"Best" chart/navigation software

[Sabado]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Well for starters I can NOT sign onto the Dave Register help site. It will not accept my password. I have made several attempts. Gotten a new password etc. if I make 2 failed attempts I am blocked for something like 72 hours.

Last November a couple of guys here tried to help me with some loading problems. OpenCPN was behaving differently in 2 identical Androids. But in the attempt they found THEY had problems with their installations. Never did get my old charts to load, so just settled for the new charts I needed anyway.

Last week went to use OpenCPN and none of the oCharts I used in November would load. Piss. Walk away. Then a couple of days ago I had some time so decided to screw with it again AND after various attempts the Ocharts AND SOME OF my old charts appeared.

Do I really need a chart plotter that is that unstable?

I easily put 40 hours into this since October.

The o-charts copy protection is way too finicky and unreliable to rely on for navigation. It'll work for a while then lock you out in an unrecoverable way. I was told their supplier requires the draconian protection and that it was my PC that was the issue. I don't know but no other navigation software has any issues with charts on that PC.

I will say that the android developer is VERY helpful though. He went so far as to buy the same phone I had to figure out my issue.

[hpeer]

This is a difficult position for OpenCPN. In a way it is like a start up that needs to transition its business model.

OpenCPN is a fantastic tool created by the inventive genius of the Developers giving their own time and effort for the joy of development.

But it is also a very small cadre of people who are highly conversant in the developers language. And to some extent their point of view.

To continue to expand it needs CUSTOMER SUPPORT in addition to Developers. It requires this human bridge between USERS and DEVELOPERS.

I do not know how you do that with a completely free platform.

I would gladly pay for a Support Subscription. But would enough others so the same?

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by ranger58sb

NOAA charts for TimeZero (and Furuno's TZT MFDs) are both raster and vector. Presumably as long as NOAA continues publication of raster charts.

-Chris

Originally Posted by requiem

The retirement of those charts is already well under-way. By the end of this July the remainder of the more detailed charts for SF Bay will have been retired.

So the most recent/last remaining NOAA raster charts continue to be available on the Furuno MFDs or in TimeZero.

That might mean ATONs are eventually out of date, but the land masses don't change rapidly. And it's easy enough to view the vector charts for current data, raster for context.

-Chris

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by hpeer

I would gladly pay for a Support Subscription. But would enough others so the same?

I wouldn't pay much for a support subscription per se. I would be willing to pay $400 for OpenCPNs features that didn't have a ridiculous learning curve.

[Sabado]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

I wouldn't pay much for a support subscription per se. I would be willing to pay $400 for OpenCPNs features that didn't have a ridiculous learning curve.

I'm a former Timezero Navigator user. $500ish dollars but it's Windows only so when I switched to Linux, OpenCPN was really my only choice. OpenCPN has a very very long way to go to match the features and ease of use of a $500 navigation app.

[bdbcat]

@hpeer....


What is your user name at the OpenCPN for Android Forum?
We will enable your account manually, you need only ask.


Thanks
Dave


p.s. sorry for the drift.

[mgrouch]

BBN Marine OS supporting raspberry pi5/4/400/CM4 has been released.

BBN OS is free and opensource operating system for raspberry pi to be used on boats.

It includes free chartplotting software and integration with boat system via NMEA and sensors

The project home page

https://github.com/bareboat-necessities/lysmarine_gen

Please report any issues you find.

Thanks and fair winds!

[Scott Berg]

Interestingly most of the OpenCPN users I know are world cruisers and specifically use it because they can import Google Earth images as charts for areas where they are either too expensive or inaccurate, just the opposite of your observation.

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

I am kind of a nerd, but not a total computer geek. I love projects, really I do. I enjoy making tech work for me. I have tried OpenCPN a number of times over the years, and each time given up. It is a clunky program not at all user friendly. Too many features pilled on top of the interface. Designed by committee I could never navigate it in any intuitive way. I realize that members of that committee will be offended by my opinion, but... tough noogies.

I NEED a fully functional NON TOUCH SCREEN interface that is visible in full sun, and fully waterproof, IN THE COCKPIT. Those are my requirements, and if you add those to the system, and the hours it takes to make it work, it is not cheaper than a dedicated chart plotter.

