Does this navigation software exist? What do you use?

[Woodland Hills]

You seem to be under the impression that you can just travel a set number of miles (100) and stop for the night like a motor home pulling into a Walmart parking lot. It just does not work that way: marinas may be dozens of miles apart and suitable anchorages even more. You are going to have to sit down with your iPad and game out various options in the Navionics automatic routing feature until you find one that works for the next day’s journey. Then, if you are planning on stopping at a marina you’ll need to call ahead to see if there is room for you. In addition you will have to consult the tide tables to see if you will have enough water along your route to get there. It’s not rocket science, but it’s not as easy as driving a car.....

 

[Adopo]

You seem to be under the impression that you can just travel a set number of miles (100) and stop for the night like a motor home pulling into a Walmart parking lot. It just does not work that way: marinas may be dozens of miles apart and suitable anchorages even more. You are going to have to sit down with your iPad and game out various options in the Navionics automatic routing feature until you find one that works for the next day’s journey. Then, if you are planning on stopping at a marina you’ll need to call ahead to see if there is room for you. In addition you will have to consult the tide tables to see if you will have enough water along your route to get there. It’s not rocket science, but it’s not as easy as driving a car.....

Thank you, yes I understand and did not mean to simplify it to that degree, not to mention weather will come into play. While we are at it however, how bout we get all these marines on line and book the way we do Hotwire, and any other travel option. Now that would be cool. I can see the website now, even with slip diagrams and gps tracking that will show them where you are in relation to your arrival. That way they can meet you at your slip to handle your docking and other request

 

[amapola]

We have Garmin chart plotters but also use Aqua Map and Navionics on our iPad pro.

 

[Woodland Hills]

Thank you, yes I understand and did not mean to simplify it to that degree, not to mention weather will come into play. While we are at it however, how bout we get all these marines on line and book the way we do Hotwire, and any other travel option. Now that would be cool. I can see the website now, even with slip diagrams and gps tracking that will show them where you are in relation to your arrival. That way they can meet you at your slip to handle your docking and other request

You need to cruise for a few months and see the sort of people who own or work at the cheaper mom and pop marinas. Sometimes you can’t even get them to answer the telephone, much less ch16. If you want others to see where you are on gps, you will have to buy an AIS system and the marinas will have to buy a receiver.
Go to Dockwa.com if you want to see the current state of the art in booking technology. You still probably won’t be able to raise a dockhand on the VHF, but you’ll have an online reservation.

 

[Adopo]

You need to cruise for a few months and see the sort of people who own or work at the cheaper mom and pop marinas. Sometimes you can’t even get them to answer the telephone, much less ch16. If you want others to see where you are on gps, you will have to buy an AIS system and the marinas will have to buy a receiver.
Go to Dockwa.com if you want to see the current state of the art in booking technology. You still probably won’t be able to raise a dockhand on the VHF, but you’ll have an online reservation.

Got it, and thanks. Yes, the state of employees anywhere now seems to, well, suck. Just left Jackson Hole ,and even there, experienced it at the Lodge. My friend complained, and the manager made the young man call and apologize for his poor service at the restaurant and he offered a free night! Was socked and somewhat embarrassed. Things are just not the same....

 

[ranger58sb]

While we are at it however, how bout we get all these marines on line and book the way we do Hotwire, and any other travel option. Now that would be cool. I can see the website now, even with slip diagrams and gps tracking that will show them where you are in relation to your arrival. That way they can meet you at your slip to handle your docking and other request

See dockwa.com. I think there's another one, too (can't remember the name), and MarinaLife will do some of that as well.

"Meet you at your slip" won't happen (if at all) until you talk with them via VHF or cellphone upon arrival, though...

-Chris

 

[wkearney99]

"Meet you at your slip" won't happen (if at all) until you talk with them via VHF or cellphone upon arrival, though...

Got that right. Oi, it's a chore sometimes. Call the listed number, no that's the office, not the dockmaster. Hail on 16... crickets...

For me the most important thing to have from a marina ahead of time is a dock map.

Something that CLEARLY shows dock numbering, and that can be easily zoomed in/panned around.

That and if we call ahead and they tell us we're in D-24 (or whatever) being able to pull up that picture, right then and there, during the phone call, helps tremendously. As in, seeing we've been put at the end of a narrow fairway, or waaaaaaay out on the end of a long sea wall. And being able to request a change at the time of booking.

Likewise, when we get to the marina having seen the map ahead of time helps ease the stress of figuring out where to enter. Some marinas are large and have certain ways you can/can't get to slips (and sometimes have confusing numbering).

 

[wkearney99]

See dockwa.com. I think there's another one, too

snagaslip.com is the other one we've used. Both seem to have about the same level of service. Some marinas use one, the other, or sometimes both. We've made cancellations and last-minute changes through both and have had positive results.

 

[Shrew]

You're kind of taking the fun out of the 'planning and route plotting process'. I start by sitting down with paper charts and poring over them. I will use active captain and the internet to do my research on anchorages, fuel, stops etc. I'll plot a few options and look at distances. I'll plan 'bail outs' along the way if things turn south.

Once my general course is plotted, I transfer this to the chartplotter manually.

While I agree this is cumbersome, by the time I'm done, I am very familiar with the plotted course so there are no surprises. This further prepares me for route changes and anything unexpected. If electronics die, I have paper charts and a strong working knowledge of the course.

Plus, I genuinely enjoy it.