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GPS Survey

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2004 : 10:12:52

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">if traveling far (especially out of sight of land) I plot my position every hour or so<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Rather than boogering up the chart, I have a $.75 note pad, and every hour (reminded by a digital count-down timer, available in the kitchen gadget section of your food store) note time, lat/long, heading and speed. That way, if you have to revert to DR, you have a starting point, and a vector.....should put you within a half mile.

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay" (Ex. C250 WB #618)
Georgetown MD/Fort Lauderdale FL

"Hindsight is 20/20, if I knew then what I know now, I would now be living on a small wooden sailboat, making a few bucks here and there playing a guitar and singing songs in bars."

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2004 : 20:04:51

Good point... Sometimes it's nice to "booger up the chart"--for posterity--sometimes not. Next year, I'll be sailing around "The Race", a narrow stretch between Eastern CT and Long Island where all of the tidal water flows into and out of Long Island Sound. BIG currents, to and fro... DR off the chart will be a little trickier.

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2004 : 20:20:04

Actually, I did have a planning chart where I plotted some points and drew the journey, for prosperity. I plan on putting future journeys on there too. The one I use for pilotage, che chart book, is the one I keep as clean as possible.

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay" (Ex. C250 WB #618)
Georgetown MD/Fort Lauderdale FL

"Hindsight is 20/20, if I knew then what I know now, I would now be living on a small wooden sailboat, making a few bucks here and there playing a guitar and singing songs in bars."

Edited by - on

cathluk
Admiral

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USA
513 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2004 : 21:20:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Oscar
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">if traveling far (especially out of sight of land) I plot my position every hour or so<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Rather than boogering up the chart... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I should clarify - we have a plastic-coted chart book & we mark our position with white-board pens so we can erase them with a damp paper towel later. I do have a set of full-size paper charts, but they're too big to use on board so I only use them at home for trip planning.

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2004 : 01:46:22

I have a Garmin Vista - handheld...I paid $129.
I use it as a receiver for my laptop computer when I want to see a big screen or see my boat represented on a chart or when I want to navigate in areas where detail and foreknowledge are important. I use the Vista by itself in a suction cup dash mount holder when all I want is position and speed.
Virtually all GPSs display the same features - its a matter of how you want the features presented.
My purchase criteria was based on how and where I sail, which is usually in known areas and where GPS is verifying what my gut and experience tell me.
I use the laptop (with 11X15") display when I'm in an area where I need navigational assistance.
That said, I rely on pre-planning, charts and seamanship. GPS is secondary. I enjoy navigating as much as boating. I sold my power boat and bought the raghanger because I was tired of relying on things mechanical.
I used Magellan handhelds and a Garmin 76S. Both makes were great...and I think the models with the sensors and color screens are superior...but I still think that the screens are too small to be effective in situations where you have to react...they're fine if you have time to scroll around and consider the options.
I like the inexpensive model hooked up to a laptop because when I need to find a safe place to duck out of weather...I want to see the possibles without fumbling with little buttons.
Good up-to-date paper charts combined with knowledge of exact location is my idea of safe-smart boating. My inexpensive, non-powerhungry GPS will operate for a weekend on 2-AA batteries. It tells me where I am and how fast I'm going, it will tell me how long it will take me to get to a destination, it will tell me when I'm off course, and help me get back on course...it will tell me where to go when I turn around and head back to the marina.
An earlier post noted that you should buy a GPS at a shop where you can try a variety of models and where you get to see a bunch of different screens.Good advice. With a fair amount of experience and a lot research, I went for one of the least expensive models on the market...I am very happy with my decision because it gives me the best of both worlds - It gives me basic information without scrolling through way too many screens and options.... and yet, is capable of teaming up with equipment I already have (the laptop) when I need more detailed info.
Simple,straightforward, fun, easy to use, minimal messing about ... fits well with the C25 concept of boating.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2004 : 08:09:26

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by stampeder
 I have a Garmin Vista - handheld...I paid $129.
I use it as a receiver for my laptop computer when I want to see a big screen...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I like that idea, but you mention weather (which most GPSs can live through)... What do you do with the laptop when things get snotty?

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2004 : 09:14:41

Stampeder... what Nav program are you using on your laptop ?

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jsummerfield
1st Mate

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USA
96 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2004 : 17:32:13

I have the GPSMAP 76C with the BlueCharts loaded. I had all of the GoM from near the MS River to Brownsville but it interfered with my ability to see the highways in South Texas. I now have the smaller charts but not the overall Gulf. I use the rechargeble Ni-MH batteries.

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2004 : 20:47:56

I use Garmin Blue Chart...it shows a representation of the boat on the chart (fairly accurate relative size too). I keep the laptop in my laptop carry bag - the carry bag is bungied to the table or on top of the ice box. I have sleep mode set at one minute to save laptop battery juice...tap a key and the screen jumps back up. This is a new development for me, so I'll keep you up to date on how it shakes out.

Garmin also sells a device that is simply a GPS receiver for a laptop - its a small device, approx $100.

I haven't been out in any rough weather yet but I have my best man on the job and I expect to have an absolutely brilliant solution to keeping the laptop stable, dry and readily accessable for use from the cockpit.
I will probably have to rebuild my electrics - so I expect the rebuild will be laptop-GPS prominent...and just in case you need another reason to have a laptop on board - if you want to watch a
DVD movie - the laptop does a better job that buying one of those goofy little DVD players with the 9" screen. Connect a set of speakers and you can use it to play CDs too.

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2004 : 21:31:37

Never thought of the movie thing.....have the speakers for the MP3 player, could do movie night in the salon with (almost) surround sound. I'll miss snoring with Chapman falling out of my hands though....

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay" (Ex. C250 WB #618 )
Georgetown MD/Fort Lauderdale FL

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2004 : 21:51:44

We used a laptop to watch "Master and Commander" while anchored out (first time I's seen it)...
the motion of the boat, sounds of the water, gulls outside etc. blended in with the movie to the point I was having some difficulty seperating the 'real stuff' from the screeen.
(well, except for the cannon fire) DVD + Laptop + boat = Pretty neat combo.

Make sure to turn your screen saver and power management off. ;>)

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2004 : 22:12:44

Sensurround!

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2004 : 23:08:28

Just in case you are considering the purchase of a laptop - the price wars are on in a big way...I just bought an Acer for $925. And that's Cdn money folks...you guys with real money should be able to get one for about $750. Acer recently made a comeback with a series of Laptops that rival Toshiba.
You're right....a Laptop with a set of speakers makes for a cool way to bring some big boat entertainment aboard.
As has been noted, combining features in one gadget or tool on any boat is a huge plus.

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