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Subject: RE: [world-cruising] GPS Chartplotter
From: Simon Price (prices@XXX.XXX)
Date: Thu Nov 14 2002 - 08:21:40 EST
Hello all,
I have just moved up to a larger vessel that has no GPS and so I have been
looking at quite a few version of chart plotter.
Marine stores I visited have not been very helpful so far and I received
comments like "they are all the same" and C-Map and Blue chart are as good
as one another. This of course does not explain the wide range of prices but
generally bigger screen means bigger price.
If you use map cartridges then a big transflective screen looks brilliant
but the prices rocket up with the bigger units.
One thing I have found on several units is that without a map cartridge the
world map is pretty useless except to tell you what country or state you are
in.
With a map cartridge black and white or colour really do look like little
sections of charts and once you get used to zooming in and out they are
quite extraordinary for coastal details, lights and features.
It seems all the units now have NMEA output and can connect to most auto
pilots.
Of all the units I have looked at it seems that the cheapest B/W or Colour
are made by Navman. They are made in new Zealand and I was told that they
are cheaper because of the exchange rate.
It seems the trend is now to portrait shaped screens unless the screen is
quite big and even then I was informed the landscape shape was to allow two
screens side by side ( with two different scales or one a zoomed portion of
the other or a radar on one side).
I have to agree that the colour really does add real chart feel to the
display but generally adds about $300 - $500 US to the price.
For an interesting discussion on budget CPs the UK magazine Yachting
Monthly, September, discusses 7 small plotters. I cant find the article on
the YM web site at this time.
I have no idea which unit I will get and will be going to different stores
to play with the different brands so I won't be throwing away my charts
just yet.
I have also been looking at PC based chart plotters and even though none
stands out I have found quite a few that look every bit as good as the chart
plotters and of course the screen is so much bigger. With a GPS antenna I
believe that all the features of the chart plotters are available with most
PC programs.
I am still looking but hope this helps a little
Simon Price
sv Juru Daina - Roberts 370
Port of Williamstown
Thanks, Bryan. Didn't prompt as much discussion as I thought it would.
Interesting.
Don't have the luxury of side by side comparisons on Puerto Rico, I'm
afraid. I was in DC for a training last month, if I'd only known...
Rick
~|~-----Original Message-----
~|~From: Bryan Genez [mailto:capella@XXX.XXX]
~|~Sent: Monday, November 11, 2002 18:34
~|~To: world-cruising@XXX.XXX
~|~Subject: Re: [world-cruising] GPS Chartplotter
~|~
~|~
~|~Rick,
~|~
~|~Sorry about the Trimble. I guess one of these days, my
~|~Northstar will give
~|~up the ghost, too.
~|~
~|~In the interim, I decided to get a not-too-expensive chartplotter that
I
~|~could read from the helm. I absolutely believe color is worth the
cost.
~|~Internal antenna works just fine under bimini/dodger/arch.
~|~
~|~My knowledge of electronic charts is limited to this area.
~|~Here, the Garmin
~|~Bluecharts are fine. My guess is that they are fine in the Caribbean
as
~|~well.
~|~
~|~Originally, I was looking at the Garmin 176C, but a side-by-side
~|~comparison
~|~swayed me to the Garmin 182C. Advertised MAP is $999, but an internet
~|~search turned up substantially lower prices. I got mine at the
Annapolis
~|~Boat Show for about $130 under MAP - or to put it another way, I got
the
~|~unit plus the Ches Bay Bluechart for less than the MAP for the
~|~unit alone.
~|~
~|~Ultimately, your eyesight will determine how big a unit you need.
Since
~|~mine will be mounted at the helm, it's more than adequate. But
~|~if it were
~|~under the dodger, I'd probably need a larger screen.
~|~
~|~--
~|~Best,
~|~
~|~Bryan (KB3HMZ)
~|~"Capella" Valiant 40 #158
~|~Annapolis, MD
~|~
~|~
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