Onboard Navigation with Macintosh vs. PC

Gary Peterson

Gary Peterson

Marine Guy
For PC based software

Has anyone bought and used this software that can be purchased on E-Bay?

"PC Chart Plotter and GPS Navigation / Viewing software"

If so - does it work with a Windows PC and an USB $59.99 GPS antenna?

Thanks
Gary Peterson
E381 QUIXOTIC
:egrin:
 
E

Emerald

Moderator
Gary Peterson said:
Has anyone bought and used this software that can be purchased on E-Bay?

"PC Chart Plotter and GPS Navigation / Viewing software"

If so - does it work with a Windows PC and an USB $59.99 GPS antenna?

Thanks
Gary Peterson
E381 QUIXOTIC
:egrin:
Click to expand...

Be really careful. I did a quick search on eBay using your basic words and found someone selling a combination of free software (not NOAA) and free charts (from NOAA) with no indication that they were charging for something you can download free!
 
WBurgner

WBurgner

Member III
MAC Users

Thanks Loren,
That is encouraging. I have a G4 here at home and bought a PC laptop for the boat since so little marine software was out there for the MAC a few years ago.

At the risk of hijacking the thread, how many of you are using MACs on board and what marine applications have yuo found to be getting the job done for you.

Both units are getting on and I need to start thinking about the next system.
 
C

Captron

Member III
Cautionary Tale

Last season, in the Bahamas, we heard a report of a yacht sinking at Little Harbor on Long Island. It was a large power yacht that faithfully followed the Raymarine charts on her chart plotter right onto a reef.

It turns out that the electronic charts were just wrong. The charts showed a pass in the reef where there was none. I've been in Little Harbor and I know that area is solid elkhorn just a little below the surface.

Subsequently we heard from the author of the 'Explorer Charts' for that area. The Explorer series charts are considered to be the best charts available for cruising the Bahamas. I've used them for years and they are very good. Anyway, it seems that Raymarine (or the company they buy electronic charts from) declined to pay the royalty fees for using the Explorer chart data and substituted some other chart images. The Explorer Chart for that area clearly shows reef not a pass in that area.

Further discussion revealed that only two electronic chart publishers actually use the Explorer Chart data. The rest use whatever. I suppose it saves them some money.

This makes the electronic chart/equipment buying decision somewhat difficult. Not all electronic charts are created equal. So long as the electronic versions use NOAA data, I suppose they're roughly the same but areas beyond NOAA's purview that must rely on other data should be checked against the best available paper charts for accuracy before you lean on 'em. I'm sure that the Bahamas are not the only area where this is an issue.

My Maptech Offshore Navigator system uses the Explorer data and the electronic images look exactly like my paper charts. Of course, you still need to keep the old eyeballs outside the boat and not on the pretty little screen. We ain't playin' a video game here.
:egrin:
 
Loren Beach

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Captron said:
Last season, in the Bahamas, we heard a report of a yacht sinking at Little Harbor on Long Island. It was a large power yacht that faithfully followed the Raymarine charts on her chart plotter right onto a reef.

It turns out that the electronic charts were just wrong. The charts showed a pass in the reef where there was none. I've been in Little Harbor and I know that area is solid elkhorn just a little below the surface.

Subsequently we heard from the author of the 'Explorer Charts' for that area. The Explorer series charts are considered to be the best charts available for cruising the Bahamas. I've used them for years and they are very good. Anyway, it seems that Raymarine (or the company they buy electronic charts from) declined to pay the royalty fees for using the Explorer chart data and substituted some other chart images. The Explorer Chart for that area clearly shows reef not a pass in that area.
Click to expand...

It might be worth noting that Raymarine does not make their own charts. They use chart chips from Navionics (aka "Navionics Gold Chart", for instance).
Small solace to the person with the sunk boat... and further proof of the worth of the advice from the old sea captain that I once took a navigation course from -- always have a paper chart backup. (!)

It might be interesting to compile a little spreadsheet with each electronic charting application or stand-alone gps charting device available, along with their particular charting source/chip.

Best,
Loren in PDX
 
Last edited:
J

jkenan

Member III
After considering the Garmin GPSMap 545 seriously, I've decided to take the plunge with MacENC and the GlobalSat BU-353 WaterProof USB GPS Receiver (SiRF Star III). Total initial set-up (not including the MacbookPro laptop, which I already own) is $200. The thing I REALLY like about MacENC (and GPSNavX) is they are scriptable via Applescript. I manage a Mac set-up at work utilizing Multiple X-Serves and X-Raids, and 30+ clients for video and print work, and develop lots of Applescript and FileMaker Pro apps. I'm looking forward to seeing what expanded functionality I can develop with this system.

I won't have a display in the cockpit (yet). Until then, I am thinking about a reticulated arm that can rotate a platform on which the laptop is mounted from the cabin into the companionway for viewability from the cockpit, along with a waterproof cover for the computer. When not navigating, the arm could reposition the set-up to stow it folded and out of the way, or in a suitable spot in the cabin to serve media via the iPod jack in the stereo (movies over the sound system are awesome!). I'll still have my handheld Magellan Color GPS, which will be a back-up to the new primary system (always good to have a back-up!).

Anyone know a source of a smallish waterproof LCD display utilizing a standard VGA or DVI input? I've searched the web, and all I come up with is the Argonaut for about a grand. Compared to higher-end self-contained chartplotters, the cost of the MacENC system plus this display (and a waterproof touchpad) seems like a deal, but for me right now the display would be overkill. I need something smaller and cheaper.

Here is an interesting website showing what can be done with with a Mac (the mini is spotlighted here, but a laptop would work just the same) on a boat (scroll down to 'rig of the week'), or in a car:
http://www.tuaw.com/category/mac-mini/

I realize it will be a bit more cumbersome to set-up and use than the self-contained Garmin unit, but I think it will be a lot more fun to learn and tweak, and ultimately will be far more expandable. And I can work with it from my armchair at home!
 
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