Navigating with a PDA

[bg9208]

Does anyone out there use a PDA for navigation, I'm thinking of getting a HP 5550 but would like to know what others are using and how effective the various types are?

[ActiveCaptain]

I've written multiple commercial apps for navigation with phones/PDAs. There are a variety available. I would only consider it a backup navigation device or something for the dinghy. Although I used a tiny Palm Treo 650 on my 53' boat as the only chartplotter between Maine and Key West as a test, I don't think that this should be a normal thing to do.

An important consideration is where you'll be using it (for chart availability). Also, the HP 5550 seems to be a printer. What is the device you're thinking about using?

[witzgall]

If you are really interested in doing this, I have a LXE MX5 industrial PDA I would sell for cheap. A bit overkill, but it would certainly do the job.
Chris

[troymclure]

I use the iphone (with navionics) as my primary navigation instrument. My boat has a gps/chartplotter but i havne't gotten around to figuring out how to operate it yet and the iphone is handy because it's in the cockpit with me, i can see exactly where i am and i can make course adjustments on the fly using the touchscreen. I will use the chartplotter for long travels though.

ps:- So vote 1, vote iphone.