Maptech ??

[Speedy50]

Any oppinions on Maptech Charts. I have a lap top I use for work and I am considering buying that Maptech Chart Systems and loading the darn thing.

Most of the time, I have to find my
F&%#@N glasses beofre I can look at the chart.

Im not old mind you....just bald and blind.

[Sailmc]

I would look at Nobeltec if I were you. I have been very happy with their product. Maptec is in raster format which means it zooms in and out like a photographic slide. You will loose resolution on both ends. Nobeltec uses vector format charts. These store the data differently and when zooming in and out and panning will give better resolution on the chart as well as on the printing on the chart. Bottom line is a better picture. Downside is they look slightly different from traditional Noaa charts. But I think they are better. You can check their website for a demo.

[pspsail]

Another nav software program maybe worth looking at is NavPak Pro. Like Nobeltec reads several raster formats, the diff being the vector as it reads C-MAP charts.

NavPak: http://www.globenav.com/
C-Map: http://www.c-map.com/index2.html

Best, John (Fitzy)

[mcain]

I like Nobeltec also. And vector charts are the wave of the future. However, NOAA is now offering FREE vector charts in "S57" international standard format. Nobeltec does not support this standard, since they are selling their own (actually supplied by Transas) for some big $$. I do wish Nobeltec would bite the bullet and offer the NOAA charts--then it would be complete. Right now, Nobeltec says they have no date or plan for supporting it.
I understand Maxsea and Fugawi are pretty good and do support S57.

FWIW. M.

[rick749]

Nobletec supports Maptech also. I think Mapsource and Bluecharts are cheaper and better.

[DICKWATERS]

I purchased Nobeltec Visual Navigation Suite three years ago. It is a good program and the vector charts are good.

I have a problem in that Nobeltec advertises that you can install the program on three computers.

What they fail to mention is that if you have a hard disk failure or the like they are under no obligation to issue more than three site keys.

It would be more straight forward of them to state that they allow three installations even if they are on the same computer. If your hard disk fails you lose the key.

I installed the program on a Dell laptop that had a hard disk failure, and then Dell had to replace whole computer. Within months the computer locked up and Dell had me reformat the hard drive. My second Dell had Windows ME and Nobeltec told me that ME is not supported even though its support is noted on the box of their current product. They suggested that Windows ME might have been the problem.

As a result, if my computer fails again, I will no longer have the use of the program or the charts. If it happened today it means that I have rented the program for $150 per year.

Nobeltec did offer me a software upgrade to get two more site keys for $200. They said that this offer is short term and that if I waited the upgrade would cost $400. It’s like going through a divorce…pay, pay, pay.

[mcain]

I am in the market for a charting program in the next 30 days. I always considered Nobeltec the best, but I am disturbed at the 3-strikes and you''re out (three hard drive failures or PC-switches). I also currently have chart plotters that can use CMAP-NT and Garmin Bluecharts, and I don''t believe Nobeltec supports either, as well as the S57 FREE NOAA charts I mentioned in a previous post. I hate to buy several versions of the same charts for different systems. Maxsea seems, based on specs, to have the best coverage and tons of users, expecially in Europe.

Anyone else using Maxsea out there can comment? I am especially interested in "quilting", or the programs ability to switch seamlessly from chart to chart--either adjacent charts when moving on a route, or from one scale to a smaller or larger scale chart. Also on autopilot support.

[svGandalf]

The two basic choices for electronic charting are "raster" ( Maptech/Softchart ) and "vector" ( Nobeltec ).
Each have their own pros and cons.
You can find out more here:
http://www.bluewaterweb.com/echarts/raster.htm

I prefer raster, such as Maptech. Since they are actual NOAA charts, and I can print them off and have a hard copy as well.

If anyone is interested in doing some bartering, I have ....

