Okay, let's see if this works second time round! As I attempted to ask last weekend (but apparently there were glitches in the MainSail website), do any of you have suggestions for software, applications or PDA friendly internet sites, sailing related? I ask because I have a new toy, sorry, highly useful and practical piece of technology (!) - an O2 XDA Orbit. It has built in GPS & internet access (inc bluetooth & wifi) as well as being capable of running software, so has potential for being very useful while out on the ocean wave. Operating system is Windows Mobile 5. Any suggestions or recommendations?
Pretty sure the Met office is. What sort of sailing information do you require and what PDA do you have? Different ones are availible of different systems.
Hi Anna. Lucky you having such a great new toy (sorry, highly useful and practical item, which I'm sure it will be!) I picked up a leaflet at the Boat Show about Neptune Passage Planning software, which promises "passage plans and course calculations in seconds." As well as the full PC program (£145) they are offering a Pocket PC Planner for £45 including one chart portfolio. Area tidal stream data is another £25. I have no idea how well it all works, but it is claimed to interface with Yeoman plotters and do all kinds of clever tricks. Visit www.neptune-navigation.co.uk "for more details and demos." If you decide to try it, please will you write a review for the MainSail? One word of warning: Do put a lanyard on your PDA to hang it round your neck. I know someone who dropped one overboard, and it didn't float!
If you have WiFi on your device, you should make sure you have shortcuts created for the Met office weather f/casts, "weather online" an other useful stuff like that on the web. Since I am a solent sailor I also have url links to sites like "chimet", "cambermet" and "bramblemet" which provide 15 minute updates on wind direction, strength, gusts, wave height, baro pressure, even visibility. Lastly, I have the Belfied Tide Plotter running on both my PC and PDA, which is hugely useful and takes away the need to do those secondary port tide calculations. I hope this helps.
Thanks for these. May try the Solent ones as will be down there in May. Will also investigate the tidal software options, though I don't mind the maths (always useful to have a way of checking the results!).
The suggestions remind me - being an East Coast sailor (though just as often elsewhere, now I think about it!) it will also be useful to have the weblinks for the Ore & Deben entrances and other similar moveable feasts.
For those with PC's on board who sail the East Coast, the new digital East Coast Pilot available from Imray looks useful. Heard a talk from one of the authors in November and saw a demo. Comes with the relevant charts as well as the additional pilot info - just point & click! Won't fit on a PDA though!
Warning-if your service provider is other than vodaphone then once you leave the urban centres forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here in the Highlands there is adequate vodaphone coverage along main roads out with urban centres so long as you are not using Virgin,orange 02 etc. but reception can be variable.and internet access non existent because of overall poor reception. I get totally fed up with having to explain to holiday makers with whom I do business that their )2 phone is only good in Inverness!!! There are many parts of the west coast where there is nothing at all because there are no roads or urban centres. This is the biggest con of the late 20th early 21st century as amost of these wire-less technology providers have invested in coverage only close by urban centres where they can maximise their profits. In the Highlands car GPS useless;digital TV non existent along with cable etc etc.-there are even areas which are satellite blind! Phil
Don't feel alone in the Highlands, Phil - I'm in Rutland and it's almost as bad! Mobile phone reception here is poor (O2 okay but BT useless), to get digital you have to buy a satellite dish (the digital adverts are therefore incredibly annoying!). O2 does have one of the better coverages, hence going for it, and it usually copes in a lot of out of the way places, but haven't tried it in the Highlands for a while. Will be up in July, if not before, so will test out the new kit then.
Any other suggestions for PDA applications out there, or is this a very limited field?
Do you race? At lunchtime a friend was showing me a new PDA programme from SailClever www.sailclever.com which should prove extremely handy to round the cans racers
