Laptop Marine Navigation

[FredB]

Hello all,
Brand new here but see tons of great info. Who use what in laptops and what software do you like? Any info will be greatly appreciated.

 

[caltexflanc]

Welcome!

Scroll on through or do a search many many threads here on this. Enjoy!

 

[DavidM]

For Windows and Macs, Coastal Explorer is one of the best full featured nav products available. But it is commercial and costs money.


For Windows only, OpenCpn is a very complete freeware nav program. I used it as a backup to my Raymarine plotter for several years and I got to use it for real when the Raymarine display went haywire. It is very good. But since almost all laptops, netbooks, etc do not have a built in GPS you have to use a USB gps. These have a problem with OpenCpn which has been around for years. I don't know why the problem doesn't get fixed- it is a driver incompatibility issue and it seems someone would have fixed it by now, but alas no. A small program Xport will get around the problem nicely however.


But for the last two years I have used MxMariner on my Nexus 7, an Android tablet, for backup. It also works well but isn't very full featured and requires switching NOAA chart regions when you move from region to region. It does support Active Captain data which you download the entire AC database and update periodically.


There are iOS (iPad and iPhone) apps that do the same thing. Navimatics is one of these and it uses vector charts. It does cost $20 for the east coast US charts.


Today most of the action in free or commercial nav apps is in the Android and iOS tablet sphere due to their compact size and flat form factor that fits up on the helm easily and the built in gps.


I usually keep my Nexus 7 near the helm when navigating with the vector graphic based Raymarine system. If I want more detail, particularly shore definition, I pick up the Nexus and in a few seconds I have it at hand with its raster chart graphics.


David

 

[No Mast]

For PC I've found NobelTec to best great. On iPad we use Garmins BlueChart

 

[Baker]

OK folks. For those that use iPad. I am assuming you have an iPad with cellular data for positioning???

 

[Capt.Bill11]

OK folks. For those that use iPad. I am assuming you have an iPad with cellular data for positioning???

Or: Collections - Bad Elf

 

[CPseudonym]

OK folks. For those that use iPad. I am assuming you have an iPad with cellular data for positioning???

Nope. Just GPS enabled.

I do admit to looking out the window as my primary means of navigation.

 

[Baker]

Nope. Just GPS enabled.

I do admit to looking out the window as my primary means of navigation.

What do you mean be "GPS enabled"??? iPad without cellular has no GPS

 

[Baker]

Or: Collections - Bad Elf

Awesome!!! Thanks!!

 

[CPseudonym]

What do you mean be "GPS enabled"??? iPad without cellular has no GPS

I'll have to have my kid explain it to me John as I do not have a clue. My iPad mini has no cellular ability and is wi-fi only but it runs Navionics on the boat no problem at all.

 

[No Mast]

OK folks. For those that use iPad. I am assuming you have an iPad with cellular data for positioning???

We do, yes. I mostly use it for planning, especially since the app interfaces with Active Captain. We use the laptop once underway really

 

[QB]

For Windows only, OpenCpn is a very complete freeware nav program.

Just to point out that OpenCPN also works with Mac OS X 10.7 and later, and any Linux distribution. And there is a beta version for Android, but I haven't tried it.

But since almost all laptops, netbooks, etc do not have a built in GPS you have to use a USB gps. These have a problem with OpenCpn which has been around for years.

Here I've been using a Shipmodul MiniPlex-Lite to multiplex slow (GPS) and fast (AIS) NMEA data to USB. It has been working flawlessly with OpenCPN on my Windows 8.1 PC. AIS data is very nice to have on the OpenCPN display...

 

[Donsan]

I'll have to have my kid explain it to me John as I do not have a clue. My iPad mini has no cellular ability and is wi-fi only but it runs Navionics on the boat no problem at all.

Please post his explanation! I did not think that was possible either.

 

[Old deckhand]

I have used a lap top for 13 years and currently use Nobletech. One of the best and smooth integration with Furuno.

 

[siestakey]

I was on a friends boat the other day and he had Garmin bluecharts Vision

It was amazing has anyone used the Vision version?

 

[No Mast]

Didn't know there was a new version....going to check it out

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I plan to buy me a cheap laptop from Wally World, get a GPS antenna, load up Active Cap't and use it as a 3rd back up (already have a C97 and HDS-7 Chartplotters) and planner for my trip to Alaska next year. I looked at Coastal Explorer at the boat show and they wanted $300 for the program. AC is $38 I believe and free for my smart phone which will be the 4th backup.


The laptop will only be used for navigation purposes and will not be connecting to the internet.


Anyone see any issues.

 

[rochepoint]

Please post his explanation! I did not think that was possible either.

If your Ipad has cellular capability it has a built in GPS even if you don't install the cellular sim card, works great and accuracy is amazing. Nobletec Time Zero app on the Ipad is great, free app just buy the charts, very reasonable compared to the digital Canadian charts from the government.

 

[FlyWright]

Is there a new AC that's now intended for navigation? I always thought of it as a marina planning/hazard/user info aid more than a navigational tool.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

I wonder if he means OpenCPN, rather than AC?

 

[Roger Long]

I'm between (functioning) boats and just entered the laptop navigation world with the under $50 purchase of PolarNavy. I'm very impressed with what it can do compared to the Garmin 3000 series chartplotter that went with my old boat. I've already downloaded free all the charts I'll ever use in the US and there is a built in manager that will help me keep them up to date.