MapTech Charts of:

* Germany East* Germany East- England Southwest Coast- England Poole to Dover Strait- U.K. Channel Islands- France North Coast- France West Coast - England South Central-St.Thomas to Grenada-Cuba Set - Vancouver Island East- Vancouver Island West/Queen Charlotte Island - The Netherlands SW Part- The Netherlands NE Part

United States:

- New York to Nantucket and Cape May NJ- Chesapeake and Delaware Bays- Norfolk, VA to Florida - Includes Intracoastal Waterway- Florida EAST Coast and the Keys- Florida WEST Coast and the Keys - Southern California - Point Arena to Mexican Border- Lake Michigan- San Francisco to Cape Flattery- Pacific Northwest- Lake Superior to Lake Huron- Southeast Alaska- Hawaiian Islands and U.S. Territories-Acapulco, Mexico to San Diego, CA

Strait of Gibraltar to Rio Ebro - La Corunha to Strait of Gibraltar- North Coast of Spain

Spanish & French Med. Coast - Italian Westcoast, Corsica, Sardinia - Balearic islands - Algeria & Tunesia - Adriatic Sea- Ionian Sea & Malta- Aegean Sea and Crete- Turkey Coast & Eastgreek Islands- Libya to Cyprus / Suez Canal

Self Mixed Charts:
BSB (Maptech) Format

East Carribean - Puerto Rico to Trinidad- Greece
- Italy - Adriatic sea- Gukaden to Panama incl. Jamaica and Cayman islands- America Westcoast - Los Angeles to Panama- Africa Westcoast - Cape verde to Portugal incl. Azores and Islas Canarias
- East Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea- America Eastcoast - Canadian Border to Florida- South of Spain, Portugal, Azores, Madeira, Islas Canarias, Cabo Verde- Pazific (New Zealand, French Polynesia, Parts of Australia)- 45 Charts of the Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca)- Baltic Portplans for Maptech- Denmark and Germany east

SoftChart International:

65 US Planning Charts/Region 450 International Charts of the World/Region 90 PHOTONavigator- Straits of Juan de Fuca and Georgia ( Aerial+23 Charts )/Region 100 San Diego, CA to Acapulco

Chart Viewers:

CAPN Voyager/Chartview Pro/MaxSea 9.2.0.12/Offshore Navigator/NavTrek 97/Cruising Navigator/SeaClear

Misc Software:

Nav Rules/Nautilus/Dashews Offshore Encyclopedia CD book /Mappoint Europe 2002 CD1/Mappoint Europe 2002 CD2/ArcExplorer/SailSimulator 4.2
Airmail/GPS Positioner/NOAA ENC Charts/Offshore Navigator Manual/Skipper98/Tides and Currents Pro 2.5/Visual Passage Planner/NEMA Talker/WinGPS
Offshore Navigator Manual/Virtual Passage Planner/WayPoint GPS/GetFax 4.13

Garmin:

Bluechart America 4.0/Bluechart Atlantic 4.01
Metroguide Canada/Metroguide USA CD1/Metroguide USA CD2/Waterways USA /Metroguide/
Sweden/Metroguide UK/Metroguide France

Videos :
Heavy Weather Sailing
Outfitting The Ideal Cruising Sailboat
Dashew Offshore
Spinaker Sailing Basics
Yacht Maintenence
Cruising with the Pardeys
Set Sail Video Magazine
Sailing Quarterly
FMI: strategicrecovry@hotmail.com

[mcain]

Far out. WHich chart program do you like the best? I am still torn between Nobeltec and others--like Maxsea.

I used to think it was a no-brainer for Nobeltec, but I have been rethinking. I have a nice color CMAP NT+ chart plotter and Nobeltec doesn''t read CMAP or S57 vector charts, only its own Passport vector charts. Maxsea, Raymarine and a couple others apparently read CMAP.

[svGandalf]

I used to use NavTrek97 and Chartview Pro, ( as well as Offshore NAv. and Visual Nav. Suite )but after using CAPN Voyager, I think that might be the best on the market right now. The Coast Guard uses Voyager.
Its user friendly ( considering sailors arent computer geeks )and it has lots of great perks too, such as night vision, MOB, autopilot interface... but their all good, really.

Email me offline if your interested in doing some trading.