Big $$$ Chartplotter or Computer App(s)

[sail sfbay]

I like a large, fixed navigation display showing, charts, GPS, AIS. radar and sonar that can be integrated with the autopilot. I have 2 on each boat, one at each helm on the powerboat and one at the helm with a second one at the navigation station on the sailboat.

[DockDoc]

I have the Zeus BnG 2, and I have apple products, iphone and tablet on board.

I use the ipad 75% of the time with navioncs. With a boat wifi and mirroring apps I can see what the crew sees at the helm even when I'm off watch in the bunk.

Navioncs will display AIS as well as all charts. I know ppl talk Sh!t on Navionics but regularly updated charts, not out of date ones, have never let me down from the Caribbean to Nova Scotia. The route plotting is superior to what I can do on the Zeus 2.

I am not smart enough to know how to interface directly from instrumentation to an ipad, if that were a reality I don't know if Id replace the Zeus if it died.

[C420sailor]

Yeah I do the same with my Garmin install. I can monitor from my smartphone, create or edit the route, beam it to the plotters onboard.

Would be nice if it could send me radar and AIS data to the phone.

[Bill Seal]

How about one of the refurbished Toughbook laptops from fleabay? Looks like some are made for field use, sunlight readable, maybe even nuclear hardened

[Hoodsail]

I bought my 7" garmin chartplotter on sale for $450, that i mounted at the helm. Wind and AIS display in addition to charts. Have a 5" garmin plotter mounted down below as backup. Havent had the need for larger screen. Have backup coastal charts for long island sound, block island, vineyard, nantucket, bermuda...and back up to the back up hand held garmin gps (came with the boat). No radar so cant speak to that. So not certain what "big $$$ chartplotter" equates to?

[Hoodsail]

meant, backup PAPER, coastal charts...

[Tupaia]

12v ruggedised PC, (not a laptop) with low consumption CPU running OpenCPN integrated with AP, AIS transponder, 3G radar, instruments and GPS, large 24in monitor at nav station (individually switched) and 8inch waterproof industrial touchscreen monitor in cockpit (individually switched). Wireless keyboard/mouse.

All instruments are self standing and a complete backup PC can be plugged in at any time, monitors can be turned off when not in use to minimise power draw without loosing tracking or log.

System is easily upgraded at minimal expense and keeps pace with advancing software and technology.

[Squanderbucks]

A lot depends on what you want to see on your screen and what you do with your boat. As you said you are to be a sailboater that seems to mean from what I have seen over the years following this forum is that you want to be able to go from point A to B with all the navaids, shoals and general depth info and not much else. Of course weather and sea state data are differently gotten usually.
Not much interest in depth details down to the "foot" for fishing and such. Just navigation ability. All of those methods mentioned by others above can do the job in good weather. From what I understand traveling by wind power means longer open water exposure and greater chance of weather changes. Power boaters have a whole different set of requirements for charts in addition to "getting there" Usually sport oriented and greater detail is desired than what is available on most PC software.
I have both- Garmin GPS and Fanless PC with sunlight and weather resistant screen ( Just the PC screen with NMEA weather rating costs MORE than the Garmin). Been there done that with PC's going back to monochrome monitors, laptops, iPads, regular off the shelf monitors in a waterproof enclosure, etc.
My setup now is a Garmin GPSMap 1042 xsv with radar and Raymarine autopilot all integrated. The PC monitor is 15 inch model and I run OpenCPN on it with Raster charts. I consider it a backup and run it simultaneously with the Garmin. Garmin at a close-up scale for the beautiful detail it's charts provide and the PC with a much larger view - say the entire course line. Garmin/Navionics have some of the best chart detail around and using the iPad Active Captain App I can create or refine routes on the couch and upload them instantly to the Chartplotter. And Export them to the OpenCN to keep both devices synced.

I've been doing this since 1960's from paper charts, to LORAN, to GPS with no charting and charting done on PC through NMEA 0183 link- and I would not like to go back to any prior method - I could - but you are asking what do we think is a good way to go. Ease of use, safety, readability, etc. None are perfect though.

If i were to go the iPad route it would still require me to use an app like Garmin's Active captain or Navionics to get the chart detail I want so there would still be some chart expenses. Luckily for me All my boating is done in South Florida and the Bahamas (from Walkers Cay to Bimini - to Eleuthra so the chart load is not too great. If I were circumnavigating that would certainly be another issue to bring into the mix.

[zstine]

Originally Posted by sail sfbay

I like a large, fixed navigation display showing, charts, GPS, AIS. radar and sonar that can be integrated with the autopilot. I have 2 on each boat, one at each helm on the powerboat and one at the helm with a second one at the navigation station on the sailboat.

