I worked for Nobeltec for a while and came to know the digital charting biz
fairly well. The Yeoman device Larry describes is dangerous. At least it's
dangerous to the digital charting industry. The darn thing is the best
kept secret in the marine industry.

I had one for a while, unbeknown to Nobeltec. It blends the paper and
digital world perfectly. Low power draw. GPS accuracy. The reliability of a
paper library. I think he's steered you right.

The only digital chart that can be bought relatively cheaply are the ones
from Softchart. They are good looking and cheaper than the rest by 50-$100
per region.


Dan

"Larry W4CSC" wrote in message
...
Ric, have you got paper charts, now? If yes, ever see a Yeoman?

http://yeoman.net/yeoman_sport.html

I just took the electronics out of a Sport XL my captain left in his
truck, in the GA sunshine at 180F to melt all the glue holding it
together and mounted it to the bottom of Lionheart's mahogany chart
table lift top with 5#/inch double-sided tape.

It takes input from any NMEA 0183 gps and will plot your position on
any paper chart with only 3 points to calibrate itself to your chart.
It stores the three points so you can recal it to that chart by
clicking the three points at any time. Stores 99 of them.

Once calibrated to the chart, and satisfied you cal'd it with valid
data, the LCD display on it reads out in Lat/Long as you slide the
puck across the chart, accurate to your pencil's width. Click the
angle button on the puck, and it then reads out in azimuth and
distance from your current position to wherever the puck is pointed,
constantly updating as new GPS data comes in. It has several modes,
including waypoints and routes, just like the chart plotter, but on a
big, full-sized chart, not some little LCD screen with little
chartplotter plugs expensive to update and buy.

Maptech charts are pre-programmed into it by page number. Maptech
charts have the three calibration points printed on them. For any
other chart, just choose two latitude points and up one of them's
longitude for the third point to give it 2D calibration. It's real
easy to use and VERY addictive. "How far are we from that bouy?"

"8.26 nautical miles at 076", you reply instantly by simply pointing
the puck at the bouy on the chart. They all think you're a
genius...(c;

It will also output NMEA data for your autopilot to follow to that
waypoint you just clicked just off the bouy, I hope. It'll store the
whole route before you leave, if you like.

Check it out:
http://www.yeomanuk.com/

Nothing quite like having those hourly plots right on the chart
overlay in case all the electronics explodes......



On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 20:51:08 +0100, "Ric" wrote:

I want to buy a chartplotter - but the electronic charts are hugely
expensive, and also difficult to buy as not many chandlers etc stock
them.

What is the best solution? Is it possible to buy a CD of the world and
then
download the charts one needs into the chartplotter?

Surely the first manufacturer to offer a solution for easily and
relatively
cheaply loading charts into the chartplotter would corner the market - so
what's stopping them? The charts themselves can't be too expensive as
iirc
the US Hydrographic office publishes free charts for the whole world.


Larry W4CSC

NNNN