Then the REAL killer is that world wide charts are just not available. I am a world cruiser. I need charts everywhere.

My opinion, is that OpenCPN is suited for people who want free (even when it is more expensive...) , who are comfortable navigating in an enclosed space with a laptop, who sail in USA waters where charts are free, and who are willing to dive deep into the tech side of things instead of sailing.

That is NOT a blanket criticism. I don't think OpenCPN is worthless. All of those things are good and fun. They just are not the way I want to take my boat.

[LWatson]

Having used OpenCpn up and down the west coast of Mexico for 10 plus years IMHO it works just fine. I now have Ocharts for the region. It really is easier than Furuno,2 plotters on board, a Zeus by B&G plus a HH Garmin, not to mention Inavx on the I pad and Navionics charts. Yes it is quite possibly overkill but humor my OC behavior. Opencpn is not difficult to learn and the continual development of plug-ins is a plus, you can even interface some radars. No my laptop is not waterproof but the 16 inch screen is a godsend for aging eye sight, there are waterproof monitors out there if desired. Plus the Zeus in the cockpit with it's 12 inch screen means that the watch does not have to go below.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by LWatson

.....Opencpn is not difficult to learn and the continual development of plug-ins is a plus, you can even interface some radars......

I wish this was true for me. I've met dozens and dozens of people who, like me, were befuddled by OpenCPN. I consider myself a notch above average for stuff like this - have configured many boat systems including MFDs, multiple compasses and heading sensors, Balmar regulator systems, Victron systems, etc. Many systems on boats alone, and that doesn't speak to my chosen profession in IT business management. It's a head-scratcher to me how folks like this post can proclaim OpenCPN easy and accessible yet there are so many people who find it extremely difficult to learn.

Glad it works for you. And glad you found it easy to learn 10 years ago. I've only been tinkering with it for 5 years and my proficiency is about where I was after 3-hours with Coastal Explorer.

[Eric Carnell]

No one has mentioned the free program qtVlm. I mention this because it is the program that David Burch has chosen to use for the “hands on” portion of his on-line Electronic Navigation course. The course promises you will be an expert at qtVlm by the end. And I have no doubt about this. I am taking the class now and it is excellent. Since NOAA will have completed its phase out of all raster charts by the end of this year, I thought I should take the time to get really good with ENC. Like many people here I have been hacking around and trying lots of options. I really like AquaMaps and it keeps getting more powerful. The maps are updated weekly to include the latest LNM updates on ATONs. The Army Corps of Engineers overlays for many locations (think ICW) is useful. It will overlay wind and waves. It has an anchor alarm that will message you. It can interface with your N2K instruments, etc. But it is not as powerful as a full PC/MAC software program. As someone mentioned, the more powerful the program the more complicated. I did not enjoy trying to learn Open CPN on my own. So check out qtVlm and/or the Starpath class(es). You won’t regret taking a look.

[carlwk3c]

Originally Posted by JPK

Yes, I know... there's no such thing as a "best" so let me be more specific.

I know there's lots of love here for OpenCPN, but invariably when I hear people describe why they like OpenCPN the first thing I hear is that it's free. The second is that it's open-source. Somewhere further down the list is that it's a good piece of SW. Admittedly I'm just now digging in to learning OpenCPN through YouTube videos and posts on the forum here. I mean no offense, but my initial impression is that, like most pieces of open source software, it's fragile and finicky. It's taken me an inordinate amount of time to figure out what GPS dongle to use on my Mac, with all sorts of inane discussions on drivers, software versions, and whatnot. It seems that with every release of a new Mac OS something breaks and needs to be fixed. This is not the experience I'm looking for. I want something that will work out of the box without me having to dig 20 layers deep to figure out how to make it work and how to keep it working. So if I'm willing to pay for a decent piece of robust software, is there a short list of software I should be looking at? FWIW - I use Navionics on an iPad, and it's OK but just OK. It is definitely more straightforward to set up and start using initially but pretty basic in terms of features.

I find Navionics on iPhone/iPad is quite good for my needs. The only thing I find lacking is that there’s no anchor alarm. It’s annoying to have to run another app to have an anchor alarm. Seems to me it would be a rather trivial exercise for them to add that functionality.

