Route Planning with Google Earth

[gauvins]

I cannot figure how to (conveniently) build routes using Google Earth. I can import waypoints from my chartplotter, I can do rough calculations with the ruler tool, but I can't play with a dynamic route (i.e. add delete waypoints and recompute total distance)

Can this be done?

[scook1]

I only have the free download of Google Earth. This sound like something that may be possible with the purchase version. Does anyone have that one?
Spencer

[Tempest245]

I've seen this done....using the KML files...there's is software out there that will do it, I suppose you can write your own code of you know how. A buddy of mine did it.

Here's a quick link that I found...but I know there are more sites out there..

Your Tracks and Waypoints in Google Earth

http://www.oziexplorer.com/

[butxeta]

Try that: Millometro

It's in spanish, but not so much to read.

[Grasshopper]

I have maintained the $400 something subscription for my engineering company and I can't say that by itself, either version (free or paid) are very convenient for easy trip planning. I haven't looked at the above links yet, I was only speaking to the difference in versions.

[Seahunter]

The short answer is "yes", but you need to make sure your GPS is connected to GE. You can download the appropriate info from EarthNC – Nautical Data for a Digital World, including up to date charts from Google Ocean : marine data for Google Maps / Google Earth or Navimatics - US Marine Charts (these are free). The software is built in.

[Pelagic]

"We should not moor a boat with one anchor, nor one's life with one hope."
Epictetus


I take it....Epictetus was not a sailor? ...

[Seahunter]

LOL, my guess is that you might not be too well read on Epictetus. Considering the times he lived, a ship from that period of time would definitely have had 2 anchors. Coins from that period do show this. If he was in fact blind; then perhaps my response would be different; he was merely a cripple who obviously spent some time on ships of the period.
However, I didn't choose the quote without reason. Been there, done that.

[svbillabong]

The easiest way I've found is to use Oziexplorer (or any chart program that exports KML).. Import the KML file into GE to double check the locations. You can adjust them save and re-import to finalize the route.

I used Google Earth all the time during our 5.5 year trip, the hardest part is building the cache for offline use. Check out our 33,000 miles of GPS tracks both maps and KML files.

[_srf]

I have found an application recently, which can be used by ships for route planning on the seas. (Searoute finder - The Ultimate Tool for Optimizing Sea Routes)
I could not drag and drop the vertices of the polyline to update the distance I got, but I sent them a request to add that feature, so I hope they'll soon update!

[JasonRobinson]

Originally Posted by _srf

I have found an application recently, which can be used by ships for route planning on the seas. (Searoute finder - The Ultimate Tool for Optimizing Sea Routes)
I could not drag and drop the vertices of the polyline to update the distance I got, but I sent them a request to add that feature, so I hope they'll soon update!

No such luck on an update here in 2016. Also you cannot specify non-major ports, speed, boat class (other than container ships above 90k tonnes). so very much a commercial container ship app.