Chart Plotter for C/D 28

[paul marko]

I probably should not admit, for last 40-50 years I have relied on paper charts and don't own a chart plotter. I figure now is the time to learn new ways, so I would like the boards advice and or experience with the most cost effective portable chart plotter that can be used in the cockpit and cabin on my C/D 28 .I sail mostly in the gulf of Mexico ,keys and D.tortugas.

[Steve Laume]

If you have been navigating for 40 or 50 years with paper charts, the smallest chart plotter might not be the best. Those screens seem pretty small when your eyes are tired, especially at night.

Fact is they are pretty small, even during the day, Steve.

[Jim Davis]

There are too many schools of thought for a definitive answer. I personally like something in the 5" screen size. Big enough to be seen and small enough to not eat up a lot of space. Basically I am a paper chart user (abuser?) who like the convenience of a chart plotter for quick reference and the ability to project routes on. I don't necessarily strictly adhere to a route but if I am going to a specific place it guides me by showing the next place I have to do something such as negotiate a restricted area. It also shows me a layline which helps with favored tack. ETA computations are helpful guides. I also like the included Tide and Current information without having to pull out a table or fire up a laptop/iPad or smartphone. For my own use (Canada to the Bahamas) I have found the Garmin 441 works.

What ever you buy make sure it is preloaded with all the charts you are likely to need. Chart chips get expensive real fast.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/on-the- ... 02003.html

[Ken Cave]

I have been using a program called Rosepoint Navigation on my computer that I have on a swinging table on our
CD 28 so I can view it from the cockpit. This program is even better than Nobletech, and includes all the maps of the US! Program runs around $200-$300 dollars, including all the maps of the US, Alaska, Hawaii, etc., and they are updated every year.

If you want to see what the tides and currents are doing in your location (and in the northwest, we have a lot of 12
foot tides, and 5-7 knot currents, just hit your mouse on the spot you wish to navigate and it will tell you what you need to know.

I have mine connected to my GPS as well as to my AIS system, and, it works flawlessly!! The program even talks to you-and
tells me when the one of the Washington State ferries is close by, and how many minutes it will take to encounter same.

The computer I use is a Toshiba, which I purchased on the internet through Toshiba. ( am on my third one-and the first one
running Windows 98 still works!!)

I believe there is a sample on the internet. I guarantee that this is one of the best programs out there!!

Ken Cave

[Zeida]

Yes, the "almost" affordable new chart plotters have a rather small screen, boy, but they show fantastic information if you take the time to learn how to use it. Bandolera II just got a Standard Horizon CP 190i ($506.00) to replace a very old Magellan black&white chartplotter, one of the first to come out, and no longer available, which by now the screen was almost illegible. The screen on that one was just one inch bigger.

The new one has a color screen which I can see perfectly in sunlight, since mine is mounted at the pedestal. It comes with built-in charts -but I preferred to upgrade it with the max C-Maps. You do not need to install a separate antenna, since the one built-in that comes with it works perfectly. I only had to connect it to power. It is superfast in acquiring the satellites and easy to use, once you learn how. Of course, I also keep my big paper charts ready at the nav station, but I like the feeling of security when I can see on that little screen, my sailboat's icon moving along on the track that I am supposed to be on, the surrounding depths, obstacles, weather, etc. Big sense of security for me. i can also play with it programming my routes and waypoints when stuck at the slip and not able to take the boat out.

I sail basically on Biscayne Bay the the lower Keys, so the Max C-Map ($200. more) i got for that area includes the Bahamas, the entire Gulf, East & West sides of South Florida all the way up to Jacksonville and down to the Tortugas, Cuba, etc.. It is wonderful. It has fantastic HD photos of all the marine facilities you may want to find, and overall, terrific information. I love it.
Check it out.

[Brian2]

I have been happy with my Standard Horizon 5" chartplotter. I bought it back when they weren't pre-loaded with charts. It is mounted on a swing arm so it swings into the companionway when I want it, and is out of the way if not needed. I like the crooss track error fucntion, as we have strong currents in Maine and your compass heading can be severely effected by the set of the tide.

[Shinok]

We are thinking about putting the new Raymarine a7x series on Mariah.

I have played with the a65 some at a local shop and I like the interface, responsiveness, and clean look of the device, but the size of the screen is just too small for my tastes. The 7in screen on the new devices should work out really nice. I believe it'll run us about $1100 for the version we want.

