I save routes and waypoints for each boat ramp in Garmins pcx5 program. I save each ramps points in a directory and when I go there, I load up the points and routes and I'm off. Doesn't support NOAA charts, but waypoint managment is simple and effective.
Some time ago I bought Nautical Software's Chartview Planner. It is not very user friendly when it comes to waypoint and route managment. It doesn't support multiple directories and stores all waypoints and routes together. It gets very cumbersome. You cannot edit tracks so if you forget to download and erase the previous day's track you end up with two day's tracks overlapping the other. I've asked if the upgrade corrects these problems and they don't.

Has anyone got a suggestion for a good interface that supports NOAA charts that allows for better management? I'll dump Chartview Planner in a second if I find something more user friendly

Not sure if you're using a PC or a Mac, but there's a good program for the Mac called GPSy, you can download a demo, check it out at www.gpsy.com
You can use the nauticla BSB maps, USGS maps, tons of different maps, even scan in your own (like the Fish-N-Map company maps) then calibrate them with the software (figure out the datum, pick three points)
I soldered up a serial-to-GPS cable for my Lowrance handheld, (if you can't solder, you can buy cables on the site) I run it on my boat with a Mac laptop; nice big screen, pretty cool, helped me a lot in the fog up in Barkley Sound.

-N.

Nope, I use a PC. I was tipped to OziExplorer. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Hey Pitchpocket,

Do you have any of the nautical charts (BSB) on CD-ROM?? If so, I'd like to work out a trade for a copy. I'd like to try one out with my system, I'd like to see if they have any with bottom contours on there, but I don't want to pay $299 for something I might not be able to use.

Does anyone out there know of any digital bottom contour charts? For that matter, does anyone know of any good bottom contour charts, digital or otherwise, of the western Straight of Juan de Fuca, like Port Angeles and west? The Fish-N-Map maps only go to about Freshwater Bay, I'd like something that included Sekiu, Neah Bay, etc.

Any clues?

-N.