Simply put..... I keep it to a minimum.... no undue electronics.. I went
through that phase. No sir.... I'm not a fan. Unless it's absolutely
required for the journey, I don't want it aboard. My goal is to reduce the
electronics onboard to a bare minimum. I study the charts and use them to
reference triangulations by bearing fixes. I carry a spare handheld GPS..
but hardly use it. I almost never have either log nor depth turned on while
underway. Radar is the only exception I will make since it is almost
mandatory in my heavy fog area with the possibility of high speed vessels
navigating on GPS Chart Plotters [few have the radar ability]

I do have full electronics aboard and have used a laptop before... you can
have it.. it's a bother and of little benefit. I'm leaning towards oil
lamps... even down to oil/kerosene nav lights as primary with electronic
back-up secondary.

Electronics are for Power Boaters... they run on power and they need the
data ASAP at their speed. I'm out for the pleasure of sailing and take my
time.... since I have the time it takes.

CM



"Bart Senior" .@. wrote in message ...
God yes CM. Electronic charts are great. They are
FREE, portable and with the right software they talk to you.
Did I mention electronic charts are FREE now?

I am so tired of storing paper charts. I just spent a few
hours throwing out charts last week and I wish I could
toss them all out.. I have so many I could heat my house
with them. Get rid of them? Absolutely, and good riddance.

Power boater? Heck, those are the people with room
to store and lay out paper charts.

And finally, please don't ever compare me to Swabbie.
You really wounded me with that one. I'll never forgive
you. grin

What about the rest of it CM? Do you use digital
communication on Overproof? What about music?
That is the main reason I've been building up this
little laptop I was given. I just need an Echo Indigo
PC Card and I'll be done with hardware upgrades.
It will be the perfect little music system for the boat.
And yes it will be my back of navigation system.


"Capt.Mooron" wrote
Electronic Charts???? Fricken Power Boater!!!

You're starting to sound like Bobsprit!!!

"Bart Senior" .@. wrote
Lots of you must be using a laptop for a chart display.
Particularly now that electronic charts are free.

What software are you running on your laptop?

Here is what I'm using.
Nobeltec, Winlink, Waypoint+, iTunes

Things I'm looking at:
http://www.hffax.de/index.html
http://www.waypoint.org/