Laptop naviagation.

Rick · Dec 21, 2008

Ed
Have you checked out Seaclear II. Its free, friendly, works with most charts. Really like it.

Cheers

sailingdog · Dec 21, 2008

ENC are vector format charts and doing certain things, like zooming in, is slightly more accurate on them, since the vector shapes scale more accurately than do bitmap shapes. They also can contain more information than RNC/BSB format charts, since they're not simple raster graphic representations of charts. Also, because they're essentially a graphical database, rather than a simple image, you can make modifications to the data more easily.

However, because they're a graphical database that needs to be displayed, the quality of the software used to display them plays a much greater, and more variable role, in the presentation of ENC charts. A lot of information that would be visible on a raster format chart, like bridge height information, isn't visible at all zoom levels on an ENC chart unless you can tweak the software.

RICK—While SeaClear II is a nice, if somewhat limited in utility piece of software, it does not handle ENC charts ATM.

paulj · Dec 21, 2008

Ed Schenck said:
Sitting here on a very cold but sunny day playing with navigation software on this laptop. I have a couple to play with but prefer Fugawi. Do any of you have experience with RNC versus ENC charts on your computers?

I have all of the RNC charts for all US related waters and the Caribbean. I find they are easier to use than the ENC charts. I read so much about ENC and figure I must be doing something wrong. I have them here but have trouble displaying and zooming and just don't like the look.

When cruising I do have a chartplotter at the helm and two backup handheld GPS units. I plan to program both of those with the inlet waypoints for going offshore from NC to the Keys then Tampa Bay.

I connect one of the Garmins to this laptop as backup. And yes, I do have the paper charts. Mostly I am just curious about why the rush to ENC. Both are available for download from NOAA for free.

:+1:I downloaded both types of charts. Rosepoint software runs ENC, RNC or
ENC and RNC at the same time.
In either case check the revison update times.

paulj :troll:

Hermit Scott · Dec 21, 2008

I have a magellan crossover that does vehicle nav, trail nav, and marine nav. It does all 3 but does none of them very well. I have yet to buy any marine maps for it though. I am going to buy a laptop and contemplated just using it for marine navigation. But I don't see how it is much use. You can't have it with you in the cockpit. They are rain and sun sensitive. It seems like the most convienent way is to have a real chartplotter with a decent sized screen, especially for cruising the ICW.
I have to have a laptop with wifi while we are cruising the bay for my wife. She has to have it to find jobs for work and she is an internet addict.
I think they would be great for planning trips. I am sure there is some wicked cool software especially for that.
But while you are at the helm don't you need to be looking at a screen to let you know your current position?

sailingdog · Dec 22, 2008

Scott—

For planning trips, one good software package is Virtual Passage Planner 2.

Your point about the usefulness of most laptops in the cockpit is very valid. They're also not as robust or reliable as a dedicated chartplotter, especially given the relatively hostile marine environment.

Having a small chartplotter, like the Garmin 192C that I use, viewable at the helm can be very useful. You do need to carry paper charts as well IMHO, since bad things can happen to people relying only on electronic navigation aids.

richk · Dec 22, 2008

Ed Schenck said:
Sitting here on a very cold but sunny day playing with navigation software on this laptop. I have a couple to play with but prefer Fugawi. Do any of you have experience with RNC versus ENC charts on your computers?

I have all of the RNC charts for all US related waters and the Caribbean. I find they are easier to use than the ENC charts. I read so much about ENC and figure I must be doing something wrong. I have them here but have trouble displaying and zooming and just don't like the look.

When cruising I do have a chartplotter at the helm and two backup handheld GPS units. I plan to program both of those with the inlet waypoints for going offshore from NC to the Keys then Tampa Bay.

I connect one of the Garmins to this laptop as backup. And yes, I do have the paper charts. Mostly I am just curious about why the rush to ENC. Both are available for download from NOAA for free.

Ed- Perhaps the reason you've read so much about ENC charts is there is more written about them. Maybe the reason so much is written about them is because chartplotter vendors use them. I believe ENC's offer more capabilities, however RNC's more closely resemble traditional paper charts.

kloudie1 · Dec 22, 2008

You are right, Scott.. they are great for planning and review.. The Seaclear software is free and the charts are free from NOAA.. If ya hook up one of the little gps "hockey pucks"(http://www.buygpsnow.com/bu-353-353...rf-stariii-usb-gps-water-bu-353-waas-455.aspx) The software will plot and can do logging so that the trip is in memory. Excellent for future planning.. but it can't be left in the cockpit because the majic smoke that makes it work is extracted by water! I recently got a chartplotter for the helm and i find the combination of the laptop below for use mostly for planning and the plotter above for nav works very well. The paper is there as well.. The great thing about using the laptop is that you can have the most up-to-date charts downloaded prior to a trip.

jimcreed · Dec 22, 2008

chart software

This is not a direct answer to using ENC charts.