Pretty much all these fancy bells and whistles are included in the free OpenCPN software.

[zstine]

Originally Posted by Squanderbucks

....

If i were to go the iPad route it would still require me to use an app like Garmin's Active captain or Navionics to get the chart detail I want so there would still be some chart expenses. Luckily for me All my boating is done in South Florida and the Bahamas (from Walkers Cay to Bimini - to Eleuthra so the chart load is not too great. If I were circumnavigating that would certainly be another issue to bring into the mix.

You can run the NOAA government charts for free of course. I think I paid $15 for Navionics for the Bahamas and Caribbean. So "chart expenses" is equal to a few beers for your cruising area.

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by C420sailor

Garmin. 1242xsv Touch is my current helm MFD. Experience has been flawless thus far.

I also use Garmin in my airplane. Love it.

On the boat I have a Raymarine system so to go to Garmin I will need new instruments, MFD, new mounting system and a Garmin NMEA compatible wiring, new mast, replace the anchor and I don’t think the marina will allow me to keep my slip.

Unlike aviation my experience in boating is that everything is un-compatible all the time.

I have a Garmin in my airplane, with a bubble canopy, it can not be read during the day, it is too bright at night (reflects off of all sections of the canopy). The data base can not be updated, very user unfriendly for aviation, but it looks good to visitors in the hangar. IPAD works so much better and is 1/10th the price. IPAD also replicates all flight instruments. My opinion on Garmin, if you don’t need it, then buy it.

Sorry about the negative comments about Garmin, but Garmin is the West Marine of the aviation electronic world.

[OS2Dude]

You don't have to spend BIG $$$ toget a chartplotter, unless you want a 12" display. Our boat has two garmin GMI-20 MFDs in pods to each side of the pedestal and a 9" chartploter on the pedestal guard. We also added a 7" chartplotter at the navstation. I like that they all are weather proof, glare resistant, CAN'T FALL OVERBOARD, they were all pretty much 'Plug & Play', and I can't forget them at home. All the displays and charts cost less than $2500. If you were to buy a new phone/laptop you'd spend about the same, plus what ever you need to get the sensors to even talk to them, and possibly even a software subscription to make it all work.

[Moontide]

Had a top of the line Northstar plotter on the boat when I bought it. After Northstar cratered the light on the edge of the screen went out. Contacted the company that took over servicing and they said to send it to them and for $150 they would diagnose. I told them problem and they said they would not quote the repair for me. Finally got them to acknowledge that it would be somewhere between $750 and $1000.



I went and bought two netbooks for $300 each, a GPS hockey puck for $35 and loaded OpenCPN, the free NOAA charts and have been happy ever since. Am a big proponent of this approach. Equipment is easy to replace anywhere in the world and OpenCPN has most of the interfaces of dedicated systems.



As and FYI, OpenCPN is written by sailors and cruisers, and apparently many have a fair amount of time because they keep it current and enhance it regularly. It will also run on a Rasberry Pi computer which I understand you can build or buy for almost nothing. And the support is superb.



Did the conversion 10 years ago and since have done from California to Maine and Trinidad and all points in between with no issues.

[Dave Isom]

You have a “ First World” problem here, but yes, your computer safely down below, consider Open cpn and free charts, and something bigger than a phone screen, iPad ? in a waterproof jacket with charging lead in the cockpit, preferably shaded under the dodger and you’d be laughing all the way to the next watering hole !
You don’t need to pay big bucks for big screens and the full Monty but they are more toys for you to play with. I always carry and use a small scale paper chart to plot where I am on long ocean passages in case all else fails and to check there are no reefs, small islands on the route. These can disappear on electronic charts if you don’t zoom in enough.

[C420sailor]

Originally Posted by Panama Red

On the boat I have a Raymarine system so to go to Garmin I will need new instruments, MFD, new mounting system and a Garmin NMEA compatible wiring, new mast, replace the anchor and I don’t think the marina will allow me to keep my slip.

Unlike aviation my experience in boating is that everything is un-compatible all the time.

I have a Garmin in my airplane, with a bubble canopy, it can not be read during the day, it is too bright at night (reflects off of all sections of the canopy). The data base can not be updated, very user unfriendly for aviation, but it looks good to visitors in the hangar. IPAD works so much better and is 1/10th the price. IPAD also replicates all flight instruments. My opinion on Garmin, if you don’t need it, then buy it.

Sorry about the negative comments about Garmin, but Garmin is the West Marine of the aviation electronic world.

Which aviation unit? I have a 430W and a GTX345 and love them.

My wind vane is still Ray. Had to get an ITC5 converter to get it to play, and buy an i70 that I plug in only when the wind needs cal.

Annoying that brands can’t cross calibrate.