Lap Top Marine Maps

[Nemrod]

About a year ago I got a lap top. Suddenly freed from the desk bound computer I was mobile and to the dismay of many-- online constantly--nearly. Well, I have about decided to give folks a vacation from me (no promises)--lol--but before I go off into the blue void or where ever I got a question.

A few days ago I loaded a Delorme Topography and Street Maps programs on this lap top and also have the mobile USB plug-in GPS reciever (package cost under 200 dollars). Now, I am truly free to roam the planet(sorta). But, and here is the question, do any of y'all know where or if there are marine maps, cartography, contours, navigation and all that, such as the types that are loaded on FishFinder/GPS units (Navionics etc)that can be loaded into a lap top like the Delorme programs? Imagine being able to see underwater or pick GPS coordinates for a reef break from your living room and then go there and dive it! Does such a thing exist? AnyWhere Map has aviation programs that run on a PC or PDA which can be used for flight planning or even navigation including Nexrad weather I understand. I flew one of the early programs loaded on a ComPaq PDA and was very impressed.
Anyway, any info for down loading marine maps or purchasing marine mapping programs is appreciated. Oh, as always, thanks in advance and thanks for everything as well. AND MERRY CHRISTMAS! Dogs love cold, brrrr, people don't.
N

 

[pipedope]

Check the boating stores like WEst Marine for chart packages. Warning, they are not cheap.

Say, does the mower deck make plowing the snow easier?

Yesterday I plowed about 6" of snow and they are predicting 6" tonight and another 6" tomorrow.

 

[Nemrod]

I came across Maptech.com. Expensive but exactly what I want, to bad I cannot justify the costs. I was hoping for something more in the line of the Microsoft and DeLorme. I have a Lowrance GPS dual frequency sonar unit on my Whaler but was hopeing to be able to preplan and explore an area from the laptop. This will eventually happen but may have to wait until the next generation of computers, the files would be enormous. You know the government, USGS, NOAA, have charts in terrific detail, imagine what the Navy might have for navigating subs etc. Imagine being able to access real time satellite imagery. Anyway, if you come across anything please let me know and thanks.

LOL, the mower deck has a hydrualic lift and is actually a good eight inches above the ground and locked. It weighs so much I have to use the loader to move it and it takes up tons of room so I just store it on the tractor. On the rare occasion I need to remove it for service or heavy work it rolls out from under the tractor and I just push it to the side 'till I am done. Nothing like hydrualic muscle, especially when your back is give out. I think gravity is increasing in intensity or something! N

 

[Delta_P]

If West Marine doesn't have something to fit, another approach is to buy the mapping software and electronic charts separately. Both OziExplorer (www.oziexplorer.com) and Fugawi (www.fugawi.com) had trial/shareware versions of their basic software.

You still have to track down the BSB format charts to feed into them, but if you just want to fiddle a single $20 file for your locale is a lot cheaper than a $200 CD set covering your country's entire coastline. If you're really desperate, or the electronic charts for your area don't exist yet, you can scan a properly referenced paper chart directly into OziExplorer.

I noticed somewhere that NobelTec is selling a $10 introductory version of their software called eChart Planner that includes some sort of US charts. This might be just what you want for now.

 

[yukoneer]

use the mower deck, it'll blow out the remaining snow that isnt picked up by the blade

 

[jchaplain]

I agree with Delta P. on the Ozi-Explorer program.
You can very easily get maps from the internet ( NOAA website for instance) and calibrate them for use in Ozi.
Ozi-Explorer is a very full featured program and it works great.
You can use it for land or sea.
John C.