The point is that here in the UK we have very congested shipping lanes. I
have just been over to France for a couple of weeks, and crossing the
English Channel there were well over 40 ships (Big B*ggers) in the shipping
lanes. I get the information of what they are up to (course, speed,
destination, name etc) from my AIS "radar" and then can take the neccessary
avoiding action. Visibility was a couple of miles, and with closing speeds
of 25 knts, I had to make course alterations to avoid 3 of them and also had
to talk to one of them to check his intentions. That is why I can sit down
below at the chart table putting routes in to the computer and checking
pilot books and tides etc, and have all that information clearly in front of
me when at the helm. I don't particularly want to mess around with routes in
an open cockpit when it is p*ssing down with rain and cold. OK we do
sometimes get a couple of sunny days in England. You have said the screen
size of your Garmin is too small, so that is why I would like a 12" screen



"Dennis Pogson" wrote in message
...
Phil Stanton wrote:
Sorry for delay in replying. Using my Laptop for navigation yet
again. Worn out from going up and down companionway to view screen.
Allegedly Vasari Technology Ltd (http://www.vasari.net/) are going to
produce it, but in spite of a number of veryy affable conversations,
they are not there yet

Phil
wrote in message
. ..

Even if daylight-viewable waterproof screens were readily available, and
reasonably-priced, you would still have to use the laptop in a safe place
down below, so what is the point? I prefer to use my Garmin Map60C with
the
same charts as my laptop so that they are identical and I can pocket the
Garmin when going up on deck. Admittedly the screen size makes it
difficult
for actual navigation, but at least I have a display of sorts, and the
Bluecharts are as good as any other charts.