GPS/Chartplotter Question

O

Old Vet

New Member
Sep 12, 2010
706
St Lawrence River/1000 Islands
Boat Info
1987 268 Sundancer
Engines
454 Magnum, Alpha One
Ummmm....call me frugal....maybe even cheap at times. Not too often though. :grin:

But the price of GPS/Chartplotters...at least what looks like good ones...isn't terribly appealing at the moment. I'll buy one if I have to, but for now...just exploring my options.

So my question is....

Has anyone gone the route of using a 10" Netbook....with a GPS receiver plugged into the USB port.....and some of the GPS/navigation (NOAA) software available to meet their chartplotting needs?

It appears this might be a viable option.

Thoughts? Thanks.
 
I just bought my Garmin 620 off eBay for $300, brand new in the box. I watch them everyday and you CAN find deals if you're patient. This unit is almost $900 new and works great. Not sure about the laptop but sounds like decent idea. Securing it would be the tricky part and bulky vs. GPSMAP unit. Let us know how it goes if you try it.
 
One issue with the netbook will be dalight viewing. It'll be nearly impossible to see the screen on a sunny day. There are shades you can get, but it's still limited. I recommend shelling out for a basic GPS at least - but that's your call. A 3G iPad with Navionics software works pretty good as a backup.

$300 for a GPS is still cheaper than lower unit repairs navigating those thousand islands.:grin:
 
I hear ya Jackie....

Funny though...20 years ago I was navigating the 1000 Islands with my depth finder and Richardson's Chart Book and never even bumped my lower unit once. Never saw any GPS or chartplotters on anyone's boats back then either.

The units I've been looking at range from around $500 (for a small 5") and up.

"I just bought my Garmin 620 off eBay for $300, brand new in the box. "


The ones I'm seeing there are around $750 - $800 it appears. Sounds like you stumbled across a pretty good deal there Coralreefer.:thumbsup:

The Netbook idea with a 10" screen (positioned out of the sun) sounds like a viable idea to me...for now anyway. And the whole package can be had for less than....or around $300.00.

Not buying anything at all right now...Santa's not even bringing me one. :smt089

Just killing time investigating all options is all. Ain't winter up here freakin' boring????? :smt089
 
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Would you get into water proofing issues?? Don't know, just asking...I an also looking,as Uncle sam shut off the Loran transmitters, I now have a perfectly operational loran system with no signal....I have been looking at the hummingbird 788c,$499.00....
 
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If you had your note book mounted on the dash and a big wave washed over and the noted book got a good soaking in water....Would it continue to work?
 
Ahhh.....water proofing.....d'uh......:smt021

For some reason I thought you were perhaps using "water proofing" in some other context.

"If you had your note book mounted on the dash and a big wave washed over and the noted book got a good soaking in water....Would it continue to work? "

If there are any waves around big enough to get at my dash and get things soaked up there.....I'll be staying at the dock drinking beer. :smt043

Thought of that never even entered my mind. I'd expect to be mounting it....or securing it somehow......somewhere on my dash safe and sound where getting wet wouldn't/shouldn't be an issue.

Maybe even have the wife sew up some sort of protective cover for it. "shrug"
 
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Got my new E120 on Ebay 2600.00..the raymarine came out W/ a $400.00 rebate...sweet!!!
Nice to win once and a while, you have to watch every day. have my coffee with Ebay each morning

Rick
 
Old Vet, on the subject of waterproofing, would you be able to position the computer in a location where rain would get to it?

The boat shows are coming up in a month or so and often you can find some real deals on nav equipment. If you're not in a huge hurry, you might make the trip to a local major show and see what's available. Often the dealers/manufacturers at the shows will have specials on last year's model.
 
I have just about the same boat as oldvet, and even with canvas ,extension, and side curtians, I still get water in the dash board area in a driving rain. Would not mount anything not made to be waterproof on the dash or near the helm.
 
Will take all comments into consideration. Thanks.

Most of our boating will be during good weather....getting wet wouldn't be an issue.

We have used the boat in rain with all canvas up....and the dash area just left of the instrument console/cluster hasn't gotten wet on us...YET.

We'll see. I'll figure something out.

The thrust of my question though I guess primarily is.....is the navigation software available a good product...such as the NOAA charts? Equal to or better than the Garmin, or Eagle, or Hummingbird stuff?
 
Look at some of the remanufactured units that are available out there too. I got a used Garmin that had a years warranty on it. It was older than the fancy units coming out and the only feature that I don't have and would like, is the automatic route generator where I put in where I want to go and it plots the route for me.

There is a place in Seattle called Second Wave that sells used boating equipment. I've seen some great deals go through there too. I'd bet there is one somewhere in your area too?
 
Ok, now that everybody that has never used a laptop as a GPS has chimed in, let me (somebody that uses one) put in my 2 cents. No laptops are not waterproof and if waves are coming over the bow I will stow it in the cabin, it only takes 30 seconds. Not too much navigation takes place in those situations anyway at our level. Second, there are a whole lot of people that do use them, a lot of sailboats and commercial fisherman (watch THe Deadliest Catch). I am involved in a couple forums that use them. Third, the visibility in sunlight. If you have never used one don't say you cannot see the screen. I use mine and have never had a problem, every laptop has different brightness levels and can be adjusted, yes a bimini top to act as some shade is good. As for stability (see pictures) there are several mounts out there that are used in police cars that will work ( I currently have one).

The good news is if you already have a laptop you don't have to buy a thing ohter than a mount if you want. I currently run SEACLEAR II downloadable online for free, and all the NOAA raster charts for North America are also downlaodable for free. I like to pull up the Bering Sea when I watch THe Deadliest Catch to see whrer those guys are at.

Yes it is a little bulky, that is why I have a tech guy at work that has got SEACLEAR II running on a tablet sort of like a Kindle that he got at BED Bath & Beyond. My next purchase.

The thing that is a little annoying is some people think the only way to do something is by spending large amounts of money. THere are alternative methods available and don't discount them until you try them.

BTW, I am currently on the ICW in South Carolina using mine, and yes I do have a backup, the Navman supplied by Searay.

Anybody interested in SEACLEAR feel "free" to contact me.
 
Funny though...20 years ago I was navigating the 1000 Islands with my depth finder and Richardson's Chart Book and never even bumped my lower unit once. Never saw any GPS or chartplotters on anyone's boats back then either.
Click to expand...

I simply CANNOT argue with this!

Not sure what size wakes you may encounter but around here, it's fairly common to do some pounding from boat wakes. A laptop cantilevered off a bracket with the screen up wouldn't last too long.

Not so sure about a laptop in a saltwater environment. These are tempermental to begin with. I know you take it home at the end of the day but salt gets into EVERYTHING, even without direct splash exposure.
 
rondds said:
I simply CANNOT argue with this!

Not sure what size wakes you may encounter but around here, it's fairly common to do some pounding from boat wakes. A laptop cantilevered off a bracket with the screen up wouldn't last too long.

Not so sure about a laptop in a saltwater environment. These are tempermental to begin with. I know you take it home at the end of the day but salt gets into EVERYTHING, even without direct splash exposure.
Click to expand...

I've been using mine for a year in saltwater & freshwater & have been in 5-6 chop and she holds steady.
 
SeaRide said:
Nice set up. I see you have a problem with canbote infestation as well ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah that is the lake I live on, and there are alot of pontoon boats! Most of my boating in the Searay takes place on the coast. I have a 20 foot deck boat for the lake. My dock is a great place to work on the 260 so I don't have to climb the ladder to get in & out.
 
Nice setup !. Where did you get that laptop stand ??. :smt001
 
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