RYA Training Chartplotter

[Talbot]

I had a good look at the new RYA digital chart plotter for training the other day. I have to say that the offering that we were given was treated with derision by the majority of people on my course. If this is supposed to represent the normal digital navigation system in use in boats, something is seriously wrong with it. Furthermore it is supposed to show the difference between vector and raster chart systems, The sample of vector mapping is nothing short of attrocious. I would be ashamed to even show it as software in middle of development, and distribution of this as the example of their training system is going to reflect very badly on the competence of RYA training. Furthermore the majority of colleges that will use this system will install it on a networked system, but it doesnt work on a networked system, only on a stand alone.

The system is a rabid dog that needs to be put out of its misery.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Cornishman]

Funny, that. Most people I have spoken with think it is very good. Have you made your concerns to the RYA Training Division? Or perhaps you are not a member? The plotter was the result of two years of a joint development program between the RYA and the Admiralty Hydrographic Dept.
R U sure about colleges using networks? Where I teach we don't.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Talbot]

Have been a member of the RYA for abt 17 years.

Chichester college where I am doing my course do have a network

Are you seriously stating that you consider the vector chart example to be an adequate representation, if so have you ever seen a real vector chart?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[steverow]

Have to agree that the vector charts are a joke, but the simulator is not bad.
Especially as you can set it to 60 knots!!
I hope the Admiralty do a lot better when they eventually do get properly into vector charts.

I have the "real" version for the Bristol channel and S. Wales, which I use as a back up to my much loved C-map on PC, but the RYA plotter has some serious shortcomings.
GPS and Nav info display FAR too small, No autopilot interface, No head up or course up relative mode, takes far too long to get at charted object information and again display of it far too small....etc etc.
Surely it wouldnt cost the earth to code in for it to send out the APB sentence via another port..at least that would make it partially useful.
The only up side is that it only costs 39.99 or thereabouts, but mine is now merrily warning me that it expires on Dec 31st. I will have to think long and hard whether I want to buy a new disk, because the cost of ownership is now stacking up to something like Maptech lite..which is probably far better.

However it seems a waste of time all round because there are no questions on electronic chartplotting in this years yachtmaster exam..so what is the point other than a rather poor demonstration.
If the RYA were serious about chartplotters surely they could have taken an off the shelf product from somebody like C-map which would have been far better.

Steve.


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Talbot]

As a working system it is nowhere near as good as Seaclear, and thats free!


I will accept that the simulator bit is pretty nifty,

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Marsupial]

Yes right, they should have asked the people who have been using DECCA and GPS for years and thousands of safe miles, the people who understand the limitations and "challenge everything", the very skippers they been have been deriding for years - the ones who know how to to use the kit - instead they ask "the experts" who have been giving electronic positional fixing systems a wide berth for years - result - we get a dog breakfast to teach with. mutter mutter mutter



<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Birdseye]

You're missing the point. Its not supposed to be a representation of commercial systems - thats effectively an impossibility anyway since they all differ and have different facilities. For example, how could you represent a dedicated plotter (as opposed to a pc based one) on a pc with keyboard entry?

What it is for is a/ to use as a simulator eg demonstrating the effect of tide on the track, or easily showing chartwork, bearings etc b/ to illustrate the possibilities and the pitfalls of electronic nav eg the difficulty of passage planning electronically for example.

So far I've found it moderately useful with my class in its simulator role, but it has given me the problem that I either have to select pupils who can use a PC (surprising how many cannot particularly amongst the older generation) or waste time teaching "this is a mouse".

The vector problem comes about because it was developed in conjunction with the UKHO who reputedly had to be dragged kicking and screaming into providing anything other than raster. So it does look a bit like an effort to sell raster not vector.

If you're teaching using this plotter it is worth going on the course the RYA run.


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

 

[Talbot]

Not missing the point at all.

It is a teaching aid that puports to show the difference between vector and raster charts. This aspect sucks!

Your second point about not being able to show how a chart plotter works cause you are using a keyboard and mouse is absolute nonsense - if you had said that there is no standardisation between dedicated plotter HCI I would accept that, still doesnt stop the creation of a hybrid, and the comment is just as valid concerning PC based chart systems.

As a simulator it has good value - but that was not the sole reason for its introduction.

<hr width=100% size=1>