Can Navionics chart cards be copied?

Northeaster · #1 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008

Just wondered if Navionics chart cards can be copied, using a card reader / writer, to make a spare? Or is there some code, etc, needed to make them work?

negrini · #2 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008

With some hacking you can have it copied. But entirely illegal as per Navionics sale agreement.

sailingdog · #3 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008

Anything can be copied, given the right hardware, software and equipment. However, it probably isn't legal to do so in many cases, and in the USA, thanks to the badly worded and highly misguided DMCA, a felony to do so.

Northeaster · #4 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008

Thanks for the replies. The reason I asked was that I bought a Raymarine C80 display, and went to my local marine dealer to by the Navionics card, for my area. They said they would have to burn a copy, as they don't stock them (with the consent of the manufacturer, and charging me full price, I imagine). However, the guy that does it wasn't there, so I will have to stop by another time.

I wondered whether they needed some code to allow them to do this.
Also, the C80 will be mounted in the cockpit. I do not want to take out the $250 catrd each time I leave the boat for the weekend, but don't want it to vanish either. I though that it would be useful to have a cheap copy to leave in the display all the time.

Re legalities: I am not promoting the copying of the charts to give to others. However, there are few people today who have not broken laws by downloading songs, movies, copying CDs, splitting their cable service, etc.

artbyjody · #5 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northeaster

I wondered whether they needed some code to allow them to do this.
Also, the C80 will be mounted in the cockpit. I do not want to take out the $250 catrd each time I leave the boat for the weekend, but don't want it to vanish either. I though that it would be useful to have a cheap copy to leave in the display all the time.

Doubtful it can be done:

Navionics charts on MMC [Archive] - RIBnet Forums

Panbo: The Marine Electronics Weblog: Navionics card reader, a Windows 'gotcha'

However, you may be able to call the company and ask what a duplicate backup may run (I heard thru the grapevine they do that if you register the product - but I do not know if it is factual)....

If it helps you any - I have had mine locked in my C-80 display for 3 years going on four - nary a issue with it, and never removed it and it has seen alot of abuse. I doubt someone will board your boat to steal just the card, they'll most likely remove the entire display...

negrini · #6 (**permalink**) 06-22-2008

... loked for 2,5 years now. It seems Raymarine did a good job weatherproofing the card housing ! Only problem is when your leave your boat in unattended moorings/slip.

kvaavik · #7 (**permalink**) 08-01-2008

I have a Raymarine C80, it came with the new-to-me boat I bought this winter. I looked into copying Navionics charts about 6 months ago and after about 6 hours of digging into the Internet and talking to a friend who is a data security expert, the conclusion is that if it can be done, the amount of time and effort put into it would well exceed the cost of buying a new chart. I coughed up the $$'s and bought a Navionics Gold chart. If you have an old chart (as I did), Navionics will give you a rebate if you send them the old one.

tweitz · #8 (**permalink**) 08-01-2008

Actually, making a copy of a computer program for archival purposes only is not a violation of the copyright law:

According to 17 US Code Section 117 (whcih is the copyright law)

"(a) Making of Additional Copy or Adaptation by Owner of Copy.— Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, it is not an infringement for the owner of a copy of a computer program to make or authorize the making of another copy or adaptation of that computer program provided:
...
(2) that such new copy or adaptation is for archival purposes only and that all archival copies are destroyed in the event that continued possession of the computer program should cease to be rightful.

The question would be whether the card is a computer program, which I think it probably is under the statutory definition. The legal problem is that there is probably no way to make the duplicate without violating the license prohibition on reverse engineering.

sailingdog · #9 (**permalink**) 08-01-2008

Actually, copying it, even for archival purposes is now illegal if you have to decrypt it in any way... You might want to read up on the DMCA, which superceded the Copyright Act of 1978 that you're quoting.

BTW, my understanding is that the charts are not a "computer program" but data for use by a computer program, which is a different thing entirely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tweitz

Actually, making a copy of a computer program for archival purposes only is not a violation of the copyright law:

According to 17 US Code Section 117 (whcih is the copyright law)

"(a) Making of Additional Copy or Adaptation by Owner of Copy.— Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, it is not an infringement for the owner of a copy of a computer program to make or authorize the making of another copy or adaptation of that computer program provided:
...
(2) that such new copy or adaptation is for archival purposes only and that all archival copies are destroyed in the event that continued possession of the computer program should cease to be rightful.

The question would be whether the card is a computer program, which I think it probably is under the statutory definition. The legal problem is that there is probably no way to make the duplicate without violating the license prohibition on reverse engineering.

Northeaster · #10 (**permalink**) 08-02-2008

Follow up - I did spring for the $200 Eastern Canadian charts, and am happy with the charts and Raymarine C80 overall. I have noticed that a few buoys were off more than what could be accounted for by normal current / drift of the buoy. I haven't talked to anyone locally, to see if they noticed this as well.
I am not too concerned about the bouys being off a bit on the charts, as I can see them anyway. I am however concerned about the charted location of the many rocks, and whether or not they are accurate on the charts, as many are submerged at anything but low tide!

??? Although the magnetic deviation is set automatically at 19 degrees West on my Raymarine ( I assume it gets that data from knowing my GPS location), it does seem that my boat, on the screen / chart , points a few degrees off the real boat in the water, when heading form the tip of an island, etc.
Just wondered if anyone else has similar experience, or if I have missed something in the setup??