Just for discussion because I'm set in my ways.
I'm using OpenCPN 3.2.2 to supplement the Garmin 182C GPS. With a $40 GPS hockey puck
http://www.amazon.com/GPS-Receiver-Micr ... 037&sr=1-2 attached. I think I had to download a driver for the puck but I don't remember. Anyway, OpenCPN lets me import data from the GPS and fiddle with the data before exporting the data back into the GPS.
Good reasons to have a second chartplotter? Someone else can sit down in front of the laptop and scroll around on the charts looking for different places to drop anchor without moving the helmsman references on the GPS. Plus, I like being able to create a route while on dry land during the off season. (You know August down here in the south)
I was fine and happy but I didn't know the Admiral wasn't. She wanted something she could see from the wheel. So we bought an I-pad 1. Yes, a first generation I-pad. It came with 3G and 64meg of storage. The storage is nice but the 3G is mandatory. Why? Because the 3G comes with a built-in GPS. Yes, it's an "assisted" GPS. Which means that ON LAND or nearby, it triangulates cell towers to narrow your position down until the GPS locks it in. AT SEA, you wait an extra 30 seconds before the GPS locks in your position. And you don't need a data plan to use the navigation programs because they read the GPS information. Being cheapskates, we turn off the data plan if we are not reading e-mails and I can state that the nav program still shows you your location.
The I-pad gets mounted on the bimini cross bar just in front of the wheel. We use a RAM mount
http://www.rammount.com/ for motorcycle handlebars to attach it to the cross bar. Unscrew the adjustable clamp and the I-pad and it's mount go downstairs away from prying eyes at the marinas. If you are not using the I-pad at the moment, we just loosen the clamp, rotate the I-pad up against the bimini and tighten the clamp back up and it's out of the way.
There are a lot of apps for the I-pad and I have only used one on the recommendation of "Practical Sailor". The INavX program. The download price is $50 but that includes a nice set of charts. We got the Gulf Coast charts which includes the Bahamas, "I think". It has a few quirks? If you are scrolling a chart and showing someone a location, be sure to turn off "POS Center". Or it will recenter the chart on your current location. Sometimes aggravating, sometimes great feature.
Anyway, that's my thoughts on the subject. Anybody else?