Coastal Explorer, especially if you're traveling in B.C. You can download raster and vector charts for B.C. for $99 each. Coastal Explorer is about $300 from Defender.
Excellent customer service, stable software, fully featured.
I run CE on a cheap Windows 8 laptop, I think I paid $300-400. It gets GPS and AIS over WiFi from a black box Vesper Marine AIS transceiver. The computer is used exclusively for navigation and I only connect it to the internet a few times a year to download chart updates. I did have to spend some time getting rid of all the bloatware that came on the PC.
Coastal Explorer, especially if you're traveling in B.C.
I have garmin,s blue chart vision on my mini iPad and on my iPhone 6. It's a great program and truly compliments the main garmin chart plotter. I can plan ahead for anchorages with built in active captain or look for interesting side trips and not mess with the main system.
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.
We used an iPad this spring in the Bahamas when there was no cell coverage and it worked fine.
The chipset with cellular and GPS has a GPS antenna and all necessary GPS functionality. It works even when you are out of cell tower range because it is a true GPS receiver.
Yes, it will work if you are in the middle of the ocean. It is true GPS.
Yes, it will work if you are in the middle of the desert. It is true GPS.
Yes, it will work if you are in the mountains where there is no cell service. It is true GPS.
Ahhhh. I feel better now. ?
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.
Do any of these programs have an option to display Google Earth type images as an alternative to the chart like images? I have this on a newer Lowrance GPS and I like it.
Ken
Do any of these programs have an option to display Google Earth type images as an alternative to the chart like images? I have this on a newer Lowrance GPS and I like it.
Ken
Followed your link and here is a screen shot of what I found.........
Has anyone used an iPad for position fixing in the middle of the ocean??? I'm just curious how well it works when there are absolutely no cell towers in range.
Followed your link and here is a screen shot of what I found.........