GPSNavX™-Navigation & Charting for Mac

Sailm8 · Feb 1, 2011

How waterproof is your mac? I find that I need/want my GPS in the cockpit with me. This is its designated purpose. A regular laptop is doomed to get wet. If you could keep it down below you might have a chance. Also battery usage is high so you will need to add an inverter or 12v source to charge or maintain the laptop.

I keep my mac in a waterproof case down below and only use it for email and video editing.

Just my .02 worth.

Bill Roosa · Feb 1, 2011

chart ploter vs other things

Well, you can't beat a GPS and paper map. Cheap and durable
There are open source nav programs out there. OpenCPN is a good one and the maps are NOAA raster or vector and FREE.
The one thing that I dislike about most computer solutions is the cost of the maps. We already have to maintain paper copies so doubling up with costly electronic ones seems dumb from an expense standpoint.

I have a linux box running OpenCPN at the nav station. The computer will run off 12 vots but you can't get that by reading the manual. The battery itself says 12 volt though. Much better than running an inverter and a wall wart to power the box.
I've found that I don't need to monitor the chart plotter like you do sails or your course. An occasional peek when I go for coffee or let Outo drive while I take a smoke break is sufficient to keep abreast of the situation.

You should ask yourself what information you really need at the helm. Course to steer, direction to waypoint, and distance to waypoint pretty much answer the mail once you have the GPS set up. Seeing a map is not as useful as you might think. Prior to having the computer I just read the lat/long off the gps and eyeballed it on the paper map on the cockpit seat. The idea of having a map in the middle of the ocean is pretty useless and the only time I have found it very handy is when trying to locate those difficult nav markers or clearing a shoal while not doing waypoint nav.

Rick Sylvester · Feb 1, 2011

I'm using MacEnc

which is made by the same company. Works great.

Don't pay for charts. I use the free NOAA charts.

I'm also using a bu-353 GPS puck. $35. Works great down below. Here's one.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PKX2KA/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=7753434465&ref=pd_sl_48gpjbdkbt_e

I'd guess the house bank on your 36 would handle the draw of a laptop just fine.

As the others have noted you don't really need a plotter in the cockpit. A laptop (or whatever) secured below will do fine. Don't even think about putting your laptop in the cockpit because (a) it's not daylight viewable, (b) it's not waterproof and (c) securing it will be a nightmare.

RichH · Feb 1, 2011

I would recommend that instead of GPSNav-X that you consider MacENC so that you can use both Raster AND digital ENC (S57) charting.

Ive been using the following 'ages' (many many thousands of sea miles) and although my Mac Navigation is now mostly 'backup' it still outperforms the 'best' chartplotter or integrated nav. systems available. A Mac integrated with the below listed components will be an 'outstanding' Nav system and can also include AIS; the system is elegant and will be 'head and shoulders' above a normally 'clunky' WinDoze system.

I keep my Mac on the nav. station (bolted down!!), but the only downside with PC navigation is that it requires walking back and forth from the helm station --- about the only disadvantage of such a system. I use an old Garmin-48 mounted at the helm station and power it with a combo Garmin 'data cable' + power cord. Garmin still uses the ancient 'serial port' connections for data transfer so the data cable must terminate into a 'multiport USB to serial port adapter (see below). Get a USB adapter with 'multiport' connnections. The USB--> serial connector plugs directly to any of the Macs USB ports. You may need a long serial cable to make a 'long run' connection from the helm to the Nav station.
I power the Mac with a 12v--->19v step up transformer (less power draw than using a single purpose inverter and Mac "Power Brick") - see below. Charts (Raster AND Electronic ENC S57) can be downloaded FREE. You can download a FREE demo MacENC for trial purposes - see below.
If you use a multiport USB adapter you can easily add AIS (see below for equipment) which will overlay on both the raster or ENC charting when run using MacENC software. You can get a powered antenna 'splitter' so that you can use your VHF antenna to also supply signal to the AIS receiver - see below.

Cautions with a Mac onboard ---- Keep the Mac ON at all times (not 'sleep' mode) to prevent condensation on/in the internal circuits, especially during changeable dewpoint conditions. If at sea be sure to cover the Mac (keyboard and 'ports') with Saran or other clear plastic film) to prevent the migration of microscopic airborne salt crystals INTO the mac --- important!!!. During lightning storms, put the mac into the oven (Farraday Cage to protect from RF components of lightning that can 'surge' the IC circuits even with the computer off).

Software:
http://www.gpsnavx.com
http://www.gpsnavx.com/MacENC/ ---- download a FREE demo version.

FREE charts ----
BTW both (raster and ENC charts ) charting systems for the USA can be downloaded
FREE:
--- http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm
--- http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/index.htm

Internet forum for Navigation, etc. for MACINTOSH
http://www.macsailing.net/fbb/index.php

POWER SUPPLY for Macintosh
12-->19v 'step-up' power supply for Mac : http://www.mikegyver.com/Store/index.html

HIgh speed USB --> serial adapter (multi-port) http://www.usb-ware.com/usb-twin-serial-adapter-usa-28x.htm

AIS receiver ---- http://www.milltechmarine.com/Smart-Radio-SR161-AIS-Receiver_p_167.html
Antenna splitter VHF-AIS: http://www.milltechmarine.com/Antenna-Splitters_c_19.html

hope this helps.

GPSNavX™-Navigation & Charting for Mac

Ducati

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Sailm8

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Bill Roosa

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Rick Sylvester

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RichH

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