Plotting a position on Navionics (exclusion zone or distress)

[stav]

Hi,

Sailing between Herm and Jersey last weekend it become apparent that an exclusion zone was still in place and because I had been enjoying the sail had wandered quite close to it. I was using a tablet and navionics for tracking my progress. I tried to put a pin in an exact location and then was going to use the dividers to keep the distance away from it but could not seem to place a pin and edit it's position so gave up with that and went on a paper chart and plotted the point and then got a bearing and distance from the light house and then used the dividers to identify the centre of the exclusion zone. I did then also upload the way point for the centre of the exclusion zone on my old GPS and then set that as a way point which showed on the repeater in the cockpit where I could keep the necessary distance from it.

Am I missing a trick using the navionics app? Is there a way to do this? Is the c-map better at this? Perhaps I should upgrade to a plotter, do the modern ray marine/Etal have this sort of function? Also made me wonder about open cpn?

I ask more for the future as can retire in 1yr, 49wks, and 35seconds and hope to sail further afield and was going to use tablets for navigation with basic secondhand paper chart coverage.

Sorry so long and hope it makes sense.

 

[lektran]

If you use the search magnifying glass in the top left corner of the screen and then select lat/long in the top right corner, then you can locate the screen on an exact position. From there you can drop a marker on that point. I don’t think you can move a marker once it's set

 

[Tranona]

Can't help with the details of putting a pin on Navionics. Tablets are viable for navigation when cruising but they have downsides, particularly battery life and viewing in sunlight. Whether you can rely on them on their own really depends on your approach to navigation. Clearly more versatile than "chart table" navigation in that you can take them into the cockpit, but less versatile than a dedicated chart plotter mounted in the cockpit with a repeater of some sort at the chart table. The major advantage of a modern chart plotter is that you can integrate it with your instruments and autopilot. However if you don't have the instruments to do this it is a moot point. You still have the advantage with a cockpit mounted plotter of continual monitoring of progress and real time pilotage.

I have had a fully integrated system with plotter at the helm and found the greatest value was for setting up routes monitoring progress and pilotage. actual planning was done on a mix of paper charts and a tablet down below that could be either freestanding with its own system (Navionics) or connected by wireless to the main Garmin. The ability to control the autopilot from the plotter was also useful at times. However I only used a fraction of the possible functions as my cruising was modest. The £8k+ of gear (no radar) was rather wasted on me, but came as part of the package on a new boat. On my latest (old) boat much of that would be wasted so I have installed just the bits I find useful, of which the freestanding Garmin plotter in the cockpit is the most important, then the tablet with Navionics.

One can get carried away with the possibilities and for some exploring the capabilities is part of the fun. For others who are happy with just making their "traditional" approach easier there is a lot to be said for keeping it simple. Easier on the pocket as well.

 

[stav]

If you use the search magnifying glass in the top left corner of the screen and then select lat/long in the top right corner, then you can locate the screen on an exact position. From there you can drop a marker on that point. I don’t think you can move a marker once it's set

Great thank you, that works a treat!! Just to say the exclusion zone has now been cancelled for anyone reading this!

 

[stav]

Can't help with the details of putting a pin on Navionics. Tablets are viable for navigation when cruising but they have downsides, particularly battery life and viewing in sunlight. Whether you can rely on them on their own really depends on your approach to navigation. Clearly more versatile than "chart table" navigation in that you can take them into the cockpit, but less versatile than a dedicated chart plotter mounted in the cockpit with a repeater of some sort at the chart table. The major advantage of a modern chart plotter is that you can integrate it with your instruments and autopilot. However if you don't have the instruments to do this it is a moot point. You still have the advantage with a cockpit mounted plotter of continual monitoring of progress and real time pilotage.

I have had a fully integrated system with plotter at the helm and found the greatest value was for setting up routes monitoring progress and pilotage. actual planning was done on a mix of paper charts and a tablet down below that could be either freestanding with its own system (Navionics) or connected by wireless to the main Garmin. The ability to control the autopilot from the plotter was also useful at times. However I only used a fraction of the possible functions as my cruising was modest. The £8k+ of gear (no radar) was rather wasted on me, but came as part of the package on a new boat. On my latest (old) boat much of that would be wasted so I have installed just the bits I find useful, of which the freestanding Garmin plotter in the cockpit is the most important, then the tablet with Navionics.

One can get carried away with the possibilities and for some exploring the capabilities is part of the fun. For others who are happy with just making their "traditional" approach easier there is a lot to be said for keeping it simple. Easier on the pocket as well.

Tend to be a 'keep it simple' sort of person. Suits me and my pocket!!!! I do carry two tablets and have my phone. I do still have my yeoman plotter and stand alone GPS. I think having resolved that I can plot a position is the most fundamental thing to be able to do. It is more the cost of the charts for plotters that is the killer to the plotter deal. Though an integrated B+G plotter and radar would be nice....... But I need new rigging and mainsail and a roller reefer and a windpilot before that!!!!

 

[Tranona]

I have a Garmin like this force4.co.uk/item/Garmin/Echomap-UHD-75cv-Chartplotter-Fishfinder-Combo/1078 which has preloaded charts and is probably the best value of the mainstream plotters.

This is also worth looking at particularly if you want AIS. avesmarine.com/product/onwa-kp39a-enhanced-ais/

 

[Sandy]

Being an old fuddy duddy, I retired in January 2020, I do love my papercharts and would have done exactly what you did. I don't think any electronic system will allow you to enter an exclusion zone apart from a series of waypoints - even then you can't 'join the dots' to assist you.

As an experiment I did a passage from Plymouth to Peterhead via Dover with just electronic navigation I was not comfortable with it at all. On the return leg pulled out all my paper charts. Seeing waypoints and fixes on paper gives me far more confidence in what is happening.

With Plymouth being a fairly active port with lots of Royal Navy movements the exclusion zones round their ships and submarines would be interesting on an electronic device... the men in black in the ribs make sure you don't get to close.

 

[stav]

I have a Garmin like this force4.co.uk/item/Garmin/Echomap-UHD-75cv-Chartplotter-Fishfinder-Combo/1078 which has preloaded charts and is probably the best value of the mainstream plotters.

This is also worth looking at particularly if you want AIS. avesmarine.com/product/onwa-kp39a-enhanced-ais/

That Garmin looks quite nice actually, I did look at the onwa stuff and friend has that model but looking at the spec the next model up has a better screen but then the Garmin is only a bit more again.......... but I have bought their AIS transceiver and seems to work well.

 

[Laser310]

I don't think any electronic system will allow you to enter an exclusion zone apart from a series of waypoints - even then you can't 'join the dots' to assist you.

PC nav programs - running on say a laptop - will let you do exactly that.

I use Expedition.

you can draw lines, polygons.., shade the polygons a bright color with configurable opacity, set an alarm if you enter the polygon.., etc...

a good feature of the polygons is that when you create them - usually just by drawing with a mouse or track pad - you an add notes that will display when you mouse over the polygon.

usually a line will have the bearing displayed along side

at any waypoint you create you can have a circle - a range ring - around it.

the problem is you can't take the laptop into the cockpit. I also have a win 10 tablet (Panasonic Toughpad) running nav software, but it;'s a bit of a pain.

 

[Never Grumble]

As far as I am aware limited options on Navionics on a tablet. Being able to draw an exclusion zone would be useful for the Round the Island Race where you aren't allowed too close in near Seaview. I believe some B&G plotters will allow you to draw in an exclusion zone. On Navionics I plotted a waypoint in each corner and then used the measuring feature (dividers) to draw a line between and then drop waypoints along it. If some one knows of a better way I'd be pleased to learn.