I’m in the process of getting a new boat ( http://www.kryptoniteboats.com/image...e/Kryp_465.jpg ) and Kirk needs some specs from me. I’m planning to add a computer. I have space for a 10” or even 14” screen. Computer will be a standalone unit, probably Tactronics ( http://www.tactronics.com ). They are around the corner from where I live. I’ll probably use their displays also. The hardware aspect seems to be under control.

I would like to collect experiences on the type of software that is being used. I mainly use navigational software (with a redundant standalone chartplotter as back-up). My main concern is the user interface to the navigational software. I need the main controls literally at the fingertips of my right hand. For this, I plan to install a marinized numerical keypad plus a small number of dedicated switches. (Trackball and keypad for when the driver is not preoccupied..) The chart software ideally should have an API that allows interfacing with external hardware such as the keypad, or the dedicated switches. If it works with touch screens, that would be great also. I can do the integration work, write software that interrogates the inputs, but I hate to use clumsy keypad macros that may or may not work . I would be grateful for any input.

i don't get it...why??..is this a race boat?? fishing boat???

If you're out running in 5' seas, do really think you'll have time to work a track ball?

I don't think anyone here has an integrated system like you're looking at.
An 8 knot cruiser yes. An 80 MPH Cigarette, no.

I just came from their site.

Geeze!!!!
How much money have you got????

You're looking at ruggedized millitary grade hardware. That stuff is freak'n expensive. I know, I work with similar hardware every day.
I'll bet you'll spend close to half the cost of the boat purchase just in electronics. Not to mention the installation and setup costs. It sure isn't a "do it yourself" deal.

If you plan on long distance running, all you need is a good radar/plotter with a GPS interface. That'll get you any place on this earth. And don't forget, paper charts and basic navigation/plotting skills are still required.

i don't get it either...must be more to the story...i thought i was bad (race boat) with data aquisition systems/gps(s!) and smart craft for the engines.
i want killer electronics for our fishing boat,,,but this stuff....i would rather have triples!

Eyes on the water and gauges.

Left hand steering and K-planes

Right hand throttles.

Feet trying to level the body.

Half the time I can't even hit the next waypoint on my GPS, much less a track ball.

Money better spent on a simple GPS with plotter.

Nice concept though just not for a rippin Go Fast.

Price: It's pricey, but not outrageously. I wish the electronics would cost 1/2 of the boat ... The 10" display is $3K, $4K w/ touchscreen. But it's low power and totally waterproof. Also holds up to 20 G

Trackball: I do NOT want to operate a trackball or mouse in 5ft waves, hence the button interfacing question.

Why: It's not for fishing, nor for any nefarious purposes. I like computers. I can certainly do it myself, I built an ALTAIR in 1975 and many systems ever since. No sweat. I can run a charting program in the foreground and, say, Rinda's Diacom software in the background ...

Aaahhh...........ok! Sounds great to me!

Interesting.

I used to program in assembler clear up through cobalt and c++.

You may be able to get one for free if you do the work with them!

There seem to be a lot of products that offer charting, gps etc at a more economical price.

It would be nice to put a "glass panel" design in a boat to replace some gauges and indicators assuming you have the proper I/O devices, but it would not require much processing.

I'm really a techno junkie but I quite old fashioned when it comes to Go-Fast boats.

It is so hard to run my simple GPS at speed. Normally I just dead recon.

I like the subroutine or scroll through at a touch of a button idea but have it where you can rest a thumb and pinky. I would probably only have buttons at the 2,4,5,6,and 8 position for easy reference. Have fun and send pics.

Baja: Buttons are planned to go right in front of shifter/throttle. "Glass panel" idea is implied in the concept, although the main gauges will be "conventional" Gaffrig SmartCraft gauges. The thing absolutely is not allowed to show any degradation in functionality when the computer goes belly-up.

Sorry, no COBOL wanted What I'm looking for is a ready-made application that has a documented programmer-access interface. (Probably too much top ask for ... guess I'll have to hack it by subclassing menus ... nasty, nasty...)

I'll send pictures when it's hatched further.