Having the right equipment can make all the difference when navigating a sailboat. While traditional chart plotters have been the go-to option for many sailors, Industrial Touch Screen PCs offer a range of benefits that make them a compelling alternative. In this post, we’ll share ten reasons why we chose an Industrial Touch Screen PC for our sailboat navigation computer and explore the pros and cons of this option compared to traditional chartplotters and mini-PCs.

Thinkol 17″ Industrial PC we are using aboard Sweet Ruca

We chose to install a touch screen PC in our boat for many reasons. We have still kept our traditional chart plotters, and will likely always have a chartplotter connected with our instrument system as a redundant backup, but we use the PC for most main navigational tasks at the chart table.

1. Flexibility: An Industrial Touch Screen PC is a versatile solution that can run a range of navigation software and other applications. This flexibility allows us to customize our setup to our specific needs.
2. Customization: Many Industrial Touch Screen PC manufacturers offer customization options, allowing us to select the screen size, processor, RAM, and operating system that best suits our needs. We chose the W5 Pro Mini PC from Vnopn, which features an Intel Atom x5-Z8350 processor, 4GB of RAM, and runs Windows 10 Home.
3. Connectivity: Industrial Touch Screen PCs often have various connectivity options, including USB, Ethernet, HDMI, and Wi-Fi. This makes it easy to connect to a range of navigation instruments, sensors, and other devices on board.
4. Cost: While Industrial Touch Screen PCs may initially seem more expensive than traditional chartplotters, they often offer more functionality for the price. Additionally, because they can run a range of applications, they can replace other devices on board, further reducing costs.
5. Durability: Industrial Touch Screen PCs are built to withstand harsh environments, including moisture, dust, and vibration. This makes them ideal for use on a sailboat, where conditions can be challenging.
6. Expandability: Industrial Touch Screen PCs can often be expanded with additional peripherals, such as external hard drives, keyboards, and mice. This allows for greater flexibility and functionality.
7. Screen Size: Industrial Touch Screen PCs come in various screen sizes, allowing us to select the size that best suits our needs and available space on the boat. We chose a 7-inch screen from Vnopn, which provides clear and easy-to-read navigation data.
8. Compatibility: Industrial Touch Screen PCs are often compatible with a range of navigation software, including Expedition as well as OpenCPN, a popular and free option. This allows us to use the software we are most comfortable with.
9. Power Supply: Industrial Touch Screen PCs often require a stable and reliable power supply, and we chose the DC-DC 12V Converter Voltage Regulator to ensure this. This device provides a stable 12-volt output, ensuring the Industrial Touch Screen PC receives clean power.
   
10. Future-proofing: Because Industrial Touch Screen PCs can run a range of highly customizable applications, they offer a future-proof solution that can be upgraded and adapted as our needs change.

Pros of Industrial Touch Screen PC vs. Traditional Chartplotter and Mini-PCs:

• Cost effective option
• More flexibility and customization options
• Often more cost-effective for the functionality provided
• Can run a range of navigation software and other applications
• Built to withstand harsh environments
• Expandable with additional peripherals
• Comes in a range of screen sizes
• Compatible with a range of navigation software
• Requires a stable power supply for reliable operation
• Provides a future-proof solution that can be upgraded and adapted over time

Cons of Industrial Touch Screen PC vs Traditional Chartplotter and Mini-PCs:

1. Learning Curve: Switching to an Industrial Touch Screen PC from a traditional chartplotter may require some adjustment and a learning curve, primarily if you are used to a specific type of navigation software or device.
2. Mounting: Mounting an Industrial Touch Screen PC on a sailboat can be more challenging than mounting a traditional chart plotter, as it may require a custom bracket or housing to ensure it is secure and protected from the elements.
3. Power Consumption: Industrial Touch Screen PCs can consume more power than traditional chartplotters, especially if they run other applications besides navigation software. This means you must ensure you have a reliable power supply and monitor power usage to avoid draining your battery.
4. Maintenance: Because Industrial Touch Screen PCs are essentially small computers, they may require more maintenance and troubleshooting than a traditional chartplotter. This includes tasks such as updating software and drivers, managing storage space and ensuring the device stays cool and dry.
5. Technical Support: While many Industrial Touch Screen PC manufacturers offer technical support, it may not be as widely available or accessible as support for traditional chartplotters. This can be an issue if you encounter technical problems at sea.

In conclusion, while there are pros and cons to using an Industrial Touch Screen PC for sailboat navigation, we ultimately chose this option for its flexibility, customization options, durability, and future-proofing. By carefully considering our needs and researching our options, we were able to select a device that meets our needs and provides a reliable and functional solution for navigating our sailboat.

Accessories We Have Found Helpful

• Extended USB Cable: Allows USB connections in different areas of the boat or hidden underneath or inside the nav station.
  
• Wireless Keyboard & Touchpad: Can be hidden away to make a clear chart table, but also brought out to ease text entry and have a stable platform for mouse like actions while underway.
  
• Wireless Mouse: For use in the harbor or more stable conditions.
  
• Networking Equipment: Of course you want to connect your computer to your boats network.
  

Thank you for visiting our website. We do not recommend anything we have not used ourselves on board our boat or others and have had a good experience with. We do use affiliate programs to support our content and our voyage, when clicking the links above and making a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the purchase price. This is a great way to keep our content free to you, and share a little bit of Amazon’s profits with the little guys like us! Thanks for reading and sharing. Fair winds!

The post 10 Reasons Why We Chose a Touch Screen Navigation PC over a Traditional Chartplotter appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

These and other similar questions many ask when beginning to contemplate navigating outside of their local area, are important to answer. I think the answer depends on your needs and sailing type to determine what is right for you.

