just purchased Coastal Explorer for less than $270.00. The software is full featured with support for most digital chart formats and it comes with all the NOAA digital ENC charts available. It also includes all of the Coast Pilots.

Coastal Explorer is the product of some ex-Microsoft programmers who also happen to be boaters. It also will accomodate other NMEA data streams from other NMEA talkers such as an...

Re: Navigation Software

feeds@yuku.com (CaptNorm42) — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 14:30:36 GMT

I'm still in the process of moving threads to sub-forums (see the bottom of the C42 ezboard, Jump To pull down) to make more room in our 20 page limit. As a byproduct, similar topics show up in their sub-forum. Anyway, I came across this one & want to share a recent purchase.

I just bought the latest Maptech Chartkit for So. Cal. Included in it is a cd with an electronic version of all charts in the book. It is Offshore Navigator Lite. I used it today for...

Re: Navigation Software

feeds@yuku.com (bruce) — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 10:28:15 GMT

We use nobletec offshore navigator with passport and maptech charts (much prefer passport). Have a Standard horizon CP150 mounted at the helm but have never purchased any charts for it. I connected the Standard horizon gps to my Vhf, and then ran to the Inside of the Chart table where I keep my laptop. I keep the Laptop inside the chart table where it is safe and we installed a 17" flat screen TV/Monitor screen on a swing arm above the Nav station. This with small wireless keyboard...

Re: Navigation Software

feeds@yuku.com (ronjane) — Thu, 29 Jan 2004 15:30:03 GMT

I use the Maptech on my boat. I bought a used laptop on Ebay for a couple of hundred and tapped into my ships GPS. I have the laptop mounted on the Nav Table (a totally useless device on the 2-cabin C-42 - we always end up navigating on the salon table) where I can see it from the cockpit.

When I do deliveries, I have a Garmin 12 XL and I take the laptop. I have cables that conect the laptop to the Garmin and the Garmin to a 12 volt outlet (think...

Re: Navigation Software

feeds@yuku.com (sashay567) — Thu, 29 Jan 2004 11:38:36 GMT

On Sashay, we using and evaluating OziExplorer. This is a shareware program and while it is not free, it is cheap. I think I paid around $80 for it. It seems to have a lot of features and will upload routes and waypoints to the GPS. It will not show "course up" though. The link to the OziExplorer site is www.oziexplorer.com/

Rodney Kidd, C-42 #567 Sashay, 2...

Re: Navigation Software

feeds@yuku.com (CaptNorm42) — Wed, 28 Jan 2004 20:33:34 GMT

Some Raytheon GPS units don't talk NMEA (serial port), they talk SeaTalk only. Be sure you don't have a SeaTalk unit if you want to pump the data into a laptop. Possibily, a RayMarine autopilot will provide NMEA out, but that means that unit must be on, which it may be anyway. If worst-comes-to-worst, a cheap (<$100) Garmin eTrex could be used for GPS functions.

I was on a boat for 10 days to Cabo San Lucas. The owner used The Captain program,
...

Re: Navigation Software

feeds@yuku.com (Unregistered(d)) — Wed, 28 Jan 2004 17:51:31 GMT

I am using a Dell inspiron laptop onboard with Map Tech Offshore Navigator software and Maptech charts. I have loaded the charts onto the Hard drive and I connect to a Garmin GPS through the serial port. I plan my trips at home and waypoints to develop a float plan. I primarily use the computer at the Nav station when entering a port that I am not familiar with as the GPS will exactly locate the boats position on the chart. This is just redundancy from the Raymarine radar Chart plotter. I do...

Navigation Software

feeds@yuku.com (pdrimmer) — Wed, 28 Jan 2004 16:20:08 GMT

I am looking for user experience with navigation software that can be loaded on a laptop and be driven from the primary GPS. I like being able to plan the cruise from home and take the waypoints and routes to the boat. I also like the tides and currents features to help plan the best departure time.

We have Raytheon instruments and Radar / Chartplotter at the helm and an instrument repeater at the nav station.

I have looked at...