NSW
185 posts
I'm headed out of Sydney sometime in Jan with a view to crossing Bass Strait in Feb as advised by Lydia.
I have Cmap and Navionics Gold + on my plotter but as I'll be in unfamiliar and scary waters I'm thinking of getting Navionics Platinum Plus which has 3D overlays.
Does anyone own or extensively use P Plus?
Happy to spend $500 but don't want to waste a cent either.
Will also have hydro paper charts which on a tiny boat are a pain. (and I hate 'em).
I have Memory Map Quick Charts (printable) in the laptop too.
Any advice much appreciated.
VIC
663 posts
Brian;
I run OpenCPN using CM93 charts. These are obviously somewhat out of date, but I have found them very accurate during several trips from Melbourne down to and around the Furneaux Group and BS.
Obviously harbour leads etc do change, and I use paper charts and cruising guides to confirm these. I have used A3 size copies of relevant parts of my paper charts for convenience (in my slightly larger Compass 28). This also saves water damage etc to the real ones. Just make sure it's a toner copy not ink-jet, or they'll run when wet.
Having said that, I never totally trust any navigation information and keep the Mark 1 eyeball switched on at all times.
Cheers, Graeme
NSW
185 posts
Thanks Graeme. I agree that there's nothing as accurate as the origional Mk 1 Eyeball. (Still waters run deep!!!!)
With Open CPN, am i correct that this is a downloadable program for tablets, ipads & laptops? I see Open mentioned on Cruisers Forum by virtually everyone.
I know that my Simrad chart plotter only takes cmap, navionics and garmin charts.
On know that on real boats there is a below decks nav station where all nav gear is at hand (if you are below and navigating from there) . And obviously the better heeled (no pun intended) will have duplicates at the helm too.
But this little tub has everything on the portside bulkhead so it can be seen and operated from anywhere in the cockpit.
What keeps me most comfortable (and I have war neurosis) is knowing that the plotter, the Simrad t/p controller, the vhf, the extra depth sounder, the windlass rocker switch (Muir of Tasmania of bloody course), the windlass circuit breaker and the liquid compass are all located within 2 feet of where I sit in the cockpit.
Back to Open CPN, as my plotter seems to not be programmed for it then I'd need to keep the screen in a waterproof case ?? I do have a Telstra Tough Max w/p mobile but at only 4.5" screen these nearly century old eyes of mine just hates using the phone for anything but calls and texts.
Please don't think that I'm bieng obstructive to your advice because I just ain't that kind of smart alec.....actually, I learned as a nipper to never bit the hand that feeds me. And I'm possibly the most brain dead individual to attempt to go accross the strait to Gods Country so all advice is given serious consideration.
Graeme, the Quick Charts I bought on CD from Boat Books comes with a license for loading into 2 laptops and possibly 2 handhelds also. But being pretty non-IT I'll never put it anywhere else but the laptop. Which means that when i stumble accross you ar someone like you my Quickcharts are available for free to load into someone comp or ipad/tablet. (i.e. every single Australian hydrographic chart....and licensed for self printing
And while I'm still rambling, my brain isn't capable of downloading programs.....opening attachments to emails is about my limit.
Cheers Graeme and thanks for careing enough to help.
Brian.
(over an hour later) whew!
And thanks for tip about inkjet printing!!! I was about to buy the wrong thing. You saved my butt Mate. Guessing the better printers cost more but saves $40 per paper chart.
VIC
663 posts
No need to apologise old bean - there isn't much that's less "one-size-fits-all" than sailing, so everything I (and most people) say is from that vantage, offered as information not advice. ymmv as the youngsters say
I run OpenCPN on a netbook which sits out of harm's way on a little adjustable shelf attached to the bulkhead post, just inside the companionway. The back-up is a small Navman plotter on the bulkhead, which also provides the NMEA.
I hear you about having things within reach. A small boat can actually be more physically demanding due to the awkward contortions required to get to things. All part of the fatigue management strategy, which is one of the major issues with this solo stuff.
Anyway, best of luck with your preparations. It sounds like you are thorough, and dedicated to avoiding being on the evening news.
Cheers, Graeme
1937 posts
Ditch the Cmap, Navionics and Gamin as the vector charts are problematic.
Stick to the raster map system like Memory Maps which is quite good.
Also often the datum of the electronic charts do not line up too well with the land on bits of the north and west coasts.
Generally the coast is well surveyed only where there is commercial traffic and large bits are not adequately surveyed.
Lastly that function on your GPS system that tells you where the satelites are can actually matters as you sometimes get all the satelites on one side and the GPS will not triangulate and cursor will bounce around the screen.
Hand bearing compass and a paper chart works fine as there are plenty of very high land marks.
And besides it is easier to lay off the tide.
NSW
185 posts
Lydia, correct me if Im wrong but afaik Cmap is raster.
But for me, the plotter is not for navigating in close proximity to land, for that I rely on mk 1 eye.
I use my plotter, which usually has an hdop of .7 to .8 , only for laying a long course and having other data eg lat long depth sog heading etc.
At the moment along the nsw coast Im running current cmap from Jeppersen which is seriously accurate. That said in certain parts of Broken Bay my plotter heading is often 25 deg away from my Suunto magnetic. And yesterday whilst passing Sydney Heads my T/p went crazy for the first time ever eg. instant 40deg course changes...never happened in 5000 nm. But later in the day I found out that there were 3 US warships in the harbour only just around the corner from me. So, the only thing I trust implicitly is these eyes.
Lydia, have I mussed any of the help you are trying to give me..? Im slow at times.
Cheers L.
And thanks.
Ps are you saying that buying Navionics platinum might be 500 down the gurgler?
NSW
185 posts
Graeme this boat is so bumpy in a slop that 5 years ago, immediately behind the bulkhead, i installed a Springfield Ladderback seat with a rotating base which is mounted also onto a 160mm slide which allows me to slide the seat closer to the centreline of the cockpit. The seat has 2 arms, either of which is so strong it can actually be stood on!
Apart from the comfort, the seat was necessary to raise me 150mm higher so that i can see over the cabin top. The cockpit seats and floor of these things is awfully too low. Im six foot tall and only with the seat and 2 bases can i see forward...but not if I slouch in the seat!!
And re the evening news...really don't want to go there.....especially as certain (cat) sailboats unbelievably get into the Tas...Derwent...news. OMG!!
Mt Wellington give a whole new meaning to the word "bullets".
