[Epiphany]

Bermuda,

Looks like you''re on the cutting edge. Just a couple more questions. Iridium seems to be the only satphone with truly global reach (no gaps). Even though I don''t plan to be in some the gap areas (poles and the Southern Ocean), something about that appeals to me. Then again, I read something about Iridium being Motorola''s "failed system".

Question 2: If I buy a boat with existing equipment, i.e. radar, GPS, chartplotter, NIMEA compatiblity seems to be crucial. Would I be better off buying a boat with minimal equipment and installing a complete integrated system, e.g. RayTech?

Question 3: I''ve found laptops ranging from plain Jane to ruggedized to semi-marinixed, to fully marinized. Top of the line so far appears to be Argonaut whose fully marinized laptops start at over $5k and go all the way to just under $8k. Considering the potential of worst-possible sea conditions, is that kind of investment worth it? One site I visited even suggested buying two ruggedized laptops with one kept in a Pelican case as a spare. Your thoughts will be appreciated.