I've been thinking of adding a chartplotter to my boat for some time. The choice is vast as is the bank balance required for some of them. One option that does appeal to me is to use a PC base chartplotting package as thie hardware will give me additional functionality whilst on board, all the usual stuff, Internet, email, stored music, DVD player, etc, etc.

Any advice on either the hardware or the software. Using a laptop has its advantages but all research indicates that they do not enjoy a life at sea. Marine PC's look a good option until you look at the price and see 3 X the price of an land based PC, I could by 2 new or several second hand laptops for the same price.

Chris-see my Admiralty plotter thread-some of advice you are asking about is already up there-my choice has been to  buy a preowned laptop and dedicate it to navigation-£50 for laptop and £50 for admiralty plotter for W. of Scotland-I do have a very dry boat-use a Garmin 152 GPS linked to laptop.

No doubt that the frebie Seaclear software-see comments on thread is great particularly if sailing US where Raster charts of Us waters are free.

Phil

I really like my (obsolete) Raymarine plotter because it is completely waterproof, does not mind if you drip water all over it, is securely installed, and does not mind rough handling in rought weather, and is relatively intuitive to use, even in a crisis!

I fully accept that a laptop has lots more functionality, and is probably cheaper, and I carry one on board as potential back-up, but I have yet to fathom a safe all-weather installation for it, or a way of using it with wet hands, while wearing a dripping wet oilie jacket!

I love the laptop for passage planning at home, though! But I would recommend a dedicated plotter if you have space/budget etc to install one. 

The other issue of course is the cost/choice of charts. The Admiralty chart plotter is excellent, and the Imray equivalent gives even bigger covereage for the same outlay. Other electronic charts are more expensive (C-Map, Navionics etc) but do work better, especially in terms of instant panning and zooming.

An awful lot depends on the sort of sailing you do, how big an area you need coverage for, etc. As with so many areas of sailing, there is no single right answer. What is ideal for one person might be overkill for another. It's all about finding what works for you and your boat and crew.

A marine PC would be very nice, but as you say, there is a cost factor to consider!

Just been doing a little more research and you cannot get away with much less than £200 for an Arcs compatible Plotting Software but if interested take a look at Dolphin Software based here and Endeavour 5 based in Australia/NZ.You still of course have to buy the Arcs portfolios with a min. of 10 charts at about £100.

So probably a good dedicated GPS plotter as Cathy says is best bet iparticularly if traveling far and wide.

Phil

Just been checking out Endeavour 5 a bit more-there is a demo download available-its a compact filesize -about 20gb-runs really smoothly-both RNCs and ENCs-and is Arcs;Aus. and NZ compatible.

You can overlay your own stuff and can intergrate with Radar and AIS(prob.got those intials wrong-but radar transponder system)Fact is in theory at least if you were planning an around the world type trip you could cover half of it using the free NOAA USA charts and NZ portfolio which covers NZ and Pacific-CD costing about £20 plus the £170 for endeavour 5.

Phil

If you wish to use the plotter over a long period of time then remember the fairly large drain on the batteries a laptop has, relative to the low demands that a plotter makes.

A decent waterproof laptop has to be made secure when at sea and will set you back a lot more than a small plotter, e.g. the Standard Horizon, which gives superb value for money.

Put a Notebook PC ... I do hate the term laptop - which actually was the name given to the early mains powered machines that "sat on your lap" and stopped the blood-flow ! .... Put a Notebook PC on power save and only trigger when you need it and power consumption is similar to a plotter. I investigated plotter consumption and it is generally a lot higher than factory quotes - partly because I believe people think its so low they keep machine at high level.

Second I haven't seen any real evidence why SH is promoted by people. Superb value for money gets a little suspect when connection compatibilities and for me most importantly data transfer come into question. I have had more communications about helping people get data in / out of SH machines than any other. Even Eagle that is low-spec Lowrance gear re-badged is easier to trsfr data in / out than SH in my experience.

Plotter reccomendations in my experience are usually based on what the person owns and uses. Most do not actually compare many sets in real use before buying, so are lumped with whatever they buy - get used to it and then find another machine difficult to use.

Sorry but my opinion.

