Know which charts to download

[adrianostlund]

Hi!
I am quite new to OpenCPN, which I just downloaded to a raspberryPI which will be my navigation computer for the upcoming trip. I find it hard to know which charts to download. For example, I will go through the Kiel canal in Germany (the trip is from Sweden to Istanbul), but won't be travelling in Germany otherwise. It feels unnecessary to download all of the 752 charts for this part. The charts are numbered in a system (e.g. ONC-eu_01460136). Is there a way to know which areas these cover, so one can only download them?

Thanks in the advance!
Adrian

[Chotu]

Just forget about your normal ideas of preserving storage space and wasting it.

Because you are often outside of internet range, download every single chart for every region you might find yourself in. Get the big open water charts, the coastal charts, the harbor and approach charts, all covering the same region. Download every available file you can.

I used to think the way you are thinking from a background with computers. I was just changing to these new electronic charts from paper. Well, I missed a harbor chart, an open water chart and an entire region of charts. 2 separate VERY scary moments.

Not having an open water chart was annoying, having to string together harbor and approach charts.

Entering a harbor with no chart was very scary.

Changing regions and running out of charts entirely was also very scary.


Imagine you have to divert for a mechanical or medical emergency and you didn’t download the chart for the shortest route.

Get all of them. Every single one.

[bcn]

Adrian..


you are talking about OSM charts (OpenSeaMap), don't you? Those might be nice for orientation on shore as they have additional information about objects on shore in comparison with ENCs but common opinion is that they are not suited for navigation.


Hubert

[Aldebaran17]

Originally Posted by bcn

Adrian..


you are talking about OSM charts (OpenSeaMap), don't you? Those might be nice for orientation on shore as they have additional information about objects on shore in comparison with ENCs but common opinion is that they are not suited for navigation.


Hubert

+1

For example "going through Kiel canal only, won't travel otherwise in Germany" is plain wrong. You need proper charts for that area. Kiel fjord is a very busy water way, where you need to know, where the buoyed fairway is. And then you leave Kiel canal and hop on the Elbe river, with a tidal range of 3-4 m, tidal currents of up to 5 kn, a lot of traffic, flat waters on the side and the need to usually tack against the prevailing winds. VTS, TSS, 400m container ships limited in manoeuvrability by their draft at 20kn SOG, ... You may only stay 4 days in German waters, if you are speeding, but it is well worth spending the 20+ euros in Oesenc charts. In these waters buoys are changing their positions weekly and the Oesenc charts are really uptodate.

@Hubert: the licensing model of o-charts is a real nuisance: I just migrated to another computer and can't use my charts any more. This is a real pita. But the charts are really very, very good and the weekly updates include all the notices to mariners of the week. This is very, very good and much better than other providers do.

Manfred

[bcn]

Originally Posted by Aldebaran17

+1

For example "going through Kiel canal only, won't travel otherwise in Germany" is plain wrong.

......


@Hubert: the licensing model of o-charts is a real nuisance: I just migrated to another computer and can't use my charts any more. This is a real pita. But the charts are really very, very good and the weekly updates include all the notices to mariners of the week. This is very, very good and much better than other providers do.

Manfred

The two installs/license policy is forced by the licensors. Not our idea.
The o-charts USB-key dongle can act as a "insurance policy" for cases of reinstalled or broken systems. Providing you with portable chart sets.

OpenCPN will never implement any police of "always on and calling home" or similar intrusive hacks. Which are required if you want to identify living systems only.


Hubert

[adrianostlund]

Thanks for the replies! To be clear, I want good, proper charts. If OSM isn't, that's not what I want. oeSENC it is!