A relative had it on his ipad. I entered a 35 mile trip from my dock to the storage yard. It was mostly correct except where the route wound through a typical SWFL canal community where it drew the path across dead end canals. Looked pretty good but only with a critical eye.The Navionics charts now have port to port routing which is selectable with Raymarine Lighthouse version 17. Has anyone used these yet? Is it worth switching to Navionics charts?
Looked pretty good but only with a critical eye.
I tried it out the other day. I was in my slip at Sunroad Marina and I put the starting way point at my slip and the finish way point at Catalina Island. It created a course line from the slip up the bay, through the channel, turned right (through all the kelp) and beelined for Catalina. I then manually moved the way points than ran through the kelp, farther west before turning on a direct course to Catalina. I thought it was neat! I then zoomed in close to follow the course line looking for shallow water and rocks. It works in Lighthouse charts as well!Has anyone used these yet? Is it worth switching to Navionics charts?
A relative had it on his ipad. I entered a 35 mile trip from my dock to the storage yard. It was mostly correct except where the route wound through a typical SWFL canal community where it drew the path across dead end canals. Looked pretty good but only with a critical eye.
TF should be a source of safety as well as presumed electronic enlightenment. Don't forget the impact of common sense and experience. Things like tides, currents, wind, waves, visuals (logs), AIS and radar targets, kayak traffic and visibility dictate route planning.
Just because a gizmo can draw lines doesn't mean a safe course has been entered. Dhays avatar of a high and dry vessel is a good reminder of consequences. Or how about the US navy ship that recently steamed through a coral reef park due to misreading computerized scaled charts. Charting related mishaps abound for the big guys and small fry alike.
Now, my favorites are the satellite images that become placemats. With a set of dividers I can plan my routes while eating a pastry. Voila, no crumbs or jelly on the screen or keyboard. Much easier cleanup than my iPad, just rinse it off.
I believe it was a Navionics app.Where do I find this on Garmin blue charts on my iPad?
Thanks
Gordon
I just don't like the implication that somehow computerized route planning is in conflict with safety and promoting it is unsafe.
And of course, you can have the last paragraph.
I don't think it was ever meant to be just hit the plan button then hit the autopilot track button......not without a careful review/look ahead any more than following a bunch of way points your best friend gave you.
I tried it out the other day. I was in my slip at Sunroad Marina and I put the starting way point at my slip and the finish way point at Catalina Island. It created a course line from the slip up the bay, through the channel, turned right (through all the kelp) and beelined for Catalina. I then manually moved the way points than ran through the kelp, farther west before turning on a direct course to Catalina. I thought it was neat! I then zoomed in close to follow the course line looking for shallow water and rocks. It works in Lighthouse charts as well!
It takes me about 30 seconds to manually and quickly lay down a route on Coastal Explorer. While I’m doing it I think about the possible hazards and current issues along the way and modify it accordingly. And I’m using Canadian Hyrdographic or NOAA charts, of which I am familiar, toggling back and forth between the Raster and ENCs.
I noticed that renewal prices for Navionics have gone up substantially since I first loaded it on my iPad. I found some serious transcription errors on the Navionics charts (a reef off Mayne Island, Georgia Strait) several years ago and just haven’t trusted them since that time.
Jim