I run 5 chart plotters on my laptop. I use Seaclear as my main nav station viewer with a Garmin 172c as the GPS lat/lon source. Seaclear also supports AIS sentences as well.
I have loaded ALL available NOAA raster charts (2GB) on my laptop.
They can be used by Seaclear, Maptech and Raymarine Raytech planner.

A Raymarine C120 is located at the boat's helm using a Raymarine GPS as the source. Navionics east coast gold charts loaded.

I have tried download ENC charts in the past, but never found them that successful with my software and demands. Tried Fugawi (trial version) in the past also.

I also carry paper charts but quite frankly its much easier to find the right chart on a raster chartviewer when at the nav station. I usually keep a paper chart at the helm as backup.

The laptop travels from the boat to the house and back. Seaclear (free) does not interface GPS units, well when trying to load routes or waypoints. It requires another program. You also can make your own charts with a Seaclear compatible chart loader. (for example a harbor chart that will load when in the harbor)

For planning routes I like Garmin's Mapsource (not Free) best, using a required Garmin chart chip. However it does not interface with non Garmin units. Maptech (free version) does and once the Garmin Mapsource routes or waypoints are sent to the Garmin they can then be down loaded to Maptech software and then sent to a different vendors GPS units.

For just viewing areas where I might like to go, I like Maptech Chartviewer which if you get the correct software shows the tides also. It also has the capability to show chart outlines, so selecting another chart even if you do not know the chart number and zooming in is easier. I do not like its route planning properties which are easy, but do not use real waypoint names, just numbers.

Navionics Navplanner (NOT FREE) is ok and interfaces Raymarine. However you need a Navionics card reader which is formated for their charts and compatible with Raymarine. Off the shelf compact flash cards will not work unless they have been formated with the Navionics card reader.

Raymarine Raytech Planner (free version) is cumbersome and slow if you load too many raster charts. (This can happen too easily, since it searches your entire computer file system automatically looking for usable charts). It needs the Navionics charts and card reader to improve planning. The routes and waypoints can be then sent to or loaded by card to the Raymarine Chart Plotter.

Franklin · Dec 22, 2008

All I can say is that my SeaClear II with RNC charts and an old small handheld GPS is a lot more accurate then my new Garmin GPS with loaded MapSource charts. SeaClear is dead-on in all charts (about 30) I've used. When I say dead-on, I mean within 3 feet. My Garmin is like 60' off.

Rick · Dec 22, 2008

Franklin I concurr. I use seaclear with a garmin usb antenna on the laptop down below for backup and for the log. I have a color radar/charplotter up on deck for primary nav. Handheld and charts down below. I am very comfortable building routes and trusting Seaclear with lots of hours watching it work along the west coast. It does have its limitations although I think it would work well especially on Ed's cruising grounds where updated charts (er mostly updated) charts can simply be formatted on the mapcal program and turned on.
If I was going long distance, I "might" try a different more professional program, but I have used it launching out of mission bay in 50 feet of "vis" with confidence.

Cheers

Rick D · Dec 22, 2008

Me Too, Me Too.... (and a Q for SC users...)

...have been using SeaClear for over a year now since losing my former program to Windows Vista :cry: It's everything I could ask for and need and I also have my AIS driving through it. Here's the nice part: Laptop: $0 since I had to have it anyway; charts: $0 from NOAA; GPS bud $40 from e-bay; AIS receiver (Smart Radio) $189; converter USB cable from Radio Shack $18 and an antenna splitter for my second VHF antenna $30.

The output of all this is very similar to what a power-boating friend gets from his $4,000 system installed four years ago w/o AIS.

I love it. I still use my chartplotter as primary but consider this as a great back-up and it is far better for route planning and clarity. I would never invest in an expensive chartplotter again, altho I certainly would have a basic one aboard.

In my case, my computer is at my nav station on some non-skid with a strap to add additional protection. My chartplotter is below as well, altho the waypoint info is displayed both on my autopilot and radar at the helm. In SoCal, once out of the harbors, there isn't much to bump into, so having the plotter at the helm isn't really necessary.

A question for SeaClear users: do you have a way to show heading and bearing info in Mag rather than True degrees?

Brian D · Dec 22, 2008

I'm with Rick D. I also use the Sea Clear II on a Dell D600 I purchased off of EBay. The sole purpose of the PC is Nav. I also use a GPS mouse-type antenna. The antenna is located below deck in the cabin. No need for it outside. Get great signal strength. Although I haven't tested it when the deck is wet. I guess now would be a good time since we are getting pounded with rain.