Found a new tool!
 

Often when planning a boat trip, I want to calculate the running distance from a launch point to a fishing destination. Often I know (say from Maptech) the lat/long for both points but the conversion to miles is tricky.

I found a website that does it for you (albeit in km) ...but that's an easy conversion (1 km = .62 miles).

http://www.movable-type.co.uk/scripts/latlong.html

How do you do it?

I just plug the two destination into my loran or GPS and let the machine do the calculation. Unless there is a large body of land in between its close enough.

if on the boat, do what mm says.

if you are at the desk I use google earth and the measure tool.

maptech, google, gps all work. But if you have the time get a chart and lay out the track there, it's better than a good book.

I didn't realize that Google Earth had a "measure tool," I'll have to check that out. The problem with using Google Earth is that it doesn't show any buoy markers (Bells etc.) or depth readings so when planning a spot out in the middle of the water, it can be difficult to locate the exact area. Since I have basically a "desk job," sometimes I do some float planning (when the boss isn't looking). It's easy just to get the coordinates for several spots on Maptech, then plug them into the tool I mentioned and get all the distances I need.

Of course, when on the boat I just use my Lowrance GPS to do the calcs for me.

i get the coordinates from maptech and plug them into google earth.

Zacs, thanks for the "heads up" on the google measure tool. I wasn't aware of it.