|
|
Rank: Member Groups: Member
Joined: 2/12/2009 Posts: 13 Points: -337
|
Last summer while on a trip on the Cumberland river (Barkley Lake) a storm caught us and we had no visibility. I finally found a daymarker and stayed with it. We were able to ride out the storm and live to cruse another day. There was a Tow Boat about a mile below us, it sure gave us something to think about.
I have decided the Merinette need electronics and it is like everything in the boating world verrrry expensive and hard for me to understand even if I had the money.I see on e-bay the NOAA maps with a GPS for laptop for 70.00. Is this something that will work? My dad always said if it sounds to good to be true it is.
I would appreicate any advice on the subject.
I would also like to express my appreication for this forum it is a real help.
|
|
|
|
Please Register : New members may not post until approved. An email is sent after approval. We do this to reduce those who use these forums for spamming.
This forum is for Marinette Owners and other aluminum boat boaters who wish to share boating information. Aluminum Roamer owners are also welcome. (Do not post content you do not have the right to post and mass (robots) posters are unwelcome. We also have a marine electronics page and lots of Chrysler Engine info. State by what permission, you copy content and accredit properly.) The site is now fixed with some more Chrysler information. I will try to post more information soon. We have space for pictures on the new location. Use shinkpic to autochange size http://www.onthegosoft.com/sp_download.htm
Great Sites - http://www.marinette.com Marinette Company
http://www.geocities.com/dougmrose/ Wiring Marinette
http://fastjeff.tripod.com/ Repair Tricks and Techniques for Marinettes
http://www.greatlakesmarinetteclub.com/
PLEASE post in the appropriate folder. Please, do not post your actual email address in publicly readable websites.
The first rule is be a class act.
|
|
 Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Administration
, Member
Joined: 12/5/2007 Posts: 2,019 Points: 3,872 Location: New Tripoli, PA
|
Thanks to members on this site, I use a laptop with a cable and some software to provide a HUGE color readout that equals GPSs that sell for over 5 grand!
A common, B & W Garmin chart plotter GPS is the sender. A cable (available on eBay and elsewhere) provides DC power (instead of batteries) while also sending the signal to my laptop. Free Garmin 'N-Route' software does the rest. I did have to purchase a Garmin Mapsource CD (and they charge 100 bucks to unlock its code, the thieves). All in all, a very satisfactory set up that I enjoy playing with.
Jeff
Only 30 days 'til splash time!
|
|
 Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/4/2007 Posts: 207 Points: -143 Location: Lake Barkley
|
GPS chart plotting is a very nice tool to have in one's electronic box.
You mentioned you were in a storm on Lake Barkley. First rule GPS positioning only gives you an idea where you are, they are blind to hazards, boat traffic etc.
You will find that it is very common for bouy's to be off station on the river. In addition the bouy's on the mapping software are at best estimated positions. I have verified this many times on the Cumberland and TN rivers where the actualy channel is Not where indicated on the mapping software. They are usually close but that counts only in horse shoes. If you plan on navigating in periods of limited visibility using GPS, a competent lookout, and radar are examples of aids to navigating safely. As all of us know, our eyes, ears, and radar are the best defense to prevent a collisions or grounnding.
safe boating, dave
|
|
Rank: Member Groups: Member
Joined: 2/12/2009 Posts: 13 Points: -337
|
I am interested in this laptop gps idea, Where can one find specific information about what is needed.
I have a laptop and a garmin street gps. Will I have to buy a chartplotter and what cables will be needed.
I think I do not know enough to ask good questions.
I noticed you are on Lake Barkley, which marina? We have our boat on the Ohio River at Gaulconda.
John
|
|
 Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/16/2007 Posts: 403 Points: 981 Location: Petersburg, Illinois
|
John, Do you mean Golconda? If so I've been to that marina several times. Where do you store your boat over winter? Roger
The trouble with getting old, There is a lot of info in memory, I either can't find it or don't trust it if I do!
|
|
 Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/7/2007 Posts: 753 Points: 935 Location: Central Florida and the DC area
|
A friend of mine has a GPS linked by serial connection to his boat pc, which displays on a large plasma tv screen. The screen shows the chart with his boat at the center, and the chart moves as he trucks along. Folks sit in his saloon and watch it for hours. There is a gps receiver, a pc, the software, and that's it. This is incidentally not on a Marinette, but a larger boat. I plan to do the same thing on mine, with a smaller screen of course.
