Linux GPS dashboard interest

[c_witch]

Hiee all,

Firstly let me say that I use OpenCPN on a laptop for charting while sailing. It has a dashboard addon for displaying GPS info as to SOG,COG,Heading,Lat and Long. I have been toying with writting a standalone application for the aforementioned purpose as I quite often don't bother with charting when in familiar waters and find it a pain to have to run OpenCPN in order to have access to the dashboard. It is also limited as to how large you can make the display window and I think the color is set via the main program color selection.

Now onto something a bit different. What are the opinions about using a 32 foot Bristol shoal keel (swing keel/centerboard) for cruising down the Atlantic seaboard from Nova Scotia to the Bahama's and then further cruising in all of the caribbean? This would likely be an older boat say from the mid 70's to 80 and mostly coastal crusing and island hopping, but some open water passage making as well. She'll likely be a live aboard for 2 of us. Any known issues about this boat?

c_witch
PS here is a picture of one, I like the lines and her interior seems doable with modifications.

 

[kenn]

There's a number of GPS displays available in Linux, including Polarcom. But it would be fun to roll your own too; GPS via USB or NMEA0183 bus is fairly easy to receive and parse, and so the creative challenge is what sort of display you want to create. (I program too )

Have you downloaded and tried Navigatrix? It's a complete marine-oriented Linux distro woth most of the Linux navigation apps already installed, and it's bootable from CD-ROM or USB stick, so you can try it on just about any PC. It contains Polarcom and other display apps.

 

[c_witch]

There's a number of GPS displays available in Linux, including Polarcom. But it would be fun to roll your own too; GPS via USB or NMEA0183 bus is fairly easy to receive and parse, and so the creative challenge is what sort of display you want to create. (I program too )

Have you downloaded and tried Navigatrix? It's a complete marine-oriented Linux distro woth most of the Linux navigation apps already installed, and it's bootable from CD-ROM or USB stick, so you can try it on just about any PC. It contains Polarcom and other display apps.

Hiee Ken,

Thanx for the links. I think I will give the OS a try and see how it is. I currently run Mint. I am only an amateur programming in 'C'. I will likely still play around with the gps thing although it is my first foray into this area.

c_witch

 

[Kestle]

I'm not a fan of that rudder design. Seems like it has insufficient size relative to the keel.

Jeff

 

[Bill Roosa]

hey c witch
there is a whole GPS lib with all the standard routines to do the things you are wanting. makes your contribution a standardized item for others to use.
BTW there are already several "dashboards" for GPS already out there.

 

[Merlin Clark]

I'm not a fan of that rudder design. Seems like it has insufficient size relative to the keel.

Jeff

The long, deep keel provides lateral resistance where flat or round bottom boats rely on a relatively large rudder to provide a good measure of this resistance.

 

[dscribner]

Brinna,

She looks like a boat of classic lines. The wine glass hull should be more stable in the rollers and give a smoother ride than the trailerable your sailing now. It also gives plenty of room. The hull has a sleek look to it but the overhang on the stern will cost you a little in speed, but I'm guessing you're not in such a hurry that 3/4 knot loss will kill you. I haven't got a clue about what I'm talking about, just repeating what I've read, and most of it makes sense. A couple of boats that seem to be mentioned often are the Westsail 32 and the Bristol 32. Not the fastest boats but real blue water cruisers. Keep us posted. You'll pass through my playground so maybe you can share a quite cove with me and the Admiral. Plenty of cheap beer and instant coffee.

 

[Sumner]

...Now onto something a bit different. What are the opinions about using a 32 foot Bristol shoal keel (swing keel/centerboard) for cruising down the Atlantic seaboard from Nova Scotia to the Bahama's and then further cruising in all of the caribbean? This would likely be an older boat say from the mid 70's to 80 and mostly coastal crusing and island hopping, but some open water passage making as well. She'll likely be a live aboard for 2 of us. Any known issues about this boat?....

This might interest you....

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-review-purchase-forum/5190-can-bristol-32-circumnavigate.html

... I quit somewhere in the 2nd page .

That is a nice looking boat and would probably do what you want just fine. I don't think I would want to deal with a keel/centerboard combo on an older boat like that if it has it. Also if it is going to be a true live-aboard I'd go up to a least a 34 foot boat or larger.

We are use to our little Mac and I thought that the Endeavour at 37 feet would really be too big for us, but now that we have her and have lived on her for 3 months last year I'm glad she isn't a foot shorter. I don't think you would regret a little larger boat over time and feel/be a little safer on some of the longer open water passages in the Caribbean or going or coming from there. Don't forget that space wise below an older boat like we have or what you are looking at are about the same as a more modern boat 2-4 feet shorter.

Good luck with whatever you decide on,

Sum

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