Coastal Explorer Nav Software

[Bobcat]

Anyone using this program? Several people have recommended Nobeltech, but it's spendy. Someone mentioned this software as an option. It is a bunch cheaper and appears to do what I would need it to do, but I thought I would seek some advice from people that have used it.

Thanks

[WX]

You don't like Opencpn?

[Bobcat]

I don't even know what Opencpn is :d

I am a paper chart guy stumbling my way into the 21st century

[WX]

It's free to use.
http://opencpn.org/ocpn/

[George Ray]

Been a long good tiring day so here is the best I've got at the moment, ..... a stream of consciousness bunch of comments:

I use Coastal Explorer and also have and have used, old MaxSea (global C93 charts), SeaClear (free, uses raster charts and will allow you to make and geo-referance your own charts from scan image etc), PolarView (rather good, PC/Mac/Linux and has GRIBWx and AIS and is very cheap), OpenCPN which is fast becoming a truly awesome program.....

I never got into Nobeltec and can't compare.

New MaxSea is owned by Furuno and has sophisticated equipment integration and hot shot predictive Wx routing based on Wx GRIB files.

Coastal Explorer is around $300 and delivers fairly good value. They recently started charging $99/year to use the full featured version but there is a free version I think but can't speak to that. The program auto updates charts from NOAA (raster and ENC vector). C-Map charts are now usable or will be very soon it was just announced. Active Captain is fully integrated with coastal explorer. There is predictive time line for planning, tide/currents visually superimposed on the chart display, USCG coast pilot and sailing directions are integrated as POI (points of interest) so you can search for locations etc. Not as good as having a readable coast pilot of sailing directions but quick and helpful.

trying to think and not much is happening .... good nite!

[VanMikey]

I recently stumbeled across SeaClearII. It is a free program. I bought a $79 GPS reciever, plugged it into my laptop and downloaded a bunch of charts. I am very happy with the outcome.
More detail in this posting on my blog: http://www.sailorswhipping.com/2012/02/chart-plotter-freeby.html

[Lew Barrett]

Without going to great lengths, and as an aside based on George's comment, I did use Nobeltec and although it was a good and very comprehensive program, both initial costs and Jeppeson's prohibitively expensive upgrade path convinced me it's not a cost effective solution for most users in light of the available options. In addition, it is cumbersome (if not impossible) to move to a new computer should your old box fail.

I'd look elsewhere, but can't comment on Coastal Explorer.

[George Ray]

Coastal Explorer allows (as I recall) two computers at least and moving to a new computer has proved painless with help from the the support staff.
Coastal Explorer allow radar integration but currently only with one brand radome (i forget which). However, they are working to keep on top of new developments and iPad integration is something that has been done in some form and I believe that work continues. there is talk of Navico releasing a development kit for their SUPER COOL digital broadband radar to allow it to run on non-Navico software such as Coastal Explorer perhaps with the proviso that one mush have at least one of their MFD's (multi function display) in the system , that could be the cheapest I hope and then be able to have their digital broadband radar display on my laptop. the Navico Broadband radar is instant on, super low power, radome safe at head level, etc ..... some issues such as lack of RACON triggering perhaps but an awesome unit. Coastal Explorer is keeping their eye on the ball.

SeaClear is a very nice FREE basic program. The chart management is as I recall a challenge to get used to. It is well respected as evidenced by the fact that the documentation is available in a handful of languages. The most recent update is a few years old but it has all the basics except perhaps GRIB Wx file reading and integral tide/current and timeline and obstacle detection and alarming (a vector chart plotter feature only I think) .... Coastal Explorer is Raster Vector and C-Map what ever C-map is .....

[Bobcat]

Without going to great lengths, and as an aside based on George's comment, I did use Nobeltec and although it was a good and very comprehensive program, both initial costs and Jeppeson's prohibitively expensive upgrade path convinced me it's not a cost effective solution for most users in light of the available options. In addition, it is cumbersome (if not impossible) to move to a new computer should your old box fail.

I'd look elsewhere, but can't comment on Coastal Explorer.

What's the problem on moving it? I mentioned your comment to one of my brothers, a Nobeltech fan pushing for me to use it and nothing else. I couldn't really give him the details.

