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Old 10-24-2016, 02:16 PM   #1
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Default Still Confused About Electronic Navigation

I'm still confused on using a PC and electronic charts. I have OpenCPN and all of the US free charts and I understand it well.

I'm having a great deal of difficulty finding Central America and Caribbean charts for OpenCPN.

I've done a great deal of searching and am also considering alternate programs.

All of the reviews I'm finding are pretty old.

I want a charting program that will run on a tablet. I don't want to break the bank buying it, but can afford most chart plotters. It doesn't need to talk to any other devices.

I will use mostly paper, but want to have the tablet in the cockpit when entering harbors.

One concern is what happens when the tablet fails? Can I have a backup tablet without buying all of the charts again?

All help is welcome.
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Old 10-26-2016, 09:07 AM   #2
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It's the charts that are the issue, not the software.

OpenCPN can read CMAP-93 format charts. Ask around your local area and you will find boaties with encrypted CMAP-93 charts for OpenCPN because the encryption was weak and OpenCPN can read them regardless of the encryption. They aren't entirely legal to distribute but people have them. You can sometimes find bittorrent or similar downloads.

You can also install some plugins that will enable you to read some of the newer chart formats. Some of these can be downloaded from BA or similar for free and some must be purchased. I can't help you with the Caribbean to be exact but check about on the OpenCPN forums and you will find where to purchase or download charts for that region.
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Old 10-30-2016, 09:33 AM   #3
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Just goto NOAA and download all the charts.

Nautical Charts & Pubs
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Old 11-01-2016, 06:25 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BobbyW. View Post
Just goto NOAA and download all the charts.

Nautical Charts & Pubs
If you read what the OP said, he has already downloaded the NOAA charts. Unless you are unaware, the NOAA charts only cover the US waters, not the Central American or Caribbean waters.
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Old 11-01-2016, 09:03 PM   #5
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Now I'm thinking about MaxSea Time Zero navigator.

Anybody have experience with it?
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Old 11-01-2016, 09:22 PM   #6
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MaxSea is a very good program. However, you still need to buy charts separately from the software. I still have one of the old MaxSea packages on my old laptop running C-Map charts.

What tablet do you have that you want to use? I use an iPad which has the GPS built in and iNavX with Navionics charts. Works very well and have done a couple of ocean crossings with this set-up as my main navigation "plotter".
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Old 11-03-2016, 02:56 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnT View Post
MaxSea is a very good program. However, you still need to buy charts separately from the software. I still have one of the old MaxSea packages on my old laptop running C-Map charts.

What tablet do you have that you want to use? I use an iPad which has the GPS built in and iNavX with Navionics charts. Works very well and have done a couple of ocean crossings with this set-up as my main navigation "plotter".
Thanks for your response. I don't have any Apple devices. My wife has an iPad that I don't like much. I did look at this as an option.

I'll probably stick with Windows. It's what I know best.
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