sea clear 2 question

Stu Jackson · Mar 30, 2009

The easiest way to find stuff on a Windows computer

is to right click on the bottom left corner. In XP it's the "start" button, on Vista it's just a circle with the Windows logo.

Go to either Explore and find the folder with the SeaClear program and find the file, or Search and type in the filename.

Once there, double click the exe program, or right click and either Run or Open.

Kevin3447 · Mar 30, 2009

Which NOAA charts? There's different methods depending on what type you get. I got mine from here:
http://mapserver.maptech.com/API/chartdownload/index.cfm

If you don't have an icon in your SeaClear group, it should be in c:\program files\seaclear. When you launch it, go to Tools, Set Directories and change Chart Directories to where you downloaded the charts, close out of that, then go to Tools, Autoload, Scan for new charts.

sailingdog · Mar 30, 2009

Windows does come with a file search utility that would have found this for you..

You'll have to point the program to whatever directory you've put the NOAA charts in. BTW, it won't work with ENC charts, so make sure you downloaded the BSB format charts.

Hermit Scott said:
I have downloaded seaclear and some noaa charts. I have to load them into seaclear somehow. The manual says I must use the mapcal utility; specifically "start MapCal_2.EXE."

Where can I download this utility? Or where is it in the program. I just started using vista 2 days ago so that doesn't help.

Paul F · Mar 30, 2009

Tutorial

Here is a link to an online tutorial of a SeaClear installation.
http://www.boatmaine.us/seaclear-overview.aspx

Banooma · Mar 31, 2009

Not trying to hijack this post, but a slightly off-topic question regarding laptop/gps/seaclear usage - how big of a draw does this put on your boat's batteries? Do seaclear users typically plug into the dc jack, or run entirely on laptop battery? The latter seams implausible given the life of my laptop batteries vs. length of even a daytrip... Do you tend leave the screen open and program running continuously as a substitute for a "live" chartplotter, or intermittently?

Rick D · Mar 31, 2009

Battery Draw

I use my laptop on overnight races up to two days & nights duration. I just use the laptop battery and put the set to sleep mode when it isn't being used. When I charge batteries, I put on the inverter and charge the laptop. Using it in this way never lets me down. You do, however give up the course tracking.

higgs · Mar 31, 2009

Accessing charts

I have used SeaClear for 3 years now and cannot figure out how to get the noaa charts to show up automatically. What I do is have folder for the noaa charts on my desktop. In Seaclear, you go to the "charts" menu and choose "not listed". From there you can open your charts folder and choose the one you want.

Bill Roosa · Apr 1, 2009

try this

c:/programs/seaclear/charts
that is from memory so vary it as needed. SeaClear looks here first upon startup to make a list of avalable charts.

sailingdog · Apr 1, 2009

A lot of this depends on what laptop you're using. If you're using a 17" screen multimedia equipped laptop with a gaming capable 3D accelerator video card—then you're likely to be burning up a lot of battery power just because the laptop requires it. If you're using a Atom-powered NetBook, then you'll be using considerably less power. Some of the newer subnotebooks can go 7+ hours without using DC power. However, if you're running a USB powered GPS puck, then you're battery life goes down.

Banooma said:
Not trying to hijack this post, but a slightly off-topic question regarding laptop/gps/seaclear usage - how big of a draw does this put on your boat's batteries? Do seaclear users typically plug into the dc jack, or run entirely on laptop battery? The latter seams implausible given the life of my laptop batteries vs. length of even a daytrip... Do you tend leave the screen open and program running continuously as a substitute for a "live" chartplotter, or intermittently?