Tis the Season for Mapping out your Summer on the Water

[Harborseal]

What program(s) are you using to map out your summer boating destinations? I currently use an excel spreadsheet which has worked well, but only gives me locations and nothing else. Perhaps a good way to start designing a summer boating trip but it seems that I could then insert my trip into an on-line program for my laptop. Perhaps a program that would give nautical miles, locations can be modified easily, etc. But could also be used by a novice.
Please share what you are using that works well.

 

[Max1]

We just wander...
Our outings are usually 7 to 14 days at a shot. All of them on the hook. We just go wherever our curiosity takes us, but always keeping a close eye on the weather and and selecting a spot for anchoring carefully. We used to roam extensively when we were Land Cruisers in an rv. But when we realized how much we both love beaches and water, we decided to get a trawler. It's our favorite way to explore.

 

[SteveK]

I don't spend much time on details, just enter a note into a log daily when I enter the engine hours to remind me should I read it again.

 

[ranger58sb]

We just use a chart and some darts.

-Chris

 

[CaptTom]

The most dangerous thing you can have on a boat is a schedule.

An itinerary has to be in the top 10.

 

[ScottC]

.xlsx with:
- Date & day
- planned departure time
- planned arrival time
- planned speed
- distance
- lock/bridge time
- cumulative distance
- Marina cost (estimated/actual)
- plus a lot of other miscellaneous stuff.

I used to create this spreadsheet every winter, using the Navionics Web App on my PC at home. It worked out well for me. As of this summer, that's no longer possible, thanks to Garmin. I have a Navionics phone app paid subscription, but I don't like doing this type of planning on my phone. So I am in the market for a PC map tool for route planning.

 

[PierreR]

I don't read "Itinerary/time line" into the original posters first post. I certainly map out where I would like to go for the following summer so I can prepare. That does not mean that once I push off the dock I have a time line. It means I have a plan.
Next years plan is recover from scheduled April knee replacement and leave on the loop mid July and return about 11 months later for about 6,400 miles of boating. Then decide if I will stay the winter in the north.

I have a tentative plan on what I want to see and about what time of year that will be.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. H. We're pretty much chart and dart types as well (Thanks Mr. r-Your post #4). The major difference between our current type of boat/boating and what it was, say 10 years ago, is we're both, sorta, kinda, mostly retired so an extra day here and there waiting on the weather isn't a really big deal nor is changing destinations mid trip.
We also changed our boat and it's attendant cruising speed from 8 knots to ~25 knots and from 46' to 27'. THAT changes a few parameters.
Charts and darts=Something to read and ponder in the off hours...

Sounds like Mr. SC (post #6) might have a viable solution for you.

 

[Portage_Bay]

In my opinion starting with a spreadsheet is working backwards.

I start with the "big picture". What general area do I want to explore? Do I want to anchor out or stay at docks? What services do I want / need along the way. Those questions are best answered with guide books, internet searches and conversations with boaters experienced in the area of interest.

Once I have the season's big picture in mind if I want to plan in detail, which I rarely do, I have two general approaches.

On the laptop I'll use chart plotting software. Two apps I have are Coastal Explorer and OpenCPN. There are others.

On my tablet I use Navionics.

None of the three will take spreadsheet data and give me distances etc. All three will let me create routes and waypoints. Navionics will autoroute for me, but I don't like that.

Now it might be useful to employ a spreadsheet. Distance of each leg, estimated transit times, estimated fuel burn, time of critical tides and currents.

To be honest I rarely go to the effort of great detailed planning months ahead of time. A couple of days ahead on the cruise is all I want to do. This is recreational cruising at a leisurely pace for enjoyment. Not a grind making destinations on a schedule. Been there, done that in my career.

 

[ScottC]

I failed to mention that I create these spreadsheets for 5-month trips. So, this year, it was to get from Athens to Venice to Toulon and spend 5 months doing it. I most certainly had that big picture in mind before creating my spreadsheet. Next year, the big picture is to get from Toulon, France to Sweden. Spreadsheet will evolve from that once I decide whether to "go through" or "around" France.