Computer printers?

[Jdege]

Does anyone have any recommendations for an onboard computer printer?

Maybe it's just the paranoid in me, but I'd feel more comfortable with hardcopy charts just in case my electronics fails.

[barnakiel]

Be very careful printing - most printers tend to shift the relationship between the length and width of the printed image.

You also need a very decent pdf file to print a chart, or a good jpeg or tiff.

So to say know what you are doing.

Look for a printer that takes waterproof inks.

BTW I never get our charts printed, we always make copies.

Cheers,
b.

[SV DestinyAscen]

Printers are good for making lists, menus, schedules, manifests and inventories. Not good for emergency printing of charts.

Buy charts.

[Thumbs Up]

It is great to have a printer/scannner on board, until it breaks, which mine did, so I gave it away but it was great while it lasted. Good for copying passports crew lists zarpes and that kind of stuff.

[msponer]

We are very happy to have a printer on board. Several countries we've visited want you to download, fill out, and print a PDF form (or two or three) before you arrive. It also seems like we never have enough copies of our documentation and crew list, and constantly print those.

We have a Dell color laser. Which is a problem -- no where we've been from the Caribbean to Fiji has Dell cartridges. And we've looked all over, even in 'big' places like Panama City and Papeete. HP, Canon, Brother, and Epson cartridges seem more readily available.

For electronic chart backups, I'd look at inexpensive paper copies from folks like Bellingham Chart Printers, or adding Navionics (or etc) to an iPad or OpenCPN to a second laptop.

[Ostinato]

Not for charts but I carry an HP Officejet 200 on board. Previously had the model 100. For a scanner I have a Neat but usually just just take a picture with my iphone using Scanner Mini and either email it as a pdf or export it as a jpg and convert it to a pdf on a PC. For faxing I use Google's HelloFax.

I usually carry small scale charts for planing purposes. Though, like you, I prefer paper I have learned to do without. The large scale charts I have carried have seen virtually no use. I do carry lots of a guides and the like and belong to associations that provide boater feedback of areas I am in such as the Cruising Association in the UK.

[valhalla360]

The problem with printers is they sit for months and when you go to use them the ink is dried out. For the cost of a new ink cartridge, it's cheaper and easier to just to go find someplace that does printing.

[weavis]

I dont use inkjet onboard for all the reasons stated above.

I have Brother mono laser printers, about $50 and spare cartridges.
yep, not colour..... but good enough to see where and how and to miss the holes and the bumps. I have the laser vaccuum packed in the home along with the cartridges as well... when I need on the boat I take aboard. I make sure the ink toner stays dry by having the printer next to the heater, and put on for a while in humid or cold weather...I find running the printer generates enough heat internally to keep toner dry. Its also a copier so real handy.