Electronic navigation charts usable with OpenCPN...

[Syserenity]

Hello to all...

I have bought a lot of paper charts for my crossing to the South Pacific. However, for the use of OpenCPN I haven't found yet a reasonable priced site to download all the charts I need.
The other day a Captain showed me a site at his IPad, with which he has a subscription for something like 50 dollars and is able to download all charts needed. But this site was not available for my Android and I don't know if for my computer with OpenCPN.

Can anyone of you tell me, how to work out with cheap charts to download?

Thanks already for your big help... and good wind

[edsailing]

Try Mr Google with CM93

[Albro359]

If its cheap, generally it's cheap...ie no good..
If you are serious you should buy a serious navigation suite and buy the real charts.
Paper charts also are essential..AND you should know, if you don't already, that many of the Pacific charts are out by MILES
WHY ?
'cos since all these island groups became independent they have to take up responsibility for updating the charts...and they don't..they have MUCH bigger issues to deal with than a few sailors cruising around their islands.
SO...even if you buy electronic charts for the Pacific they will be ot 'cos they're based on tge paper charts which haven't been updated.
There's a chart for Va'vau in Tonga which I think goes back to 1867 and its not only out lat/lon but North isn't North !!

BEWARE !!!!!!

[cagney]

@Syserenity
Have a look at Chart Sources | Official OpenCPN Homepage. All known free sources of charts are listed as well as short hints to available commercial charts.
A very good source for freely available NZ charts is this thread. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post1192731
There is a general coverage for large parts of the SP and detailed coverage for Cook Islands, Niue and Tonga.

@Albro359

If its cheap, generally it's cheap...ie no good.

Official US, Brazilian, Argentinian andNew Zealand charts, also charts for all inland European waterways are freely available and generally good.


Vava'u is a bad example from your side, as there is an updated NZ chart available (for OpenCPN), based partly on recent surveys. See link above.

Thomas

[Syserenity]

I did find 2 chart sources with .kap format. However, opencpn does not read them? I am overlooking the manual and - either I am stupid - or I cannot find the right text. Do I have to convert them first into some other format?

[cagney]

Installing Charts | Official OpenCPN Homepage