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 Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums
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 Free Boating Charts - Revisited		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts
Initially Posted - 11/23/2006 :  15:28:25  Show Profile
I've been using the [url="http://www.freeboatingcharts.com/"]MapTech Free Boating Charts[/url] with "SeaClear" software for about a year now. Last night while down loading another chart I noticed MapTech has their own FREE map reading software called "Chart Navigator". I don't know if this is new or that I just missed it before. Anyway... I downloaded the free version and played around with it last night and today. It's pretty neat and best of all its free!
1997 250 TR WK (sold)
1984 O'Day 28 (sold)
1979 SISU 22
Bath, NC.
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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts
Response Posted - 11/23/2006 :  18:53:19  Show Profile  Visit Champipple's Homepage
NOAA also has free charts that SEA Clear will work with....
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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts
Response Posted - 11/23/2006 :  22:39:11  Show Profile
I just bought a Maptech DVD that includes <u>all</u> U.S. Boating Charts, as well as Maptech's Offshore Navigator Lite GPS software, for $19.50. For guys like me, who are still using a slow dial-up connection, it's much better than taking the time to download charts from the internet.

I bought it from www.capjack.com
Edited by - Steve Milby on 11/23/2006 22:41:25
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DoubleD
1st Mate

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USA
61 Posts
Response Posted - 11/24/2006 :  07:41:58  Show Profile  Visit DoubleD's Homepage
Maptech's free navigation software is demo only. It won't let you use a gps with it.

I tried the Seaclear program, but I haven't been able to download the charts, to use them.

I was planning to buy the Maptech navigator lite to use the downloaded charts with the gps.

Is there a secret to downloading charts to the Seaclear program. I followed their instructions, but it won't work for me.
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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts
Response Posted - 11/24/2006 :  08:40:24  Show Profile
David,
The Maptech charts will work with Seaclear. I downloaded the Maptech charts into the same directory that the sample Seaclear charts are in. When you load Seaclear it makes a subdirectory called "Charts" That's where I put my downloads. When you launch Seaclear, click "file", then "charts", then "not listed". You should find your downloaded charts there.

Your right about the free Chart Navigator software, they say the free version wont work with GPS. (IMHO) but for home planning it blows away Seaclear. More chart detail, automatically brings up surrounding charts, even prints better. If I were going to use a software with GPS I would pay for the upgraded version of Chart Navigator like Steve did..
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dontluff
Deckhand

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Canada
22 Posts
Response Posted - 11/24/2006 :  11:02:39  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by DoubleD</i>
<br />Maptech's free navigation software is demo only. It won't let you use a gps with it.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
This year I bought the Maptech CD's of MegaWide raster charts covering the West Coast to Hawaii. The version of Ocean Navigator on the CD was included with the cost of the charts and defintiely takes NMEA inputs for GPS position, wind, depth etc...
We used it for all the inshore/medium distance races and it was perfectly acceptable (with no bugs).

I used MaxSea on the way to Maui because it could handle both the
Maptech and free NOAA Raster charts, and the C-Map Vector charts, plus had polars, grib interface and weather routing.

On the return trip, the delivery crew used the freebie Ocean Navigator without any issues.

It is uncluttered, does a great job of basic pilotage, simple to setup and has no major vices. Yes it oculd have some other features like a log, but hey..it keeps the tracks...and it's free.

If you don't need a full offshore racing package, Ocean Navigator does a great job.

PS: The demo version that you can download has the NMEA disabled, but other than that, you can definitely use it for trip planning.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.