I strongly agree. The OP didn't say what kind of boat he has, but on a
smaller short handed sail boat, laptops just don't cut it as a primary
navigation device. Unless you go to considerable expense, they just aren't
dependable enough. By the time you get a fully rugged pc with outdoor
display and don't load anything on it but the nave software, your better off
getting a dedicated chart plotter. Especially since he already has a very
good one. Keep the laptop down below for trip planning, web surfing and all
the other things you want a computer for.

"Jack Erbes" wrote in message
...
Dennis Pogson wrote:

snip
I think my advice would be to sell the 2006C, and buy an Etrex with the
money, then use Oziexplorer on a laptop. That way, his hole in the water
will get smaller, not bigger, and his navigation setup will be infinitely
easier to use.


I'm assuming his 2006C is at the helm. Having good marine grade
electronics in front of you, can add a lot to the safety and quality of
the boating experience. The necessity of buying charting comes with that.

I understand the joys of doing it more cheaply but that are always a lot
of trade offs when you do that. I have never been on a boat where I
thought that eliminating the built in electronics and replacing them with
a laptop and a handheld GPS would be a satisfactory or, in most cases,
even practical alternative.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)