[Dick Kobayashi]

For about 200 I bought a 5 inch CP on this Board, and then bought a used but recently updated chip for my area for a hundred and change. Size was important - so I could see the data. Not much change from year to year in this area in aids to navigation. And you can print out a paper chart from NOAA of anyplace you are going anytime. Worked fine for me

[tjr818]

I have been saving my boat dollars for a GPS too, but I like the idea of adding the fishfinder option. Either the GARMIN GPSMAP 541S or the STANDARD HORIZON CPF 190i. Any opinions on that?

[Zeida]

The Standard Horizon CPF-190i is a very sophisticated chartplotter with excellent features. Since I don't fish, I have the CP-190i, which I just bought. I did find it necessary to purchase the Max C-Map upgrade card to have access to all the information that is available in that little chart plotter. Since I have it mounted on the pedestal right by the steering wheel, I find the size of that particular model very convenient. It comes with a built-in antenna, which makes installation lots more simple - just hook it to power and you're ready!

[paul marko]

Thanks for all your opinions about chart plotters for an old C/D 28 owner. I have one more question, do those of you that use a laptop or tablet computers find them adequate in direct sunlight or do the dedicated plotters "Garimin S.Horizon,etc have an advantage?

Thanks again for your comments

Paul Marko C/D28

[Shinok]

I'd be cautious using most production laptops or tablets in the cockpit of a boat. I know a lot of people do it, but I personally would not.

Those devices generate a lot of heat on their own and sitting in the sunlight sure won't help, the heat will reduce the life of the device substantially and potentially cause it to fail (some devices will gracefully shut down in a high heat environment (e.g. iPads), others won't and will just operate at high temps). They will also consume more power, be more prone to failure with exposure to marine elements, and generally harder to keep 'safe'. I am also not a fan of most nav software I've used on my computer (the cheap/free stuff, anyway).

You are almost always better with a dedicated device, especially when it's exposed to the elements. Unless you buy a Toughbook ($$), you are going to be at a detriment in almost every way.

[grluecke]

The word of caution about standard laptops is important. That being said, in the WORST case, you'd better be able to use a CHART.

I bought a Garmin GPS antenna long ago (similar to this one, but I think you can find them cheaper...http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPS-18-u ... 1c33795238) and was thrilled to find a shareware program "OpenCPN" that turns your laptop into a chartplotter. Reads all NOAA charts (up to the minute up to date) and is FREE!

Allows you to save ALL your tracks, and then print them as .pdf. Want a really large size? You can save them as "C" and "D size drawings and take them to Kinkos for poster printing...

Attached is a .pdf of several "tracks" from my CD30K, it is not formatted quite right, but the blue track is us tacking out of the New Meadows River in Maine, and at the very end, my son and I practiced our "heave to"...while we enjoyed a leisurely lunch....what is interesting is that our "hove" track is exactly back along our best "tacking"track... you can see our boat position at the end...

Oops, sorry, I could not seem to attach a .pdf. Look for it here:

www.public.iastate.edu/~grluecke/CDSOA

[ch.ocallaghan]

I also use Opencpn on a used Panasonic CF-19 Toughbook that I bought on eBay. It's a great program, and has AIS support for the AIS USB dongle that I bought from Miltech Marine. Charts for the US are all free, and many international ones are also free.

[Klem]

Thanks for all your opinions about chart plotters for an old C/D 28 owner. I have one more question, do those of you that use a laptop or tablet computers find them adequate in direct sunlight or do the dedicated plotters "Garimin S.Horizon,etc have an advantage?

Thanks again for your comments

Paul Marko C/D28

I much prefer a dedicated plotter over a simple laptop for several reasons. To directly answer your question, laptop screens are much harder to see than chartplotter screens when there is a lot of glare for me. Special screens do exist which are a lot better but the price is pretty high.

It is also worth thinking about what your interface to the chartplotter is. On a computer, you are working with a mouse and keyboard. On a chartplotter, they are setup with a few simple buttons that do everything you need. When you are rolling around or trying to use it in the dark, the buttons are easy to use but a mouse isn't.

Durability is also quite important. We don't normally sail with our chartplotter on but the times that it is on, it is dark, rainy, foggy, etc. Most of these times, I would not be willing to have anything other than a true ruggedized laptop in the cockpit. On larger boats, I do like the system of having a laptop down below at the chart table and a waterproof repeater screen, keyboard and mouse on deck. These components are not cheap and I feel that this system does not make sense for the size of boat that we are talking about.

My recommendation would be to go to a local store and try out a number of 5-7" screen plotters and see which one you like the most and then read the reviews of it online before purchasing. 5" is very limiting compared to a chart but it works well in conjunction with a chart.