Has anybody linked up Google earth with a chart plotter?

[Capt Cautious]

GE imagery can be horrendously innaccurate. I've put a little tutorial online (www.anglingcharts.com) on correcting the errors for amateur use. If you run gpsmapedit you can store a massive amount of GE data for offline use, it connects to a gps, can be corrected for Google Earth position errors on the fly, and does everything I need. I run my own charts in it, and sometimes use GE for a basis for them, but NEVER rely on it. Errors in the west of ireland are up to 100m in the low res areas, and are about 10m in the high res areas. In a 20m wide channel thats rather fundamental.
CC

 

[onesea]

Google Earth

Must admit crawling in and out of creeks I often use GE on my phone to give an indication of the channel particularly where charts are bit vague.. Then I have also been known to Navigate with my GPS showing OS maps... And have found road maps useful to! Charts yes I have them to....
Its a matter of using all available information AND understanding the limitations of it...

 

[Cookee]

Navionics Platinum charts on Raymarine plotters have the option of a google earth overlay as well as full pilot books and approach photos of harbours - brilliant! They also have full tidal and current information embedded in them ........

 

[RogerG]

Navionics Platinum charts on Raymarine plotters have the option of a google earth overlay as well as full pilot books and approach photos of harbours - brilliant! They also have full tidal and current information embedded in them ........

Anybody with an Android OS in their phone or tablet can also download Navionics charts direct to their device. I have just downloaded the UK and Holland charts to my android gps enabled smartphone. The charts are zoomable and have tide and current information just like other Navionics charts. Waypoints and routes can also be entered by touch and saved for recall. They also have the GE maps overlay feature, although I have not yet worked out if they can be cached for offline use. The whole dowloaded package is less than £20! Great for a backup or planning.

Roger

 

[CreakyDecks]

This video impressed me. A guy has been playing with a side imaging sonar on his kayak in the Bristol Channel, saving the data from multiple trips and then overlaying this on Google Earth. Imagine what things will be like in ten years time, when this tech gets cheap, if everyone is collecting and sharing scan data after every trip out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KONkmb2ds-4