Distance calculator

[Squid1962]

Does anyone use or know of a distance calculator to estimate travel between ports to establish time and distance? Thx!

 

[Halfhitch]

Use the ruler on google earth.

 

[Ky Grady]

Depending on what unit you run, some have apps to calculate your route. This is a Simrad app that I used for calculations from Marathon to Islamorada Humps.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

KY is correct . Many new plotters have APs where you can see your charts and fiddle around with distances, waypoints and such. Though if your plotter isn't AP friendly you can always do it on the boat by setting one way point at your starting spot and and another at the ending spot and use your plotter to help determine a route. you may have to build a route and insert multiple waypoints to account for turns and such . Sometimes on the water you get lucky she your route is straight from point A to point B as illustrated above. Sometimes you have to put in a few turns.

Now if you are just trying to get a ballpark from A to B you could just use google maps. Let's say you want to go to St. Augustine from Charleston by boat. you could just use drive function to get you statute miles and that will get you in the neighborhood of distance for boating for fuel needs and times..

 

[Hookup1]

Download Garmin HomePort for PC (free). If you have a older Garmin unit you can save off the base unit maps to a SD card. Its a good tool for trip planning. Waypoints/routes can be saved off to a SD card and loaded into your unit. You can use it if you are not a Garmin boat but getting the waypoints into your units will be s science project. HomePort is being discontinued but works well for this task.

If you own a newer Garmin unit with wifi you can use ActiveCaptain (free) but load the app on a tablet - the bigger the better. This product will replace HomePort. Its a fancy app that can do everything HomePort does but doesn't make it easy to manage sets of waypoints.

For example I have waypoint sets for NJ and FL. I don't want to look at NJ waypoints in my units while fishing in FL so I install a SD card with FL waypoints/routes and go to Manage Card>Replace from Card. When done back in NJ I save off my FL waypoints to my FL SD card to a different file name (FL2021) and reload my NJ waypoints from my SD card (NJ2020). The newer Garmin wifi units still have the manage card functions but the SD slots are microSD are on the back of the unit. Buy microSD cards with SD adaptors..

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Download Garmin HomePort for PC (free). If you have a older Garmin unit you can save off the base unit maps to a SD card. Its a good tool for trip planning. Waypoints/routes can be saved off to a SD card and loaded into your unit. You can use it if you are not a Garmin boat but getting the waypoints into your units will be s science project. HomePort is being discontinued but works well for this task.

If you own a newer Garmin unit with wifi you can use ActiveCaptain (free) but load the app on a tablet - the bigger the better. This product will replace HomePort. Its a fancy app that can do everything HomePort does but doesn't make it easy to manage sets of waypoints.

For example I have waypoint sets for NJ and FL. I don't want to look at NJ waypoints in my units while fishing in FL so I install a SD card with FL waypoints/routes and go to Manage Card>Replace from Card. When done back in NJ I save off my FL waypoints to my FL SD card to a different file name (FL2021) and reload my NJ waypoints from my SD card (NJ2020). The newer Garmin wifi units still have the manage card functions but the SD slots are microSD are on the back of the unit. Buy microSD cards with SD adaptors..

I bought a 942xsplus in February 2020. The SD cards on that unit are in the front . Depending on the model they are either in front or back. Also, the OP didn't specify what brand and model he has. I only say this because he might be a Garmin guy ,or a Simrad or Lowrance or Furino . I am guessing all these companies have some sort of mobile device interface. your ideas of using the card for NJ waypoints versus florida is a great one.

 

[efx]

I second google earth. Use the ruler and it give gps and distance.

 

[Hookup1]

Google Earth will give you measurements but dies not contain aids to navigation. Do it right! Crusing is as much about where you need to go especially when you enter a large port. Know ahead of time where you are going and as pilots say "keep your head out in front of the plane not behind it".

Squid1962-what chart plotter is in your boat?

 

[Squid1962]

My “new” boat is a 2008 with Raymarine plotter sounder 300

 

[Seafarer_Bob]

Navionics app is a no brainer.