There are lots of options these days for a gps, but I would consider one of the ones that has the whole thing built into the sensor. Perhaps you could get a usb unit to mount outside and run the wire in to the laptop. Then you would just need the charting software and the digital charts themselves. This seems to be precisely what FastJeff has done, with his customary economy.
Incidentally, my cellphone has a gps and maps built in, and displays where I am. Unfortunately, the built-in charts are street maps and not marine charts. But this has saved me from unnecessary walking in DC a couple of times....
"I remember when welfare was for poor people..."
|
|
 Rank: Upper Crust Bronze Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/21/2008 Posts: 109 Points: 216 Location: Aston, PA
|
I am VERY interested in this also...I have a Garmin 184C Map Plus B/W that the screen is starting to go bad and I want to replace with COLOR on HUGE!!! so I can see it without my glasses. HAhahah Going blind in my old age.... but if I can link this to my Laptop and get it all to work I would be HAPPY! I have to do more research and see what is possible.
Bill
1975 37' FB Sedan Sleepless Knights Bohemia River Chesapeake City, MD
|
|
 Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Administration
, Member
Joined: 12/5/2007 Posts: 2,019 Points: 3,872 Location: New Tripoli, PA
|
..."This seems to be precisely what FastJeff has done, with his customary economy."
Hoo-boy! I like it when it's put that way. ("Cheapskate" is so....negative.)
Bill:
Not sure which unit yours is by the model number, but it there a spot for a jack in the back (a round plug) you can do what I did.
Jeff
Only 30 days 'til splash time!
|
|
Rank: Member Groups: Member
Joined: 2/12/2009 Posts: 13 Points: -337
|
Rodger,
I did mean Golconda and I have my 28 express on a trailer, so it is tucked away in my barn behind the house. I live in the Marion Kentucky area. I am about as close to Lake Barkley as Golconda but have always been a river rat. Which marina do you use?
Back to the pc-gps question, can you get chartplotter software for the pc and use the usb port to get the signal.
John
|
|
Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/9/2007 Posts: 208 Points: 357 Location: Escanaba
|
I got to put a new system together. I got a small lowrance talking car gps. I can buy a $100 map cd to load any part of the country's lake or coastal areas into it. I can also use it to load maps with depths etc. onto my laptop. Gps devices put out plain text serial strings of location info. So any old handheld gps with computer output will work. You may have to buy a device to convert the serial plug to a USB if it is really old. I got a neat laptop power supply to replace the one that burned out. It has both an AC plug and a 12 volt DC plug (Targus $150) so I can run my laptop in a car or boat.
|
|
Rank: Member Groups: Member
Joined: 2/12/2009 Posts: 13 Points: -337
|
Jeff
My gps is a garmin nuvi 260 s/n 17T512279 bit has no round hole in back just power and a place for card on side.
John
|
|
 Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/7/2007 Posts: 753 Points: 935 Location: Central Florida and the DC area
|
You could buy Raymarine's gps sensor with NMEA output, but it will set you back around $300. I have installed several of them (they mount like an antenna) and they are excellent. I plan to use something cheaper: Maybe Garmin's GPS - 18x OEM USB - GPS receiver module, which is a waterproof gps with a usb cable to the computer. Unfortunately, it has a magnet built into the base, not so useful on an aluminum boat and I have banned magnets from mine. There are a couple of suitable units available at Buy GPS Now I think that This one looks pretty good. for under $30 bux. If the sensor puts out NMEA 0183 via usb, then any charting software that I have seen will read it. I have gps serial output from my alarm system and I have used it successfully with laptops. But laptops are not so convenient when they belong to someone else, and I plan to put a cheap, dedicated computer on board for tasks like navigation. I would like to buy a real plotter from Raymarine, but I just will not have thousands for it. When I get thousands, I will spend a year in the Bahamas, forget plotting.
