Which snowbird navigational system? - wait for Weather radar and AIS capability?
 

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I'd like to hear some recommendations for either a cockpit chart
plotter, or a combo using my laptop below and some sort of handheld
above. Keeping in mind our cruising areas, and our limited fixed
income: If a chart plotter/GPS, which one? Or does a GPS attachment
to the laptop, some navigation software, and some sort of handheld
seems to make more sense? If so, what equipment, what software?

For you snowbirds with sailboats out there, what is your set up?

We set the boat up in 1998 and of course there's been plenty of
technological advances since then. But we didn't want a chart plotter
because we already had a laptop and a couple of GPSs, so we got the
charting software, and hooked them together. We do not have the
charting software hooked to anything else though - we don't have the
radar or the auto pilot hooked into it. Not that it wouldn't be
possible, but we don't want to do it that way.

We have a box for the laptop in the cockpit right next to the helm.
Since the cockpit is enclosed, we don't usually worry about it getting
wet, but if we think there might be a problem we put it down on the
nav table bungee corded down - the helmsman can look over his right
shoulder down the companionway at it.

The box is set up we 12 v connections for both the computer and the
GPS, and there is an antenna connection for the mast top antenna for
the GPS. Inside the box, we have a Plexiglas cover over the keyboard
and I use a trackball to control the cursor.




grandma Rosalie

S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id1.html