RYA /Admiralty Leisure Chart plotter Qs

[Richard_Peevor]

I was thinking about buying this package as an intro to electronic navigation (well the next step from a GPS anyway). I have watched the demo but had a couple of questions that I couldnt find the answer to..

1) If your GPS is compatible can you upload a route / waypoints onto the GPS to use when sailing but without the plotter / laptop. In other words - route plan at home and then take the route on the GPS to use alongside the paper charts..?

2) Does the plotter have tidal data.. can you route plan time / tide specific passages?

Many thanks

Rich

 

[david_bagshaw]

before you buy take a look at sea clear which is free & OZIEXPLORER ozi web paage & sea clear

have fun

 

[Talbot]

most laptops chart programmes are able to inteface between GPS/plotter systems in order to allow an upload of waypoints and routes - after all this is the best use of this combo (IMHO) . However some of the interface methods are by no means simple or even cheap. Therefore you will need to ask the specific question about the GPS you wish to interface.
Tide heights are frequently available from both GPS and plotter, however, the flow of the tide is not. The data is available from companies like Proudman, but is not cheap. Some Laptop programmes allow this data to be integrated, but a lot dont.
Some laptop programmes allow weather data to be integrated (e.g. maptech) in order to work out the best routes
Most programmes allow continuous access once you have paid for them - not just a year.
The best way to move into digital chart software is to decide what form of chart do you want to display - vector or raster IMHO he vector has so much more going for it, I would not bother with raster - but that s my opinion. Once you have decidded the chart system to use, this will reduce the options of applicable software.

A lot of people start with maptech cause there is a reasonable entry level cost, but the UK charts are not as modern as they could be, and expanding maptech into larger chart areas starts to become very expensive.

Go and do some more research at LIBS.

 

[Birdseye]

I suspect the answer to your first question is NO - can't say I noticed that facility when I used the plotter. The answer to your second question definitely is NO - the UKHO want to sell freely available tide data as another (expensive) product.

When you look at the price of other plotters, bear in mind that the UKHO one includes the charts. Software is cheap even foc. Charts are not - or at least I havent found a source of pirated charts yet!

 

[steverow]

No No No and No.
It has to be renewed every year.
As it's raster based it wont run in course up mode.
It wont run an autopilot.
It's visuals are often too small. With my eyes I cant read the GPS position off the screen. It's font is way too small.
Moving maps around the screen is difficult with the mouse, having to click on corner arrows.
Remember it was originally designed as a training package, and as an "introduction" to electronic navigation, and to that end it does what it says on the tin.
Do yourself a big favour and get a vector based system. There really is no comparison.
Ive been using it as a back up to my C-map vector system for under a year, and Ive now thrown it out in favour of Seaclear as my back up which is free and does more than the admiralty plotter as long as you are happy scanning your own raster paper charts in.
Mine has just expired with under 9 months usage..very annoying.

Say over three or four years at £40 quid a year you are well on the way to a decent vector plotter and most have tidal data and a host of other features too, including on some to download weather (grib) files and overlay them on the chart.
The RYA plotter doesnt have tidal data, but see this months MBY for a decent standalone tidal package for a tenner.
I'm looking forward to checking out the new C-map max system at LIBS next week.
The really big difference between raster and vector is ease of use. With vector the buoys are generally the right colour, and clicking on any object brings up a host of info on that charted object. With raster if it aint on the chart it 'aint there...no info.
Also you can zoom in without losing quality on the image, zooming in on the RYA chart results in a pixellated mess, just as if you had taken a large magnifying glass and were examining your chart in the minutest detail...which is of course on a raster chart exactly what you are doing.
Vector also allows seamless movement between charts.
I'm not saying that the RYA plotter isnt worth £40 quid, it is...but not year after year after year. You also, like me, may find that you need more than one folio..I do...and then its £80 every year....no I'm afraid not.


Steve.

 

[Guest]

You want an honest opinion .... well MY opinion - its a waste of money .... better to get a package like Seaclear - free on the web ..... Seaclear Download

and then purchase a set of charts or scan in your paper charts to suit. It does all the stuff that other expensive commercial packages do .... autopilot, upload / download waypoints .... RYA / Adm. Chart plotter doesn't even come close AND IT STOPS WORKING AT YEAR END regardless of when you buy .... so have to buy again for next year ....

or buy Maptech Lite with the chart pack of choice .... with no edn date - use as long as you like etc.

also check out the GPS Nav group > GPS Nav group which is a support and discussion group with over 1100 members worldwide ... free to join and participate ....