PC based charts

Ezgoing · 25 February 2007, 22:02

HI guys

Does any one know of good pc or web based navigation charts?

Rgds

codprawn · 26 February 2007, 01:10

I have Garmin Bluecharts - if I had a normal boat with a cabin all you would need is this on a laptop coupled with a gps feed - wouldn't be too good on an open RIB though!!!

MarkM · 26 February 2007, 08:48

I had the BlueChart and at the moment the Navionics.
Charts are almost equal but the Navionics add more inland waters, in Holland anyway. I don't need any other charts for the rivers, lakes, etc. The BlueCharts reached only a few miles inland.

alystra · 26 February 2007, 10:25

I use the RYA's Electronic Chart Plotter (www.rya.org.uk). It uses Admiralty raster charts and is easy to use. It will interface with a GPS.

I plot waypoints on it and transfer them to my old Garmin 126 (which won't connect to the PC AFAIK). Print out relevant bits of the charts and laminate them to take aboard. You can update the charts and tidal info every year if you want to. I haven't so far, as the rocks round here don't move much and buoys etc. are few and far between.

MikeCC · 26 February 2007, 22:48

Any digital chart will need software to use it. There's any number of packages out there that use a variety of different charts. Eg Maptech, Digiboat, SeaClear, Nobeltec VNS. There's free demo versions for some of them.

It's how you want to use the charts that will help you choose which package. A lot of them use the C-Map range which can also be used in some chartplotters.

One of the mags (PBO or Sailing Today) did a review of navigation packages not so long ago. Of course, still subject to personal preferences!