Weather4D 2.0 Charting & Weather Routing for iOS

[Navigation Mac]

Weather4D 2.0 is a new app for iOS to provide a powerful charting navigation module, in addition to advanced weather routing features. Charting comes from a number of worldwide national hydrografic services (NOAA, UKHO, BSH, SHOM, aso...) provided by Geogarage platform, a French professional charting server.
Numerous weather GRIB forecast models are available, to help simulation and multi-routing prediction.
A multimedia user guide is to download for free, and several entries are to read on Navigation Mac weblog.
Users of Weather4D Pro can report their active subscription in this new app.
Weather4D 2.0 is the first integral navigation app for iOS.
Francis

[Navigation Mac]

Next release 2.0.18 in review on Apple AppStore will allow to direct downloads of weather and oceanic forecasts with an Iridium GO!
All forecast models featured in the app will be available (not only GFS from SailDocs) provided by Weather4D servers (GFS, NAM, COAMPS, GEM, WW3, aso.). Coming shortly.

[Navigation Mac]

Weather4D 2.0.21 comes with a fully renewed downloading charts system (with NOAA, WAVEYLINE, UKHO, AHS, LINZ, ...), a direct connection to get GRIB files with Iridium GO!™ (no more Saildocs request needed and more models available) and a number of new features and improvements. Have a look on Changelog and update the free iBook User Guide with new videos about charting download and GRIB download.

[Navigation Mac]

FYI Weather4D New apps are all available with update:



https://blog.francis-fustier.fr/en/w...sa-revolution/

Francis

[northwestsailor]

Any Weather4d users out there? I have been using the software for a little over a year but am considering moving on. My main gripe is the way charts are downloaded since I am a full time cruiser and don’t have access to high speed internet very often.

You must decide exactly where you are headed in advance, download the charts and pray weather or other issues don’t force a change. If you do you may or may not have the charts at the detail you need to enter the harbor or anchorage. Any work arounds?

Would love to hear from other experienced users.

[fdevedrines]

Hi Victor,
I've used Weather4D extensively for offshore sailing. The download process can be lenghty when the navigation zone is large to begin with and as you point out, weather conditions may force to land somewhere unplanned. So it's a good idea to download all the ports and moorings area you might end up going to if you don't have 4G coverage
Here's how I used the feature so far.
1. I define the largest possible navigation zone and I download the corresponding chart with "Offshore" detail level.
2. I define the coasts I may sail close by and I download the corresponding charts with "Coastal" detail level.
3. I make a list of harbors where I might end up going and I download the corresponding charts with "Ports and Moorings" detail level.
The "Ports and Moorings" detail level downloads are the most precise and also the biggest in size and hence will take longer to download.

The process is tedious and time consuming. There is no question about that. Now this is going to change for the better. GeoGarage and Weather4D are working on improving the algorithm which will potentially increase the download speed by at least x5. It will be also possible to have the download happen as a background task.

When will these improvements be released? They're expected to be available in Q4.

[northwestsailor]

Fdevrines, thank your taking the time to respond to my complaining. I do the same thing however if you have ever looked at the Norwegian coast you will realize how completely frustrating this process has been. In a few days I used up 30GB of my data. This is supposed to last me a whole month and used for other things not just downloading charts.

Glad to know there is a future with Weather4d. If it wasn’t for the pandemic and lack of freedom to travel to Norway I would have chucked this whole thing and gone back to iNavX and their various chart vendors. It certainly has its own frustrations but at least there is true product support. The French have not bothered to respond to my request for help although the chart publisher did.

Thanks again

Victor