Digital Charts

[rhc21]

I am looking into getting some digital charts for my laptop to use on the boat. What if any do you recommend, I have been looking at Maptech and they seem good. I have played around with their Navigator Lite Software and as a start into this it looks easy. At present it will only be used for coastal sailing.
Any comments?

Richard.

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[reeferjon]

The Maptech charts are pretty good, and Offshore Navigator Lite that comes with them is excellent (considering it's free!)
As a first entry into digital charting, I'd spend #100 and get the maptech pack.





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[bendyone]

have a look at Seaclear software and scan your own charts.


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[wiggy]

I also use Seaclear http://www.sping.com/seaclear/ it is very good and free, charts take a little time to scan but are after all free.

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[Talbot]

Trouble with Maptech charts of UK is that they are not very up-to-date, so if you dont mind using oldcharts, or raster then use maptech.

Personally I prefer up to date vector charts, so am prepared to pay a bit more for them, and use C-Map

 

[Clive]

I purchased the Admiralty charts for the Solent, ( through the RYA) they look v.good and just like their paper charts, however if you wish to connect your GPS you need to connect through a Coms port not a USB. which is a real problem for me and one I have not sorted out yet.

Whilst they are up todate and cheap they have a built in shelf life and need replacing every year.

I also looked at Maptech, but their last revision date for the Solent was 1999 or 2000, too out of date for my liking.

Quickstep

<hr width=100% size=1>Clive

 

[wiggy]

You can buy usb to setrial adaptors very cheaply I use one that cam with laptops bought by my employer, they were not needed, as far as I can tell made in Taiwan but otherwise no manufacturer. PM me for any further in on these.

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[rhc21]

Thanks guys, gives me some more options and thoughts.

Richard

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[Talbot]

You can add in the appropriate corrections to the charts in the Admiralty small charts folio, but the UKHO dont make it easy. You have to look at each small chart and take the data from it of which full scale admiralty chart was used in its construction, and then get the corrections for the large scale chart and apply to the small craft chart - pain in the preverbial. Whereas with C-Map you can actually get an email update for your charts (providing you are using the charts on the laptop)

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[Talbot]

my personal favourite for laptop use is <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.chartwork.com/html/winchart_nexus.html>Winchart Nexus</A> using c-map charts. You can also overlay weather data. If you are a diver or angler, they also have another system that is even more full of features.

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[Birdseye]

Depends on how much you want to spend and how complicated you want it. I like the new RYA / UKHO chartplotter which provides the raster charts of an area for about (from memory) £40 all inc. It is only valid for a year, so the following year you buy again but it is up to date. And the coverage works out equivalent to about £3 per charts. No tides and no link to things like autohelm. Instead its a simnple basic system without the bells and whistles that you dont usually use anyway, and its designed with simplicity of use as a key thing.

I am impressed by it, and would certainly recommend it as a starting point since you dont know how you will actually want to use electronic plotting yet. Lappy battery life is a real problem issue for example.

And it happily worked through a USB port on my laptop,

<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it.

 

[[3889]]

I looked at the admiralty pack - I don't think £40 for a product most people will use for 6 months is very cheap, £100 for maptech over a much larger area and lasting forever seems a much better bet.

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[alahol2]

I'll second SeaClear. Gave it a first runout this weekend round the Solent. Considering it's free, apart from a couple of hours work scanning charts, it seems amazingly accurate. As a way of getting into chart plotters, it seems a good idea to give it a run for a couple of weekends and see how you get on with it. It could save a fair amount of money if you find using a laptop not to your liking and decide to go for a dedicated plotter.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.troppo.co.uk> Follow the Tightwad Sailor</A>

 

[MainlySteam]

I go along with that and is in fact what I did to develop my own thoughts as to what my preferences were before commiting to software (application and charts) costs. SeaClear is made more attractive here (NZ) for doing that as the scans of all our charts are available off the internet. In the end I went for a PC based system using official charts (it uses raster and vector charts according to availability).

John

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[markdj]

The new RYA chartplotter software is excellent. If you want a more advanced software version, check out Meridian Seatrak which uses ARCS charts. Very easy to use with GPS, AP control, tides, routes, WPs, MOB, dead reckoning if GPS fails, anchor alarm. I haven't looked at the instructions once!!! It runs perfect on a 400MHz laptop and there is no redraw time. Website is at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.rcds.co.uk>http://www.rcds.co.uk</A>




MarkdJ

<hr width=100% size=1>Princess Owners Club
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.princessownersclub.com>http://www.princessownersclub.com</A>

 

[dick_james]

I used Seaclear for the first time in anger last weekend and this one. Excellent package, better and more intuitive than some you can pay serious money for. Ok had to spend a few hours scanning charts in but then the displayed chart is the same as my paper chart. When I update, just rescan relevent section, stitch over original and job's done. It's spot b*ll*ck accurate and free. What more do you want£ (ok, tides)

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[Guest]

Try the GPS Navigator group,

you can have all sorts of comments and advise on various software etc.

Free software in form of Seaclear allied to scanned or commercially available BSB charts - gives very good coverage and is easy to use with very good manual included. It certainly rivals the commercial software and does a very good job.
Maptech Lite does also a very good job and is good intro to the full Offshore Navigator package. But is limited on chart formats.
Fully comprehensive chartuing packages that use more formats are based on professional packages but pocket burners in way of prices !!

Join the group ........ near 1000 members now ... around the world ...


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/