On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 09:13:52 -0500, Harry Krause wrote:

Considering how little they do and how simple they are, "marine"
chartplotters are a rip-off of the first magnitude. For about $1000, you
can buy a small format PC, a 19" LCD monitor, and a waterproof keyboard
for a boat with a cabin control station. A few hundred bucks more will get
you a GPS antenna and chart software. That computer will perform a lot of
functions on a boat.

It's true, but not all boats have inside steering stations. Also, try
reading your monitor when the sun's directly on it -- not always avoidable.

Matt O.