My newfound enthusiasm for very up to date charts got a huge boost tonight with a phone call from some friends (fairly experienced ICW and Bahamas hands) who were just on a high end charter yacht in Maine with even more experienced and licensed operators. The boat went full tilt boogie into a rock with major damage. A look at the chartplotter showed no rock. They turned on the laptop with the latest NOAA charts and, there it was.

A chart plotter with a screen the size I'm looking at now would cost me enough to buy a good outboard motor and I would probably be locked into copy protected charts. I used to wonder why the six million dollar research vessel I designed is primarily navigated with laptops. Not any more.

Actually, I should have known this earlier because I wrote an article about it Page 26):

http://issuu.com/pointseast/docs/midwinter_mag_issuu?e=1115423/2662123

However, I needed to buy a boat with a pilothouse to make laptop navigation practical.

 

[QB]

Actually, I should have known this earlier because I wrote an article about it Page 26):

http://issuu.com/pointseast/docs/midwinter_mag_issuu?e=1115423/2662123

Very nice article, thanks for the link.

However, I needed to buy a boat with a pilothouse to make laptop navigation practical.

That can increase the system cost all right .

 

[twistedtree]

I think you need to decide whether you want a full features nav system, or just some thing to display a few charts and show where you are. If you want something simple, it's hard to beat the ipad apps. They are simple, cheap, show you where you are, and probably include Active Captain guide book info. But they won't give you routes, drive your auto pilot, display AIS targets including virtual nav aids and weather stations, tide levels, current predictors, weather forecasts, display of radar targets, support for 0183 and NMEA 2000, etc., etc.. Wifi is great, except for when it stops working. I haven't met a wifi base station yet that doesn't need to be rebooted periodically because it stops working. I don't want that as part of my navigation system.

If, on the other hand, you want a full featured navigation system, it's hard to beat Coastal Explorer. I think $300 or $400 (whatever it costs) is dirt cheap for what you get. CE compares with Nobletek, Max Sea, etc all of which cost double that or much more.

So I think it mostly depends on what you want and what kind of cruising you do.

 

[Old deckhand]

The best free one that I have found for iPhone and iPad is iNavX.

 

[Hawgwash]

A look at the chartplotter showed no rock. They turned on the laptop with the latest NOAA charts and, there it was.

Actually, I should have known this earlier because I wrote an article about it Page 26):

ISSUU - Points East Magazine, midwinter issue by Points East

A great piece and a good reminder about complacency and our trust in gadgets. Thank you.

Surprising the hits were so infrequent.

 

[Donsan]

Wifi is great, except for when it stops working. I haven't met a wifi base station yet that doesn't need to be rebooted periodically because it stops working. I don't want that as part of my navigation system.

If, on the other hand, you want a full featured navigation system, it's hard to beat Coastal Explorer. I think $300 or $400 (whatever it costs) is dirt cheap for what you get. CE compares with Nobletek, Max Sea, etc all of which cost double that or much more.

Had Wifi reboot issues until we bought Apple Airport Extremes. In two years, we have not had to reboot the Airport. They have rebooted a couple of times during power outages.

My experience is a laptop is far more likely to lock up and require a reboot than a Wifi router.

 

[roguewave]

OK folks. For those that use iPad. I am assuming you have an iPad with cellular data for positioning???

Yes, works great.

 

[psneeld]

I think you need to decide whether you want a full features nav system, or just some thing to display a few charts and show where you are. If you want something simple, it's hard to beat the ipad apps. They are sime, cheap, show you where you are, and probably include Active Captain guide book info. But they won't give you routes, drive your auto pilot, display AIS targets including virtual nav aids and weather stations, tide levels, current predictors, weather forecasts, display of radar targets, support for 0183 and NMEA 2000, etc., etc.. Wifi is great, except for when it stops working. I haven't met a wifi base station yet that doesn't need to be rebooted periodically because it stops working. I don't want that as part of my navigation system.

If, on the other hand, you want a full featured navigation system, it's hard to beat Coastal Explorer. I think $300 or $400 (whatever it costs) is dirt cheap for what you get. CE compares with Nobletek, Max Sea, etc all of which cost double that or much more.

So I think it mostly depends on what you want and what kind of cruising you do.

OPENCPN will do most of those things...tricky to setup maybe....but pretty full featured for free.

 

[Robster_in_edmonds]

For those with iPads: the Apple design uses a special chipset for cellular that includes the GPS functionality. The wifi only iPads do not have that chipset, thus do not support GPS. An iPad with the cellular and GPS chipset will support GPS functionality even if the cellular functionality is not used (no SIM card, cancelled cellular contract, etc.).

I use Navionics and love it. It does not support ActiveCaptain, which is a shame.

 

[CPseudonym]

For those with iPads: the Apple design uses a special chipset for cellular that includes the GPS functionality. The wifi only iPads do not have that chipset, thus do not support GPS. An iPad with the cellular and GPS chipset will support GPS functionality even if the cellular functionality is not used (no SIM card, cancelled cellular contract, etc.).

I use Navionics and love it. It does not support ActiveCaptain, which is a shame.

This has to explain it.

John Baker I asked my son and he told me similar to above, that though my iPad does not have a SIM card(my choice) it is cellular capable and the GPS is fully functioning. I've been in Dana Point and San Diego this weekend and Navionics has worked fine without data.