Let’s start by examining the options we have available to us.

Apps & Tablet-Based Navigation

An iPad or Android tablet with Navionics is perhaps the easiest solution that is ready to go out of the box. It is really good and paired with a cell phone/wifi-enabled tablet surprisingly accurate. A bonus is the sonar charts, which we really like and have found to be very helpful in less well-charted areas. We cruised for almost a month in Lake Michigan, North Channel, Georgian Bay, and Lake St. Claire with just that. But, there are some issues, the biggest of which is rain or spray. Most tablets combined with Navionics, or other apps, become worthless when wet, too hot, or too cold. This is generally when you need that nav data most, critical conditions in bad visibility.

Budget: $

Pros:
Easy Setup
Easy to Use
Lower Cost Charts

Cons:
Extreme Conditions Loss of Function
No Weather Routing

OpenCPN and Low-Cost PC Navigation Systems

Not quite as plug and play, but also another cheap option. If you happen to have an old laptop lying around your house, this is just about as close to free as you can get. OpenCPN is a really good open-source software that has been developed over many years by real sailors. It can be downloaded online and will run on most laptops. Charts for most areas can also be downloaded for free. It does take a small learning curve, and some of the charts may not be as full-featured of commercial offerings. We use OpenCPN as our backup PC-based nav/chart program aboard s/v Sweet Ruca.

Budget: $

Pros:
Free to Download
Real Sailor Dev Community
Customizable & Expandable

Cons:
Higher learning curve (compared to Navionics/iPad)
Still need on deck display solution

Handheld GPS

The Garmin GPSMap 72 or 78 is the tried and true standard here. There are other similar models from other manufacturers. You can pick one of these up on eBay for less than a case of beer! Although the screen is microscopic by today’s standards, this unit is almost bulletproof. It usually comes preloaded with charts for your cruising area. It can slosh around in the bilge and still work on command. I’ve sailed thousands of miles with one of these bashing around the cockpit floor, and still keep one as a ditch bag backup.

Budget: $ – $$

Pros:
Usable in All Weather Conditions
Fast Learning Curves
Durable

Cons:
Small Screen

Chartplotters (B&G, Raymarine, Garmin, Simrad, etc.)

Perhaps the most expensive option, but also most reliable when the conditions get snotty. Most chart plotters (Multi-Function Displays or MFDs) by the major instrument manufacturers are pretty much the same these days. Charts are usually more expensive to purchase for these because the manufacturers make everything proprietary. They do work very well though for real-time sailing navigation, especially when combined with radar and a full instrument package.

Budget: $$

Pros:
Reliability
Usability in Extreme Conditions
Instrument / Radar Interfaces

Cons:
Expensive and Require Installation
No Weather Routing

Expedition & Commercial Navigation Software

This is what the big boys use, usually in conjunction with MFDs and instrument/radar packages. We use Expedition and C-Map charts aboard Sweet Ruca as our primary navigation source. This gives us the ability to log everything in one place. It also allows us to use our boats’ polar speeds in conjunction with weather and current information to choose the best sailing routes. This has a high learning curve, but when making multiple week passages, it can cut days off your route and allow you to dodge serious weather. Data is relayed on deck via an iPad running remote desktop and the system is integrated with our MFDs and instrument displays. If you want to up your sailing game or simply want to have the same capabilities as the sailors in the Volvo Ocean Race and Vendee Globe do, this is it.

Budget: $$$

Pros:
Weather Routing
Commercial Support & Training
Best Capability

Cons:
Highest Cost
Learning Curve

DIY Systems

There are quite a few that make use of RPi, mini PCs, etc, and combine them with waterproof touch screens. One can build a pretty capable navigation system using DIY parts. Most government charts can be downloaded for free on the web. Combine these things with some open-source software and you can build your own killer app. For us, although it would be really fun to explore this route, there are too many other boat projects to allow time for this.

Budget: $-$$$

Pros:
Budget Flexibility
Custom Features
Ultimate Freedom

Cons:
Time, no plug and play
Highest learning curve

Conclusion

So what is the best navigation option for you and your boat?

The best thing to start with and build upon is perhaps a small handheld GPS with charting ability such as the Garmin GPSMap78.

If you are a sunny day sailor and don’t venture out of cell phone range, apps such as Navionics on iPad or Android are probably your best bet. If you venture further from land or spend more than a day at a time at sea, a combination of at least two methods provides some redundancy.

If you expect bad weather or cruise in areas of the Northern USA, at least one built-in chart plotter with buttons from a well-regarded manufacturer such as Raymarine, B&G/Simrad, or Garmin would be recommended.

If you are venturing into new anchorages or crossing oceans, a PC-based navigation option, in combination with apps and chart plotter/radar/ais/instruments, allows for the best passage planning, redundancy, and real-time sailing data like wind, depth, and current.

If you intend to race at all, or really enjoy performance sailing, Expedition Navigation Software is where it is at!

If you have a low budget, you can put together a safe, capable, and redundant navigation system for a reasonable cost via DIY. Just don’t expect all of the bells and whistles, and realize it may have its limits in bad weather or if you are less technically apt.

If your budget can afford it, or you are venturing into areas where safety is paramount, get the best system you can.

If you are really cheap and an old salty dog, there are always the tried and true paper charts, ruler, dividers, and sextant! Paper charts and books actually get pretty costly though if you venture far and wide. We do recommend having some type of redundancy wherever you go, but in our opinion, paper charts are a little dated.

For any system, don’t skimp on training time. Read the manual, get screen time, and/or take the training classes. Most navigation failures occur due to user error, it is important to have a good understanding of your equipment before you set sail.

See you on the water!

The post What is the Best Navigation Solution for Sailboat Cruising? appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.