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23-11-2020, 12:59
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Boat: Swarbrick S-80
Posts: 893
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Best basic chart plotter
We need to replace our old, basic, mounted GPS.
It makes sense to replace it with a basic chart plotter.
Don’t need the sonar/fish finder capabilities they all seem to promote.
Also, low power usage would be great.
Main area required is east coast Australia.
Any thoughts?
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23-11-2020, 13:16
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Boat: Bruce Bingham Christina 49
Posts: 3,328
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
How about a pc/tablet loaded up w/opencpn? Add a GPS dongle, it doesn't get any more basic then that.
Could always do a smart phone w/an app/.
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23-11-2020, 13:19
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Nice, France
Boat: Hunter Marine 38
Posts: 1,342
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
Go with a new basic mounted GPS, watertight and rugged.
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23-11-2020, 13:46
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Lower Chesapeake Bay Area
Boat: Bristol 27
Posts: 10,425
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
Expanding on what was posted above, any computer you have now will work for a chart plotter.
The laptop I am on now shows my boat (my apartment) on the OpenCPN Chart of this area when my GPS USB Hockey puck is hooked up. (and connected to OpenCPN)
The USB GPS Puck cost $17.00
Open CPN is free.
On the boat, I use a $75.00 Raspberry Pi Computer loaded with OpenCPN . GPS and AIS data come in from my VHF SH GX2200 and backup GPS from the Puck.
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23-11-2020, 14:29
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Boat: Swarbrick S-80
Posts: 893
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
Unfortunately the OpenCPN route won’t work as the yacht is used by lots of different people and everything has to be simple to use.
Also, it’s a wet boat and a computer wouldn’t last long.
One option as mentioned is to just replace the old GPS with a new one. At the moment, passage planning is via charts and Navionics on an iPhone. My concern with the iPhone is the usual: battery failing, dropping it overboard, not being able to use the screen in the rain, etc.
A basic chart plotter sounds like the solution - anyone have specific recommendations?
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23-11-2020, 15:21
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2008
Location: puɐןsuǝǝnb 'ʎɐʞɔɐɯ
Boat: Nantucket Island 33
Posts: 4,864
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
How basic do you want? I've got a Garmin 152H I no longer need (I used it below as a backup, anchor alarm and GPS feed for the VHF). It's a chartplotter, but not one that uses maps. I've also got the home made cable to allow uploading of routes from OpenCPN via a serial port on a PC
Other than that, check out some of the basic 5" screen chartplotters used on small trailer boats. For some crazy reason, chartplotter price goes through the stratosphere as screen size increases. I've found CH Smith in Melbourne can have some pretty good deals.
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23-11-2020, 15:39
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Campbell River BC
Boat: HR 31 Monsun
Posts: 173
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisJHC
We need to replace our old, basic, mounted GPS.
It makes sense to replace it with a basic chart plotter.
Don’t need the sonar/fish finder capabilities they all seem to promote.
Also, low power usage would be great.
Main area required is east coast Australia.
Any thoughts?
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Go with a basic Garmin, not too many hidden features for different users to screw up, i know as we had multiple users on my government boat and some folks are complusive fiddlers and you had to reset the plotter each time you used it.
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23-11-2020, 20:38
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2019
Boat: Tartan 28
Posts: 153
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
ipad with navionics and a waterproof case. Use phones and paper charts for backup.
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23-11-2020, 22:49
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Boat: Island Packet 40
Posts: 6,415
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
There is nothing simpler, cheaper or easier to use than OpenCPN on a low cost tablet. I have two MFDs but do all my route planning on a tablet with built in GPS and Opencpn.
I also drop a waypoint at vessel after anchoring and turn the anchor watch on and place it beside my bunk so that I can check I'm not dragging during the night without leaving the bunk.
If I take it to the helm position for any reason I put the tablet in a ziplok bag in case I put it down and forget It's outside.
Easy peasy.
__________________
Satiriker ist verboten, la conformité est obligatoire
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24-11-2020, 00:17
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Live aboard in Simonstown (Cape Town) - now Grenada having crossed the Atlantic.
Boat: 1986 Bruce Roberts 45 raised saloon
Posts: 374
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
Check out the Onwa KP-7, about AUD300 on Ebay at the moment - built in GPS.
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24-11-2020, 01:51
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Melbourne
Boat: Retired from CF
Posts: 192
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
A Samsung Tablet with Navionics can be operated by any schoolkid and also retirees. Add the watertight case if needed.
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24-11-2020, 02:25
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Boat: Swarbrick S-80
Posts: 893
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
Not sure that a tablet would meet the CAT 1 requirement of “GPS permanently installed, with MOB function”
We’ll probably go for a small Garmin chart plotter.
Thanks, everyone, for your comments.
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24-11-2020, 02:29
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Melbourne Australia
Boat: Paper Tiger 14 foot, Gemini 105MC 34 foot Catamaran Hull no 825
Posts: 2,912
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
Quote:
Originally Posted by markcouz
Check out the Onwa KP-7, about AUD300 on Ebay at the moment - built in GPS.
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I have the ONWA KP-8 It has all the Australian charts built in,
It also takes a Micro card for other charts to be put in it as well,
I bought it off Ebay from Hong Kong,
Its exactly the same as my 4 inch Garmin it replaced,
It was also cheaper than buying new maps for my Garmin which are unobtainable,
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24-11-2020, 02:33
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Darwin
Boat: Oram
Posts: 95
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
Samsung Model S.M. T 515 tablet (download navionics) or Garmin chartplotter/sounder combos 65cv (keypad) or 752xs (touchscreen) both come preloaded with maps, Garmin owns navionics. Stand alone chartplotters pretty rare these days. Sounders are a must up North (kimberleys) big tide country
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24-11-2020, 04:55
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,909
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Re: Best basic chart plotter
Although Garmin has me mad enough to spit over their Garmin Blue Chart program they sold me for my iPad that they just decided to stop supporting to the point of not even letting me download my purchase again, and what they did to Active Captain, they do make pretty reliable chart plotters.
I have a 20 year old Garmin 168 green screen chart plotter on my center console, that has sat in the weather for the entire time, and still works like it just came out of the box. I haven't bothered to try and upgrade it in years, so I don't even know if I still could!
__________________
Founding member of the controversial Calypso rock band, Guns & Anchors!
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