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Old 15-12-2017, 11:56   #1
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Latest In Navigation

Have been reading through the latest threads on this and see most refer to Apple products. I have a new to me boat with an old chartplotter. Need to have something up to date for a trip around the bottom of Florida, the Keys and up the west coast.
I use Android tablets. Tried the Navionics trial and it was OK. Seemed kind of cartoonish compared to paper charts. Is this a good system to use on a laptop and tablet for coastal cruising? What does one need to buy up front? A subscription or one of the many, many listed Apps on the store and what charts?
Sounds like many have gone away from chartplotters altogether? In aviation we buy a Gramin unit and keep it updated - all is good after that. This multiple apps and charts has me plenty confused. Any advice without the snarky stuff?
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Old 15-12-2017, 12:15   #2
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Re: Latest In Navigation

OpenCPN - is pretty good. And Free! I run it on Windows Laptop and Android Tablet and an Android Phone. Free (or pirated) charts are available.
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Old 15-12-2017, 12:48   #3
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Re: Latest In Navigation

We're in Florida and made a similar trip as you are planning. We did all of our navigation for more than a year using Navionics on an iPad and on an iPhone. The charts were spot on and did a great job.
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Old 15-12-2017, 13:55   #4
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Re: Latest In Navigation

In the States, where official charts are free for downloading, the combination of open CPN and official charts is hard to beat. In fact, I don't understand why anyone goes for commercial alternatives.

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Old 15-12-2017, 14:05   #5
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Re: Latest In Navigation

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Cate View Post
In the States, where official charts are free for downloading, the combination of open CPN and official charts is hard to beat. In fact, I don't understand why anyone goes for commercial alternatives.

Jim
The only reason to go for a commercial alternative is for a reasonable, daylight viewable display at the helm. Otherwise, OpenCPN and downloading the free NOAA charts is better than most commercial alternatives.

In fact if I didn't spend a good bit of time navigating the ICW where it's really handy to have a plotter in front of your I wouldn't see any need for a commercial unit.
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Old 15-12-2017, 14:08   #6
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Re: Latest In Navigation

I bought a Garmin chartplotter (on sale for $650 - 50% off) only because it integrates sonar with it.

I think OpenCPN is the future unless you want super-easy plug-n-play Garmin. You can buy 10 inch windows tablets for $175 that will run it.
Unless you seriously fish, an outboard depth meter can provide that bit.

Of course if someone made a transducer driver, OpenCPN could probably do the sonar thing through its soundcard ...
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Old 15-12-2017, 14:16   #7
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Re: Latest In Navigation

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Originally Posted by Jim Cate View Post
In the States, where official charts are free for downloading, the combination of open CPN and official charts is hard to beat. In fact, I don't understand why anyone goes for commercial alternatives.

Jim
I have tried OpenCPN, and found it fussy and confusing, and overall not a good solution--for me. Lots of people love it, but there are lots who do not. My opinion might be a bit colored by my sailing in areas where NOAA charts are not available. A Navionics chip in my MFD is a lot easier, cheaper, and more easily updated than the options I was able to find for OpenCPN.

I use a commercial Multifunction display which has a more useful feature set, and it is safe to have at the helm--where I need it. It's robust, waterproof, integrates easily with everything else, displays everything I want, and is easy to see in full sun. It is my primary "situational awareness tool" while underway.

I use iSailor on a tablet, to do some planning, but find tablets to be piss poor devices for navigation. You can't see them in the sun. Most touch screens no longer function with a few drops of water on the screen. Their batteries have a life too short for me, and once you open the case to plug them in to power they are no longer waterproof. I love my tablet for lots of things on the boat, but as a primary navigation tool... not so much.

We go nowhere without paper charts which are our primary planning tool.
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Old 15-12-2017, 14:45   #8
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Re: Latest In Navigation

this seems good thread to ask:

what is the difference Open CPN vs SAS Planet ?

I can understand what sas does, download photos and with gps can see where one is going. Very simple and robust. But dont get what CPN does?
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Old 15-12-2017, 14:48   #9
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Re: Latest In Navigation

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Originally Posted by billknny View Post
I have tried OpenCPN, and found it fussy and confusing, and overall not a good solution--for me. Lots of people love it, but there are lots who do not. My opinion might be a bit colored by my sailing in areas where NOAA charts are not available. A Navionics chip in my MFD is a lot easier, cheaper, and more easily updated than the options I was able to find for OpenCPN.

I use a commercial Multifunction display which has a more useful feature set, and it is safe to have at the helm--where I need it. It's robust, waterproof, integrates easily with everything else, displays everything I want, and is easy to see in full sun. It is my primary "situational awareness tool" while underway.

I use iSailor on a tablet, to do some planning, but find tablets to be piss poor devices for navigation. You can't see them in the sun. Most touch screens no longer function with a few drops of water on the screen. Their batteries have a life too short for me, and once you open the case to plug them in to power they are no longer waterproof. I love my tablet for lots of things on the boat, but as a primary navigation tool... not so much.

We go nowhere without paper charts which are our primary planning tool.
I won't try to argue with your personal preferences, but you should note that the OP was interested in a specific voyage around the bottom of Florida, and last I knew that was part of the NOAA charting area.