"I remember when welfare was for poor people..."
|
|
 Rank: Upper Crust Bronze Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/21/2008 Posts: 109 Points: 216 Location: Aston, PA
|
Jeff, I have to check that part #. Now that I re read what I typed it doesnt sound right to me. I think I might be mixing part #'s of diff electronics. I will check that and get back to you about what your using and maybe I can get hooked up too. BTW... Have you winterized yet? Are you still going to the boat? It was a screwed up summer and we never got a chance to get together. Let me know
Bill
1975 37' FB Sedan Sleepless Knights Bohemia River Chesapeake City, MD
|
|
 Rank: Upper Crust Bronze Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/21/2008 Posts: 109 Points: 216 Location: Aston, PA
|
Ok I was a bit confused when I typed my original post... I have a GARMIN GPSMAP 182 B/W screen. It has a 7 pin connector on the rear. This is it: HEREThere is a data cable available for it: HEREand for my computer I would also need one of these: HEREThat should physically get me hooked up... NOW...What do I need for software on my computer to be able to do this? I want to be able to cover the Chesapeake Bay. Any help would be GREAT! Thanks
Bill 1975 37' FB Sedan Sleepless Knights Bohemia River Chesapeake City, MD
|
|
 Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Administration
, Member
Joined: 12/5/2007 Posts: 2,019 Points: 3,872 Location: New Tripoli, PA
|
We're on the hard, but we go to the boat every month or so. Maybe we could meet for lunch?
Looks like your GPS will work. I located (actually, my buddy John S didcable that went right into the laptop--an S2 cable as I recall. The Garmin BlueChart software is the next thing you'll need. I have a copy you can use if you like, but it's a few years old.
Jeff
Only 30 days 'til splash time!
|
|
 Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/7/2007 Posts: 753 Points: 935 Location: Central Florida and the DC area
|
I have a netbook and not a real pc -- it runs linux and is not very powerful. Therefore I am going to try using the inexpensive sensor from GPS Now along with a simple software program from http://www.marine.com/navgator-mariner%C4%80%E2%84%A2-linux-based-charting-software-with-noaa-charts-entire-p-34592.html . The cNOAA harts themselves are at http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/download_agreement.htmIf I can get that to work, I will try something more ambitious. I will report on how things go.....
"I remember when welfare was for poor people..."
|
|
 Rank: Upper Crust Bronze Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/21/2008 Posts: 109 Points: 216 Location: Aston, PA
|
Jeff, Im staying in the water for the winter at Bohemia Bay. Let me know when your heading down to check on things and we can try to get together, and YES I would love to check out The Garmin BlueChart software. I want to try to get all this to work BEFORE I invest ALOT in making a setup for actuall use on the boat. If it all works the way I want it to, I am going to dedicate a laptop for use on the boat and make it SEMI permanant.
Doug, I looked at the sensor too...USB directly into my comp. Do you think this would work with a charting software and be like what Jeff has and Im talking about WITHOUT tying it to my existing GPS?
Bill
1975 37' FB Sedan Sleepless Knights Bohemia River Chesapeake City, MD
|
|
 Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Member
Joined: 12/7/2007 Posts: 753 Points: 935 Location: Central Florida and the DC area
|
Bill, I have an nmea output from my alarm system. It is there because the system not only locks the engine start circuits, but it sends a message if someone tows the boat more than about fifty yards. I believe that it is the same nmea 0183 that you get from almost any gps that uses a serial interface. This can then be plugged into the computer and any charting program will read it and display position on a chart. I have not done this yet, but I have seen it work. As I said, a friend puts it on his plasma display in his saloon, to entertain guests. He has my same alarm system, and uses PC charting software. I plan to give it a try: I have ordered the sensor with a usb cable to connect to my eeePC, and I have downloaded the (free) trial software from NavGator consumer products http://www.navgator.com/ConsumerProducts.html and I will see how it works. More later. Doug
"I remember when welfare was for poor people..."
|
|
 Rank: Top Rank Aluminum Star Groups: Administration
, Member
Joined: 12/5/2007 Posts: 2,019 Points: 3,872 Location: New Tripoli, PA
|
Bill:
Going to the boat next Wednesday and will be there several hours. Want to get together?
Jeff
Only 30 days 'til splash time!
|
|
|
Guest2 |