Chart software - recommendations??

Relax

Relax

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I have been pondering the purchase of charting/plotting software for my laptop for some time.

I will probably use a USB GPS to drive it rather than take a lead from the fixed Garmin set - not at all confident in getting this to work.

The main point tho is starting with a clean sheet which programme do I buy? I have used few on charters etc and they all seem to do the job (as long as you realise the limitations in tight quarters) but there is wide variation in price and coverage.

So ............... where do I spend the hard earned?? Answers on a postcard please......... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Seapro Here, I could not be more impressed. I have the standard version which was quite expesive, about £400 including UK and channl island charts. Great for tidal calculation and easy to use, only downside in my opinion is that is secured with a USB dongle, so to use it on the laptop at home i have to take the dongle home, plan the route, save the route file to a USB flash disk and then remember to take it all back to the boat.

Makes planning at home a joy, just need to remember everything.

BTW, connecting your fixed GPS to the pc is easy, a £1 serial connector from maplins, solder pins 2,3,5 on the plug to the nmea in/out and ground and you are away, if you laptop does not have a serial port then a serial to USB convertor works well

If you need more info then please ask or if you are in the chichester area you are more than welcome to come and have a play with it

Regards

Shaun
 
Seapro lite or standard - the standard is very powerful, more than most will ever need.

Full UK and French (Channel and Atlantic) charts £150 for both.
 
£400 seems a fair bit compared to some of the others on offer - I'll have a look.

Thanks for the info on the connection - already taken feeds out of the Garmin but was'nt sure of how to connect to the lappy.

(as you may have gathered I am a bit of a technoprole /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif)
 
I agree, £400 is steep. Seapro also sell a lite version for about £150, it does most things but does not calculate tidal drift etc, Not too sure of the other features, but a trawl through their website http://www.euronav.co.uk/Products/Leisure/ProductsLesuire.htm should help, you can download a demo of all the versions here as well.

BTW, i am not connected to euronav, just a fan of the product.

Other to consider maybe

Maptech, nobletec, Navmaster offshore and maxsea.

If i remember correctly the Challenge yachts used Maxsea with ARCS charts.

I ended up with seapro as it was easier for the rest of the crew to use, i am a technogeek and all the products seemed easy for me to use, the crew chose seapro on facilities and ease of use.
 
Did'nt note any votes for C-Map - which a few others have recommended to me.

My only real criteria are ease of use, coverage and cost - I'll have a troll though the web for the Seapro.

(BTW I am about as far as its possible to be from the Solent without actually being in Norway)
 
Download Seaclear 2 for free. Use a USB Gps puck. Make your own charts for your area or buy digital charts. Keep your handheld separate as a back up.

Try the seaclear first, no money involved. I use it in my commercial fishing vessel with digital navy charts, if I see a better bought programme I may change.
 
Maptech. Whole of the UK charts and software for £99,very user friendly. Can go for the Pro version for £299 but I found the cheaper version perfectly adequate.
 
Noticing now from the website that the UK wide Seapro lite is £100 more or less. This seems pretty good value against the others.

I know the 'features' (tide calculations and such) are fewer on this lite version but that does'nt bother me - but a last question - how is it on close in detail?

I cruised the west coast of Scotland last year and will be back this year (and praying for better weather) - but there are a number of places here where even tho you are not using the thing as a chart plotter as such you need a fair degree of detail on the chart - does it provide this?

I did use a plotter on a charter last year in Greece where just when I needed the detail (probably the only place in the Ionian) the detail pages just disappeared - cant remember the softwear used. Had to get the pilot book out and no damage done. It was also positionally miles out but I suppose thats just the datum needing correcting.
 
I use Software on Board, only £30 for a full license with a 3 month free trial and has AIS support and uses the best c-map MAX charts.

I have found it excellent and reliable, no crashes yet. Support is excellent with the online forum and updates are regular for new features like the GRIB overlay support.
 
I second SOB, have been using it for three years or so and now have added AIS ... which works with no probs. Also recently tried the GRIB overlay which is easy to use and useful.

Alan.
 
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