The vast majority of yachts and motor-cruisers these days are equipped with GPS, whether the bulkhead mounted or the handheld type.
Either of these instruments can be “linked” to a PC or laptop computer to provide, once the necessary software is installed, a constantly -updated visual position fix, which is not unlike the “fix” you would arrive at using conventional methods, such as extracting the data from the GPS screen and plotting and marking in pencil your position on a paper chart - only much, much quicker!
The portfolio of available charts becomes a portfolio of files on your hard disk, and it need hardly be added that these will not tear, become dog-eared, be covered in pencil marks, have tea or coffee spilt on them, or simply age through being constantly folded, as will your paper charts.
Of course, it should not be assumed that you can dispense with your lovingly-acquired and expensive paper charts, as these contain such a multitude of detail, so fine that no computer screen could possibly display it, and will always form the basis of a second system of navigation, whether used as the main system, or as a back up system.
To link the GPS to your chosen display system, you will need a connecting cable, and to power your laptop or PC, you will need an inverter to provide the AC voltage necessary for today’s display technology, although a laptop can run for a couple of hours on it’s internal battery if all you require is a short period of usage.
The software takes a little time to master, but is usually accompanied by extensive help files and written manuals, allowing the novice to learn the technology at home in the off-season. It is no longer the case that “free” downloadable navigation software is less reliable or less comprehensive than the highly-priced commercial software from the brand leaders in this field, and newcomers should always bear this in mind when looking for sources.
