PC Navigation Software?

[Holmes]

Hey guys, planning on installing a computer on lobster boat. Not sure what program to go with, looking at globe, maxsea, wind plot, nobletec, or any other. Anyone with experience with these programs have any advice? I need it mostly for tracking trawls and history.
Also not sure what maxsea product i would need? not looking to integrate my sounder or another furuno unit, but do want detailed charts and all the tracking options.

thanks in advance for any input

 

[lobstercatcher]

My brother inlaw has one on his boat. He rebuilt a boat for his son and bought a Standard Horizon cp590. He says the SH is so much better and easier than his computer plotter.

 

[hntrss]

I think for what you need they will all work well, that being said I use windplot, I set it up to drop a mark when you right click the mouse, so as soon as pot 1 goes over, you woulld click it. When the last pot goes over you would click it again. Then use the linking function to draw a line between the two marks. Wallah, your trawl is marked. The simple functions are real easy on windplot. I can't leave home with out it.

 

[Wharf Rat]

Nobeltec or MaxSea, HANDS DOWN!

See this write up I did on Catch at the bottom, which is specifically tailored to the commercial or light commercial fisherman. They have other programs like Odyssey (for simple planning and plotting) Trident (for interfacing Furuno/SiTex/Koden Radars and Furuno Fishfinders) and TimeZero Sportfish, which is identical to Catch minus the advanced layer management, and includes the Personal Bathy Generator. WinPlot is also a very good program, but doesn't hold a candle to what Maxsea/Nobeltec have been able to accomplish.

Nobeltec's CATCH Software

For a basic plotting software that will accept GPS input, go with MaxSea Navigator or Nobeltec's Odyssey. All the charts for the US are included in both Raster (Paper Style) or Vector (Digitized.) Can't beat the price for either, and both will accept AIS and other NMEA2000 or NMEA0183 data. Drop me a PM with your contact info, as picking the right PC is very important in order to get these programs to run the way they were intended. I'm a dealer for all the PC programs, but I wouldn't look any further than Maxsea or Nobeltec.

 

[Jimbobway]

Wharf Rat... Within the next 6 months I'm looking to be upgrading and cannot get away from thinking about rigging up a laptop/monitor setup for my wheelhouse. This may be a dumb question but with the noble tech software do you still get basic functions I.e. speed distance traveled distance to next etc?

Do you think $2k is enough to get something going?

 

[Northern bay]

I second windplot. I find it very useful and not loaded with features that are unnecessary.

I have heard good things about max sea and I'd like to give it a shot,but always hesitate. Is there much of a learning curve? Also with a satellite connection can I download grib forecasts and sst?

 

[tuna_fan]

I know there is more than one answer here...but what kind of computer / display would work best with these programs? I am assuming slapping a laptop on a stand and plugging it into an inverter would be one way / the cheapest way...but may not work very well (glare, tough environment, etc etc).

 

[sailor of fortune]

Nobeltec or MaxSea, HANDS DOWN!

See this write up I did on Catch at the bottom, which is specifically tailored to the commercial or light commercial fisherman. They have other programs like Odyssey (for simple planning and plotting) Trident (for interfacing Furuno/SiTex/Koden Radars and Furuno Fishfinders) and TimeZero Sportfish, which is identical to Catch minus the advanced layer management, and includes the Personal Bathy Generator. WinPlot is also a very good program, but doesn't hold a candle to what Maxsea/Nobeltec have been able to accomplish.

Nobeltec's CATCH Software

For a basic plotting software that will accept GPS input, go with MaxSea Navigator or Nobeltec's Odyssey. All the charts for the US are included in both Raster (Paper Style) or Vector (Digitized.) Can't beat the price for either, and both will accept AIS and other NMEA2000 or NMEA0183 data. Drop me a PM with your contact info, as picking the right PC is very important in order to get these programs to run the way they were intended. I'm a dealer for all the PC programs, but I wouldn't look any further than Maxsea or Nobeltec.

I use Nobeltec VNS version 9 on the large tug that I run. VNS is ok but don't even think of using Odyssey that nobeltec came out with last year. The night dimming features were beyond bizzare. Tidal current could't be displayed as they are with VNS . Nobeltec support said "we know of the issues, but we aren't addressing them at this time".
Check out OPEN CPN for computers or laptops. It is free( yes that is a good price!) and does most of the things Nobeltec does. all the charts are free for the downloading and updating. I would still have a dedicated chart plotter aboard as a backup. A cheap 17' laptop is a easily viewed machine for pennies.