The photo above shows the chart table and other equipment located in the Nav Station. In the photo you can see (left to right) the RADAR head, a laptop computer, the fuse panel, main electrical switches and circuit breakers, and you can just barely see the VHF radio's microphone hanging on the wall.
The laptop can be used in combination with an electronic chart to create waypoints (a specific lat / long location) and routes (a path of multiple waypoints). You can then download the waypoints/routes onto the GPS, which can in turn be used to control the autopilot. Once the routes are downloaded into the GPS, you can disconnect and stow the laptop ... you don't need to leave it connected while underway (though if you DO leave it connected then it will monitor and display your current position and other information).
Also, the laptop is not absolutely required to achieve the electronic navigation ... You can do the same waypoint/route editing using just the GPS, but the mouse, keyboard, and larger screen of the laptop make it much easier to create and edit the routes. The laptop shown does not come with the boat, but any laptop with a standard 9-pin serial connector on it will work. And we WILL provide you with the electronic chart kits we have for the southeastern US coast.