nfsnfs Wrote:
I just bought a 12 year old C&C 37/40R and, along with the 1287 odd jobs
that come along with used boats, I would like to install a GPS chart
plotter. There are dozens of possible solutions straight out of the
West Marine catalog but a friend highly recommended software on a
laptop instead.

He uses Nobletec and seems committed, but I thought I might ask a wider
audience for recommendations / disrecommendations. Also, his setup
involves parking the laptop on the chart table below, whereas I would
like something visible from the helm. That would mean an extra screen
that will stand up to salt water and running some wiring, but if
charting software is better/cheaper/faster than what gets plugged into
the integrated plotters, I'd like to know before I start.

Any advice for a greenhorn?

I think that if I were going to use Nobeltec software on a laptop then
I would go ahead and go the extra distance for the wireless display,
you can see it here http://www.nobeltec.com/products/prod_tb_wnd.asp


--
Yellowchaser- http://www.hookandsinker.com - The Sportfishermen's choice for fishing news, over 500+ maps, over 7,000+ schematics, and even these newsgroups are available online!

If only it were waterproof and a whole lot less expensive.

"Yellowchaser" wrote in
message ...

nfsnfs Wrote:
I just bought a 12 year old C&C 37/40R and, along with the 1287 odd jobs
that come along with used boats, I would like to install a GPS chart
plotter. There are dozens of possible solutions straight out of the
West Marine catalog but a friend highly recommended software on a
laptop instead.

He uses Nobletec and seems committed, but I thought I might ask a wider
audience for recommendations / disrecommendations. Also, his setup
involves parking the laptop on the chart table below, whereas I would
like something visible from the helm. That would mean an extra screen
that will stand up to salt water and running some wiring, but if
charting software is better/cheaper/faster than what gets plugged into
the integrated plotters, I'd like to know before I start.

Any advice for a greenhorn?

I think that if I were going to use Nobeltec software on a laptop then
I would go ahead and go the extra distance for the wireless display,
you can see it here http://www.nobeltec.com/products/prod_tb_wnd.asp


--
Yellowchaser- http://www.hookandsinker.com - The Sportfishermen's choice
for fishing news, over 500+ maps, over 7,000+ schematics, and even these
newsgroups are available online!

Johnhh Wrote:
If only it were waterproof and a whole lot less expensive.

It should be relativley easy to build a plexiglass box it could fit
into, with a watertight sealable front panel you could open to get to
the controls if needed. Then mount the whole thing on an arm. This
would both protect the screen from water and something hitting it.


--
Yellowchaser- http://www.hookandsinker.com - The Sportfishermen's choice for fishing news, over 500+ maps, over 7,000+ schematics, and even these newsgroups are available online!

Yellowchaser wrote:
Johnhh Wrote:

If only it were waterproof and a whole lot less expensive.


It should be relativley easy to build a plexiglass box it could fit
into, with a watertight sealable front panel you could open to get to
the controls if needed. Then mount the whole thing on an arm. This
would both protect the screen from water and something hitting it.


why **** around with building plastic boxes?

www.itronix.com

all will be revealed grasshopper

prodigal1 Wrote:
Yellowchaser wrote:

Johnhh Wrote:

If only it were waterproof and a whole lot less expensive.


It should be relativley easy to build a plexiglass box it could fit
into, with a watertight sealable front panel you could open to get to
the controls if needed. Then mount the whole thing on an arm. This
would both protect the screen from water and something hitting it.


why **** around with building plastic boxes?

'www.itronix.com' (http://www.itronix.com/)

all will be revealed grasshopper

Because its inexpensive to build yourself, durable, and you can
customize it to fit your own boat not a generic one that is suppose to
fit all and doesn't. Why search trying to find something that you will
only have to pay manufacturing costs on when you can get everything you
need at a hardware store. How do you think ideas get started.


--
Yellowchaser- http://www.hookandsinker.com - The Sportfishermen's choice for fishing news, over 500+ maps, over 7,000+ schematics, and even these newsgroups are available online!

Yellowchaser wrote:

Because its inexpensive to build yourself, durable, and you can
customize it to fit your own boat not a generic one that is suppose to
fit all and doesn't. Why search trying to find something that you will
only have to pay manufacturing costs on when you can get everything you
need at a hardware store. How do you think ideas get started.
I see, you're a graduate of the Red Green School of Reverse Engineering.
Keep yer stick on the ice.

prodigal1 wrote in :

I see, you're a graduate of the Red Green School of Reverse Engineering.
Keep yer stick on the ice.


One of the best shows left on TV....(c;

The wood chipper made from an old dryer works quite well for us...

--
Larry

You know you've had a rough night when you wake up and you're outlined in
chalk.

Yellowchaser wrote:

why **** around with building plastic boxes?

'www.itronix.com' (http://www.itronix.com/)

all will be revealed grasshopper


Because its inexpensive to build yourself, durable, and you can
customize it to fit your own boat not a generic one that is suppose to
fit all and doesn't. Why search trying to find something that you will
only have to pay manufacturing costs on when you can get everything you
need at a hardware store. How do you think ideas get started.

Why a box? You picked a design with about 12 seams that need to be
sealed and requiring a complicated contour matching and assembly process.

Use a cylinder of Plexiglas, fibreglas, or maybe even ABS, PVC, or one
of the other dirt cheap, commonly available, construction materials.

Lots of room for ingenuity here. Use a end piece that will take a cap
or plug. Cut it to an approximate fit and then lay a piece of coarse
abrasive on the mounting spot and sand it to fit. Then fibreglas it
into place.

I remember some housings that were around in the early 80's that were
filled with mineral oil instead of water to get a better acoustic
transfer.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)