I do agree that tablets don't make good cockpit displays, no matter whose software is used. I don't need a plotter at the helm much, having grown up with only paper charts, so the issue of daylight viewing is less important to me. When in those circumstances where I do want to see the plotter, I put the laptop on the bench just inside the companionway, and that is usually adequate. I don't like MFDs myself, and prefer separate instrument displays, so that colours my choices too. As always YMMV...

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Old 15-12-2017, 15:56   #10
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Re: Latest In Navigation

I'm an old, someone said ancient, navy trained navigator. I use OpenCPN as a backup program and it should be fine for any coastal cruiser. You may have to view your screen inside, but you don't spend a deck watch staring at a chart.
If you use OpenCPN you should consider a donation. Many people must put a lot of effort into a "free" program.
Free US charts are here for the downloading: Quick Links
Coast Pilots here: https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publ...lot/index.html
They are updating their site so these links may move a little.
Charts are listed by Naval district.
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Old 15-12-2017, 16:38   #11
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Re: Latest In Navigation

Tablet is ok for backup. Go buy this 7" Garmin, daylight readable, waterproof, antenna builtin and preloaded with the USA and Bahamas Charts for Under $300. The Garmin charts for the Bahamas are some of the best. Latter add a transducer and you got a depth sounder and fishfinder.

https://www.mygreenoutdoors.com/garm...YaAqCQEALw_wcB
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Old 15-12-2017, 21:24   #12
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Re: Latest In Navigation

I have completed two fairly long coastal cruises over the same ground since 2012, the first using OpenCPN and CM93 charts, from just north of Brisbane on the east coast of Australia to Exmouth on the west and back, and the second from Fremantle on the west coast to Brisbane on the east using an Raymarine "a" series MFD with Navionics charts.

To give an idea of the distances involved the track mileage for the recent trip (still underway) is nearly 4,000 nm and these voyages take in both the Kimberley and Great Barrier Reef coasts and consequently might be described as "complex" navigation wise.

What did I like about OpenCPN?

The cost. I ran it on a $300 10" Asus netbook with a SSD which sent nav data to the Raymarine 4000 autopilot via a $90 Digitech USB to RS422/485 converter.

Man did I love that little setup. I could do my course planning at evening on my big screen laptop over a glass of red and transfer the .gpx file to the little Asus to run the courses the next day.

The extant voyage has been done using the "a" series and although the cost is way more at about $1,600 (these are Australian dollars), other than not being able to connect it to the autopilot because it only has nmea 2000, I am fairly impressed with it and the Navionics charts.

In the hope that I could do my course planning and transfer the .gpx files to the MFD via wifi I purchased a software program marketed by Raymarine but sourced from Fugawi but have never been able to get it to work and without the nmea connection to the autopilot and tend to just use the MFD as a sort of marine road map.

Since I mainly day sailed this has proven to work out OK but I don't get the short naps I was willing to risk with the OpenCPN/autopilot combination.

I am going to stick with OpenCPN/nav computer setup because I like it's practicality and minimal cost but continue with wrestling with the Fugawi/nmea 2000/MFD problem because I love a challenge.
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Old 16-12-2017, 05:49   #13
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Re: Latest In Navigation

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyingriki View Post
I have a new to me boat with an old chartplotter. Need to have something up to date for a trip around the bottom of Florida, the Keys and up the west coast.
I use Android tablets. Tried the Navionics trial and it was OK. Seemed kind of cartoonish compared to paper charts.
There are other Android nav apps that use raster charts instead of vector. One is MX Mariner, inexpensive app, free NOAA raster charts. Have never had any issues making it work, and we use it as one of our multiple back-ups to the installed plotter.

(Plan2Nav is another Android app; uses vector charts, possibly like Navionics. Free app, then you buy the C-Map vector charts.)

Daylight visibility for most tablets can be an issue; we have a relatively shaded helm station, so not as much of an issue. Direct sunlight can also cause overheating/shutdown for some tablet, too; haven't experienced that. For us, a tablet with nav app is not viable as primary plotter, but they do very well as back-ups.

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Old 16-12-2017, 06:57   #14
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Re: Latest In Navigation

Do you happen to know if the charts are updatable on this discontinued unit? I know I could update my aviation Garmin long after they stopped making them....
To find out here One must download a Garmin product just to find out.



Quote:
Originally Posted by puffcard View Post
Tablet is ok for backup. Go buy this 7" Garmin, daylight readable, waterproof, antenna builtin and preloaded with the USA and Bahamas Charts for Under $300. The Garmin charts for the Bahamas are some of the best. Latter add a transducer and you got a depth sounder and fishfinder.

https://www.mygreenoutdoors.com/garm...YaAqCQEALw_wcB
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Old 16-12-2017, 10:39   #15
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Re: Latest In Navigation

Actually it doesn't matter. Found a great deal on another version of this at West Marine today but it has no option to use it off the boat other than monkey rigging up some kind of 12 volt power off a battery. If I can't use it at home to learn and program it does me no good....
Back to Open CPN and Navionics.


Thank you for all the suggestions!
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