I m inclinded to agree with Nigel's 2nd to last paragraph... I ve use various different plotters on different boats and every owner/skipper thinks theirs is the best

I still think that Transas is one of the best but then I worked with it for 2 years... now using Laserplot and I hate it simply because the human interface is appalling (IMHO anyway!).

I m at a loss to understand why 'leisure' plotters need so many features. As Cathy said in another thread too many buttons/too many features...

KISS!

W.

Hi Nigel

I'm certainly no expert on plotters generally. I simply have experienced use of the 175 & 180 S H plotters and so have a couple of inexperienced friends.

With no previous experience of using plotters we have all found the S H extremely easy to use with a very simple and easily understood book of words supplied. Simple even for me and I usually have to get my wife to set the digital clock/alarm at home.

The three of us had independantly looked at the seemingly good value for money we were getting and the ease of use of the S H.

After nearly 2 years, we are all extremely happy with our purchases and we seem to use many of the facilities that are available on our plotters. Perhaps the cruising sailor will use more of the facilities available on the S H than the racing sailor or the power boater, or those in non tidal waters?

We are especially keen on the fact that the S H supports AIS.  I realise that most plotters will now do this but again at what cost?   The AIS facility is so easy to use fed by a NASA engine.  AIS has made a recent trip to Spain and back, all the more safe. cheers, Scotty

For me its £- Five Admiralty plotter CDs to cover whole of UK plus £50 for my IBM Thinkpad-£300 in total.Or Endeavour 5 or similar at £170 plus Admiralrty Folio of 10 charts for about £80.

-and there are sources of European Charts that cost almost nothing(often scans of Russian Charts)

A dedicated plotter plus say a navionics gold for UK will set you back about £400 and further Golds over £100 a throw.

And bottom line is that you are reccomended to carry paper charts as well.

Phil

I have to say that I use a Lowrance 3500C which does not have AIS. But I can connect loads of other stuff due to NMEA2000 ...

AIS is good - but on most plotters where screens are already asked to display a lot of info - I don't fancy cluttering it more. A separate display would be better I reckon !

I've carried it with me for deliverys, when crewing on other boats and each time people have commented how easy it was to use and despite it's smallish screen - good to use. One boat I had to be sure It was STILL in my bag when I left !!

Power consumption actually measured can be brought down to about 280mA with all savers activated. Full power with all bells / whistles activated incl. brightest screen is near 750mA. Lowrance figures given to me were : Full backlighting and operation 820mA, backlight off and savers on 520mA. So in fact they were doing themselves no favours !!

I've checked other Plotters ie Garmin var. models and had similar numbers, one in fact was significantly higher ! The unit I can only assume was faulty !

I would argue the indestructible bit about a yoeman ! I know of 2 people at least who had to send theirs of for expensive repairs !

It also assumes that you have paper charts - which despite all the experts advising we should have, many do not. Probably a local for their mooring area and another of general cruise area. In that case it's more cost effective to buy a budget plotter for similar money.

I didn't say I agree with no charts - I have full charting coverage of the Baltic from Rostock to Eastern most end of Finland Gulf, up into northern reaches of West Finland / Sweden, incl. all East Sweden Archipelago, Aland and Finnish Islands / souther coast folios ......... so for my cruising I am more than catered for.

I still have my South UK / Solent Charts from when boat was in UK ...........

My comment was that many boats are only carrying very limited paper charting, more people are using electronic than ever, I know many that have all-sorts of back-up power-supplies, alternative means to power, hand-held GPS in grab-bag / handy in case of need. Before I embark on a trip - eg across baltic - I print the waypoints and laminate the card ! That way I'm sure that with my Hand-held GPS in the dinghy - I still have access to CTS ................ But I'm known for over-kill !

I'm a traditional taught navigator who had to learn Satnav Transit then GPS. But even so I have embraced modern technology and use it to fullest I can.

When I delivered the Bavaria Match from Rostock to Ventspils, I plotted on paper chart, wrote up log by hand, but also used the Lowrance Plotter (real Budget version 3500C) - I carry with me when on others boats - which proved to carry the day compared to the integrated Raymarine stuff on board !