[Bobcat]

Does SeaClear integrate tide and current predictions into proposed routes?

[Lew Barrett]

They give you a key (or did five or six years ago when I first installed it), one for the program, the other to unlock the charts. It says right on the box "one time use" or some such thing, but that's besides the point.

I lost the drive on my dedicated computer (a Vaio) and replaced it, but couldn't get the discs (a thousand bucks worth of them) to re-install last summer. I make no claims at being a computer ace, but I can install a program. This stuff wouldn't install back on the same computer (using the existing codes) but with a new drive that it used to be resident on. I threw my hands up, lived with the Raymarine charting package which was more reliable anyway, and haven't looked back. I liked having the Nobeltec package too because it allowed me to display a decent sized chart on the computer and the radar and overlay on the Raymarine; a lot of concurrent information without splitting any screens. But that was then.....

There's probably something simple to do to get my program re-installed, but just contacting Jeppeson will cost you. They have OK support as long as you are willing to pay for it each and every time.

I think things shouldn't be so hard, and I will never give them my money again.

Also, I am a Mac guy, so running NT requires another computer. It is a very comprehensive professional package, but by the time you are done, it is really going to cost you, and every time they upgrade, it will cost you again. They don't give ice in winter, their package ios absolutely the most expensive you can buy, and that's all she wrote.

You have to ask yourself if it's worth the cost of a really decent dedicated chart plotter before you dig in. For me, it isn't. I'll be happy to share my older (5 year) discs with you....gratis......if you can figure out how to load the charts and programs; they are useless to me.

[Phil Y]

It's free to use.
http://opencpn.org/ocpn/

Gary. Bear in mind if you answer this that you are addressing someone who can send an email, but thats about it. Most of the posts written above might as well be in greek for all the sense they make to me. Are Australian charts available free with this opencpn software? We don't seem to have access to free echarts like they do over in the US-(They must be a welfare state or something over there:))

[WX]

Gary. Bear in mind if you answer this that you are addressing someone who can send an email, but thats about it. Most of the posts written above might as well be in greek for all the sense they make to me. Are Australian charts available free with this opencpn software? We don't seem to have access to free echarts like they do over in the US-(They must be a welfare state or something over there:))
Yes they are but the ones I have which are freely available are not up to date. I can send you a disc with the program and the e charts if you like. I have from 0-80 degrees South and SE Asia, I do have the Northern Hemisphere but they don't seem to work for me.

[George Ray]

Does SeaClear integrate tide and current ..........

http://www.sping.com/seaclear/
SeaClear (as I recall) does little except to display raster charts and show the boats Position/SOG/COG and relation to the route waypoints Bearing/TTG/etc, and AIS target info. I have never used AIS with SeaClear, I just recall it has that function. In the past I have recommended SeaClear to all cruisers that use laptops who are on a strict budget. The chart management is the one thing I thought was difficult but being able to make your own charts can be worthwhile. There are potential pitfalls but with eyes wide open it is a good thing. I don't remember details but it seems to me that it does quilting and moving transitions well. SeaClear was last updated in early 2010.


http://www.polarnavy.com/
PolarView is very much worth a look, it is multi platform and is actively under development. Very cheap and a very nice feature set.


http://rosepointnav.com/
Coastal Explorer is rather amazing with it's on demand updating of NOAA raster and ENC Vector charts. How many out there keep up with Notice to Mariners and update your charts regularly ???????????


http://opencpn.org/ocpn/
Open CPN is open source and multi platform and is very very much worth a look for anyone who is the least bit hackish/nerdy and will very likely very soon be a solid, easy and full featured chart plotter for just plain folks. I think there are some folks fiddling with Wx routing additions. A current project that is nearing completion is making available the full catalog of NGA charts. It's a long and interesting story about the JPG files that exist in the public domain hidden behind adobe flash, and can be viewed at ( http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/NGAChartViewer.html ). They have been pulled out onto a server and are being converted to geo-referenced BSB charts. this begs the question of keeping the files current but it's an interesting start. This and more happening at OPENCPN.

[Bobcat]

Lew, thanks for the offer, but I think I am just going to order coastal explorer and work from there.

It's good to hear that it seems to be as functional as its billed to be.