Preface
Why e-charting? And why a book? The authors introduce Get Onboard With E-Charting
Table of Contents
More than a "charts on a laptop" book. Productive and fun ways for boaters to leverage a personal computer.
Get Onboard With E-Charting
The Complete Reference Guide to Electronic Charting and PC-Based Marine Navigation
If you have a PC onboard, this is a must read.
Features
Boaters face many issues when considering how best to use a personal computer onboard. Which software is best for me? Can a particular package display a certain chart format? Can I receive weather forecasts on my cell phone? How do I print annotated charts? Which packages have fuel calculators? Should I add AIS? What additional hardware will I need for buddy boat tracking or for radar overlays?
The result is Get Onboard With E-Charting, the first book written specifically for recreational and light commercial boaters on this new and popular topic.
Friendly, Readable Format—Complete and thorough coverage, based on the Doyles’ electronic charting seminars and their experience as certified NOAA electronic chart distributors. Organized in five parts to cover topics such as the history of global position finding, hardware, instruments and sensors, cartography, software, data exchange, and choosing an e-charting application. Sidebars supplement the main text with detail on technical topics. Seven real-life scenarios inspire ideas on how e-charting works best for you, your vessel, and your cruising plans.
In-Depth, Hands-On Reviews—Detailed reviews of 16 popular packages put the reader “behind the wheel” of more software packages than a person could ever feasibly load on his or her computer. No other authors have more breadth and depth on each of 16 viewers, planners, and full-featured applications. Over 100 full-color photos, illustrations, and screenshots let the reader see e-charting’s features in action. Insights from the hands-on testing are summarized in Pilot-On-Board hints. Software Comparison Tables and Features at a Glance Tables summarize 81 metrics, allowing for a quick comparison across e-charting packages and features.
More than “Charts on a Laptop”—Also covers how to leverage an onboard laptop with additional marine resources, ranging from onboard Internet access, Internet free telephony, weather applications for smartphones, user-generated marine websites, and digital camera geo-taggers.
Complete Reference Source—Includes an appendix with over 200 free downloadable government publications, reference texts, and nautical calculators and an appendix with 162 useful reference websites. The glossary explains over 460 navigation, electronic charting, and general computing terms. Fully indexed.
Specifications
Get Onboard With E-Charting
The Complete Reference Guide to Electronic Charting and PC-Based Marine Navigation
US $34.95
232 pages
ISBN 978-0-2019617-2-1
Softcover
8.5 x 11 x 0.5 inches
1 pound 10 ounces
116 photos, screenshots, and illustrations
463 navigation, electronic charting, and general computer glossary terms
Fully indexed
CD of trial e-charting software
Sample Pages
Sample Pages
You can view sample pages from Get Onboard With E-Charting here. Sample pages are available in Adobe PDF format.
Click on the thumbnails below to view the Sample Page. Each sample opens in a new window.
Inside Spread
Over 100 full-color photos, illustrations, and screenshots let the reader see e-charting’s features in action.
Basic to Advanced
Topics progress from fundamentals such as computer cables and ports to converting paper charts for e-charting use.
Scenario 5
Seven real-life scenarios inspire ideas on how an e-charting system can be uniquely tailored to your needs.
Software Comparison Tables
28 tables summarize 81 metrics, allowing quick comparison across e-charting packages and feature sets.
Features at a Glance Tables
Puts the reader “behind the wheel” of more software offerings than a single person could ever reasonably load and test.
Resources
Full indexed; 460-term glossary; two appendices summarize 200 free downloads and 162 useful companion websites.
Reviews
Praise for Get Onboard With E-Charting
If you bring a laptop aboard, this book should follow.
For anyone considering an E-charting system, hold off on the hardware/software purchases until you have the Doyles' book in your hands. Reading it may very well save you from some costly mistakes.
This book is so full of good information that I urge all USPS members to buy and read it. It's the best book I read last year.
Put this book next to Chapman’s in your boat’s library, and be thankful the Doyles have taken the time and effort to put all this wonderful information together in one place.
The book everyone should read before bringing a laptop aboard.
Received the book today, started reading it and could not put it down until I finished it.
Get Onboard with E-Charting cuts through the sales hype and dockside chatter to focus on the features you need. An unparalleled reference and the definitive resource on electronic charting.
Electronic charting’s components may have been around for a while, but it took the Doyles to put together the single reference source...written for recreational boaters in plain Dick-and-Jane language that everyone can understand. Download just one of the free nautical publications they mention and you’ve paid for the book.
Mark and Diana Doyle demonstrated their expertise in 2008’s ambitious Mad Mariner series. This book springboards in the same useful direction and will be valuable to boaters already deep into e-charting as well as those just beginning their explorations.