[ChrisPuget]

I am a Coastal Explorer advocate. Rose Point has assisted me several times with personal phone support while they remote to my tablet. Free, professional and friendly. Wow.......... Wow. I cruise PNW and BC. Rose Point offers a great deal when purchasing/renewing Canadian Hydrographic Service Charts. I found these charts to be superior, especially navigating some areas of Haida Gwaii. The "on chart" tide and current tables are invaluable and very convenient. The app includes three installs which works out perfectly. I use a Samsung TabPro S Windows tablet purchased for $150 used on ebay and have two onboard and one at my house/home. I can keep one plugged into a usb port wired to the binnacle and leave the brightness up almost all the way and still keep the battery charged. It is linked to a Vesper XB-6000 for AIS.

I have a bimini that extends over the binnacle and can connect to the dodger.....not a sealed helm. During the regular rainy weather I simply use a large ziplock bag to enclose the tablet to protect against windblown rain when on the binnacle. The power cord goes through a small opening cut into the bottom right of the ziplock bag. Hey, it works for me.

I love using a bluetooth mouse and keyboard below for route planning and chart annotations. Syncing for updates is painless....when you can connect, that is. There is no annual subscription for the app.

I will have to break down and purchase a Microsoft Extended Security Update subscription or buy new tablets to deal with no Windows 10 support for the TabPro S in October 2025. Hopefully the interim support subscription for Windows 10 after October 2025 from Microsoft will not be too expensive.

[MoonShadow777]

Ok . . I admit I mostly use Navionics and Savvy Navvy on my plotter with half-screen radar & plotter BUT on my ipad I have found Angel Nav (by Tom Cunliff) to be uniquely useful because I can do traditional chart work (lines of position, dead reckoning etc) on the screen on either raster or vector charts. Another great (imo) tablet app is nv charts (also raster or vector).

[jfwg]

I will admit to being a happy OCPN user, Android and PC.

I am a power and sail instructor, primarily in the Gulf Islands around Vancouver Island. I carry OCPN as a backup to whatever chart plotter is on the boat, and frequently use it as the primary chart plotter as I have turned the boats one off to get eyes outside the vessel (it's not a video game...) or to have students practice their manual navigation/paper chart skills. (Rule 5: I still need to use all available means...)

However, it is my go to in planning trips in the comfort of my home. It has taken me up the Inside Passage to Alaska (and became the primary when the charts ran out on the boat chart plotter), around Haida Gwaii, in the Broughton's, and around Vancouver Island. I also use it chartering.

I have an SEANEXX RX210 GPS/AIS receiver (an upgrade from and old Microsoft Streets and Trips GPS) and a WIFI module that I can plug it into if I don't want to plug directly into the laptop, or I want access to AIS data on my Samsung Android phone. I have their antenna which I rarely use. I have a small flexible 18" one in my backpack which works for my use case as a backup. I can't see out as far, but they aren't going to hit me...

The cost of OCPN is a nice feature as well as its functionality. But a bigger driver is the cost of charts. Charts are not free in Canada as they are in the US, and CHS is pleased to sell me V-PAC-A - Vancouver Island East, and V-PAC-B - Vancouver Island West - Haida Gwaii for $599.95. Apiece.

I buy them from O-Charts for 20 Euros.

I have introduced a number of people to OCPN. As I have used it for many years I am not a good use case for ease of installing and using it. But I certainly wouldn't throw any of my friends into it without walking them through the installation and giving them a half hour tour to get them started.

There is no question that interfacing with other equipment can be a challenge if you have no knowledge of IP addressing, etc. The plus is that it can be done. I currently use my boating buddies emTrak AIS Transponder as a source when travelling with him, and obviously have it interfaced with the other equipment I described above. I have even set it up as a repeater at times.

I can't say I have any problem with loading charts. Getting an O-Chart fingerprint for my laptop (and others I have installed) required a bit of careful reading but that is all. I pay them for the files, then download them through the OCPN Chart Downloader (which I loaded from within the OCPN plugin interface) and they are unencrypted with the O-Chart plugin (which I also loaded from within the OCPN plugin interface.

I like the power and functionality. There is probably more that I am not using. But it works for me.

John