OpenCPN - Free software navigation package

[druid]

There is unfortunately no such thing as free charts in Canada....the CHS (Canadian Hydrographic Survey) licenced out (sold out might be a better word) all the Canadian charts.

This is why when you buy a plotter, it can come with all the US coastal charts for next to nothing - included with the plotter.

In Canada, we get to pay hundreds $$ for cards with subsections of the available charts.

And what's worse is:
1. They're BSB4 format - very few nav programs support it (OpenCPN apparently doesn't)
2. You have to REGISTER every time you install the charts, and you're only allowed THREE regsistrations. And the computer ident is linked to the ethernet card, so if you so much as change your network card, you'll need to re-register (if you CAN!) :cussing::cussing:

It's supposed to ensure the charts are always of the highest quality, which I must admit they are. But the inconvenience (especially the registering nightmare!) sux.

druid

 

[idpnd]

If you look around, you may be able to get BSB3 charts for Canada even, or try and find the CMAP 93 version 2 charts, they cover the whole world.