Laptop Software.

[DKnight]

Trying to get my foot on the first level of PC Navigation software (The only reason I am allowing a laptop on board is so that I can keep in touch with the office, and have entertainment for the family) . I have short listed Sea Pro Lite, Maxsea Lite and Tsunamis Navigator.

I generally sail on the East Coast, Thames, Northern France, Belguim & Holland, it seems to me that the main criteria is that the quality of the charts, as some manufacturers do not do certain areas very well, and sometimes give just enough information for route planning.

Any one got any useful opinions or experiance with any of these????

DK

 

[Robin2]

I found a free navigation program on the internet. Ask Google to find SeaClear. You will have to scan in your own charts. It just comes with a very large map of Europe - but what do you expect at that price !

I got it to communicate with my Garmin GPS12 with no bother - but that's all I have tried so far.

 

[david_bagshaw]

I use oziexplorer(www.oziexplorer.com), about 85 us dollars, yes I know it is mainly aimed at land use , but works fine for self scanned charts.

quite a few things can be done with it , by using the track route, downloaded from yourgps. see my site on the following link http://www.euroboating.net/yachtman/ymlinks/links.html for some pointers .

Personally I prefer the self scanned chart method as then you have uptodate paper & electronics, at the same time , without the costs associated with the chip charts, of whateversystem.

David
www.euroboating.net

 

[steveh]

try Memory-Map - http://www.memory-map.co.uk/maps_uk_onland.htm
Good price - uses your own scanned charts, OS maps and Maptech charts amongst many others. I use with a heldheld and Garmin 12 GPS.

 

[Guest]

If anyone interested ..... I started a Yahoo E-Group sometime ago to promote all apsects of boating and can be used by all you guys to post / upload software etc.

If you have a freeware / shareware number that works - you think is useful then why not give it a go ....

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/my_yacht/

Get a Yahoo Id and log-in and enjoy ..... the more the better, no matter where you are in the world !!

 

[rogerm]

I would have thought that an A4 size scan of any useful chart, other than perhaps a large scale chart just used for route planning, was a bit restrictive..... or am I missing something...
Or can you get a bigger size scan than A4 somewhere?
Roger

 

[Guest]

Scan in segments and then stitch ......

Many have had excellent results with it - I found it difficult and untidy !!

 

[david_bagshaw]

Yes I agree with you it is difficult, but then I found a handy prog called panavue, and the results are excellent, giving a truly seemless overlap.

www.panavue.com

havago!!!

David
www.euroboating.net

 

[Guest]

Anybody for a scan upload to library ?

Downloaded it long ago .... made it easier, but I got fed up with all the pallaver !!

Found it easier to ask others if they had copies they could split and e-mail to me !!

Now thats an idea ...... Anybody for uploading scans for others to use and benefit from ? If everyone did their fair share, then it wouldn't take long to have a reasonable library - and interesting I reckon from the wide world !!

 

[wakeup]

Re: Anybody for a scan upload to library ?

Ever heard of copyright laws?

yada yada..

 

[Guest]

Re: Anybody for a scan upload to library ?

It was a quick post and not really to be taken so seriously !!!

But of course it depends what you upload !!!!

Debbie does Dallas !!

 

[wakeup]

Re: Anybody for a scan upload to library ?

You mean we could turn this forum into the Napster of Marine Charts |-)

Now there's a thought ;-)

yada yada..

 

[johna]

Have a hard look at www.neptune-navigation.com I believe this program provides the best combination of electronic planning and plotting with paper chart use.

OK the electronic charts are coastline only but you can add whatever you like in the way of information and waypoints. You can download waypoints and routes to the GPS and record your track. The planning function allows optimisation of departure time for either legs or routes.

Download a trial from the web page.

johna

 

[Guest]

Re: Anybody for a scan upload to library ?

To join the myriad of junk e-mails I get announcing free Napster porn !!

Now there IS a thought !!!!!

 

[brianrunyard]

You can download a free demo of OziExplorer from Oziexplorer.com, which is a full working version appart from, it uses less calibration points and you can't change the Datum. If you pay you can unlock the software to get all the features.
You can then scan your own charts, and stitch them together using Panavue.

Brian
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/brunyard