Brave New World of Palm Navigation

Like it or not, it is coming. In fact, much of it is already
here today! Much of what we do today aboard boats with lots of electronic gear can
already be done on a cell phone or Palm Pilot/BlackBerry/iPhone device. And more
is coming fast! You will be able to navigate, check out restaurants, get tide tables,
weather, find a slip, be told where the fish are biting, monitor your boat while
you’re gone, and see videos. You’ll even be able to check data on BoatTEST.com while
you’re visiting a boat dealer’s showroom. Whether your boat is small or large, the
new technology will be indispensable in time.
To help our readers get up to speed
on the new technology we will be running a series of articles authored by two young
software gurus and powerboat owners – Karen and Jeffrey Siegel. They have created
a terrific website for world-wide active cruisers, called Activecaptain.com. Take a look, we think you’ll like it
--

You can have the whole world in your hands right now.

Chapter #1 – Getting Started



While most people carry a mobile for business and emergencies – and perhaps have
an idea that their phone is capable of far more – few of us equate them with the
marine electronics on our dashboard. This series will attempt to change that perception
and show how a mobile phone can become an integral piece of equipment.


Mighty Phone


Modern mobile phones like those made by Palm, Apple and Blackberry do far more than
just send and receive calls. They can also transmit email; store information, such
as lists of supplies and spares; call up data on weather, tides and currents; carry
charts and help you navigate; and give you access to the Internet, where you can
get still more information.



In this series, we will explain how to properly configure a mobile phone on your
boat, with an amplifier and antenna. We will look at the applications available
for high-end mobile phones, including those specific to boating, and we will examine
the platforms that mobile devices use, such as Palm, Apple iPhone, Windows Mobile
and Blackberry. We have also provided a Glossary of terms that you can refer to
when you come across jargon you don’t understand.


Real World Use



Coming from a high-tech background, we have cruised our DeFever 53 trawler, aCappella,
from Maine to the Bahamas and Key West with an array of high-end computerized gadgets.
In recent years we have found that using a mobile phone on our boat has changed
our experience in many small but significant ways.
It has made our trips safer,
more convenient and more interesting.


Weather Texting



For example, in the morning aboard, our mobile phone’s alarm is set for 6 AM and
we connect to the NOAA website going directly to the text report for our area, the
same text being broadcast on the VHF.


Chart Reading



Over breakfast we send a quick email to our cruising buddies to tell them we will
be staying put another day. Then we go online to look for a better anchorage. The
one we’re in was fine when the winds were from the north but leaves us wide open
to the southeast. We quickly find a perfect cove a mile up river with a 4-star rating
and protection in southeast winds.


Anchor Watch, Camera, Chartplotter



We bring our mobile phone with us on the dinghy, running an ActiveCaptain.com Mobile
to direct us up the small creek to a landing. We hike to the top of a hill and sit
to enjoy the view. Using our mobile phone camera, we take a picture and post it
to our cruising blog. Another quick check of NOAA weather shows us the winds
should start building after lunch, so we decide to hustle back. We use our anchorage program
to mark the anchor position. While preparing and eating lunch, the mobile phone
is periodically checked to ensure we are holding firm.


Email, Of Course



An email arrives from our cruising buddies with the plan to meet tomorrow if the
weather clears. We turn in at night, the mobile phone is beside us, monitoring the
anchor, waiting to awake us again at 6 AM for another try, and ready to give us
tomorrow’s NOAA predictions.



All of these are things that we have done with our mobile phone many times. In addition,
we often check out possible destinations through local websites – almost every town
has a website with a calendar – and look into available marinas and anchorages for
the days and nights ahead. We have sought advice on maintenance issues, found the
closest supermarket and even ordered a hard-to-find part and had it delivered to
a marina -- all without plugging in our laptop!


Next week – Chapter #2: “Phone vs Laptop” & “Email and Weather”




By Karen and Jeffrey Siegel

© 2008 Active Corporation