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Uses for Chart plotters and chart plotting software

9K views 41 replies 21 participants last post by  KnottyGurl 
#1 ·
A year ago, I could see little value in having a chart plotter other than as a toy. I got one anyway and now my view has changed fairly drastically. In the last year, I have spent a lot of time trying to understand a lot of the features but I still feel like I have a ways to go in understanding what to use it for. As an analogy, you think of your car as something that gets you to work, gets you to the store, takes you on vacation, etc. You don't really think much about how the engine or transmission work. What you use a chart plotter for is not quite so obvious - not to me anyway.

Unfortunately, none of the GPS instructions I have seen tell you what to do with the devices. They just tell you how they work. So I now know how to create a waypoint but knowing why I would want to create one isn't so obvious. Below is a list of what I can think of that I have used my chart plotter and software for.

If anyone routinely uses their software or plotter for anything I don't list, please add your uses so we can all get maximum benefit out of these amazing devices.

Software
1. Trip planning - casually, almost day dreaming, about cruises.
2. Trip planning - creating actual routes that will be used to cruising destinations.
3. Record good anchorages that normal charts would have you believe are inaccessible.
4. Locate and get info on marinas.
5. Great for tide info. - for planning

Chart plotter
1. Determining current position when position is uncertain or unknown
2. Cutting corners - following shoal lines vs. navigating buoy to buoy to save time and distance.
3. Provide detailed depth information to assist in anchoring up small creeks.
4. Provide trip data such as speed.
5. Determine actual tide current by comparing gps speed to knotmeter speed.
6. Backtrack out of a morning fog by following yesterday's track.
7. Determine distances to objects over a mile away.
8. Tide Info.
 
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#2 ·
Chart Plotter #1,#2, #3, #6 & #7.
As long as one remembers that your chart plotter tells you where you theoretically are located. Which is affected by GPS satellite issues and errors on the charts loaded (and there are chart errors).

I still make use of my eyes and refer to paper charts in addition to my chart plotter.
 
#3 · (Edited)
A year ago, I could see little value in having a chart plotter other than as a toy. I got one anyway and now my view has changed fairly drastically. In the last year, I have spent a lot of time trying to understand a lot of the features but I still feel like I have a ways to go in understanding what to use it for. As an analogy, you think of your car as something that gets you to work, gets you to the store, takes you on vacation, etc. You don't really think much about how the engine or transmission work. What you use a chart plotter for is not quite so obvious - not to me anyway.

Unfortunately, none of the GPS instructions I have seen tell you what to do with the devices. They just tell you how they work. So I now know how to create a waypoint but knowing why I would want to create one isn't so obvious. Below is a list of what I can think of that I have used my chart plotter and software for.

If anyone routinely uses their software or plotter for anything I don't list, please add your uses so we can all get maximum benefit out of these amazing devices.

Software
1. Trip planning - casually, almost day dreaming, about cruises.
2. Trip planning - creating actual routes that will be used to cruising destinations.
3. Record good anchorages that normal charts would have you believe are inaccessible.
4. Locate and get info on marinas.
5. Great for tide info. - for planning
I would point out that trip planning using a chart plotting software package is not the best idea.... using waypoints that you have not physically been to and relying on them is at best risky. You have no idea of how accurate your electronic charts are in a specific region or area, and basing actual routes on them without doing the basic research using the pilot books and paper charts is unwise.

BTW, if you think using software to get in and out of anchorages that have risks or obstructions according to the paper charts is a good idea, you might want to take up another hobby.

The information on marinas is nice, but remember it is a static snapshot in time, and marinas change hands, go out of business, and such fairly often, especially in times of economic hardship. The information found in cruising guides and charts--both electronic and paper--is often out of date by the time it is published.

Chart plotter
1. Determining current position when position is uncertain or unknown
2. Cutting corners - following shoal lines vs. navigating buoy to buoy to save time and distance.
3. Provide detailed depth information to assist in anchoring up small creeks.
4. Provide trip data such as speed.
5. Determine actual tide current by comparing gps speed to knotmeter speed.
6. Backtrack out of a morning fog by following yesterday's track.
7. Determine distances to objects over a mile away.
8. Tide Info.
Using a GPS as your only method of determining your position when uncertain is less that ideal. If you are in sight of land, using coastal pilotage skills and techniques makes far more sense, since these will locate you relative to the land, and not relative to some cartographer's electronic rendition of the actual area.

There's a reason you navigate from BUOY to BUOY... cutting corners without local knowledge is stupid and risky.

Getting depth information from an electronic chart is also stupid. The depth information isn't going to account for shifting sandbanks and shoals, and was of questionable accuracy when the data was collected, much less months or years later, when you're actually using it. Your depthsounder is a much better choice for depth data, especially since the numbers on the chartplotter don't account for tidal variation in depths.

Using a GPS to backtrack is fine, provided the accuracy of the unit at the time you do so was high enough when you made the track in and are following it out. That isn't always the case, and the more critical the navigation, the less I'd rely on the GPS. Use your Mark I EYEBALL instead. Even in fog, you can get a fair bit of information from it. For instance, if you're entering a narrow channel, say 80' wide, and your GPS had an accuracy of +/- 20' when you made it and has an accuracy of +/- 20' when you follow it out, you could be 40' from the center of the channel. That could be really bad, especially in something like the ICW, where the channel's edges are often laden with things like submerged tree stumps.

If you need to determine distance to objects over a mile away, use radar. It is very accurate for distance bearings, not so good for compass bearings.
 
#14 ·
I would point out that trip planning using a chart plotting software package is not the best idea.... using waypoints that you have not physically been to and relying on them is at best risky. You have no idea of how accurate your electronic charts are in a specific region or area, and basing actual routes on them without doing the basic research using the pilot books and paper charts is unwise.

BTW, if you think using software to get in and out of anchorages that have risks or obstructions according to the paper charts is a good idea, you might want to take up another hobby.

The information on marinas is nice, but remember it is a static snapshot in time, and marinas change hands, go out of business, and such fairly often, especially in times of economic hardship. The information found in cruising guides and charts--both electronic and paper--is often out of date by the time it is published.

Using a GPS as your only method of determining your position when uncertain is less that ideal. If you are in sight of land, using coastal pilotage skills and techniques makes far more sense, since these will locate you relative to the land, and not relative to some cartographer's electronic rendition of the actual area.

There's a reason you navigate from BUOY to BUOY... cutting corners without local knowledge is stupid and risky.

Getting depth information from an electronic chart is also stupid. The depth information isn't going to account for shifting sandbanks and shoals, and was of questionable accuracy when the data was collected, much less months or years later, when you're actually using it. Your depthsounder is a much better choice for depth data, especially since the numbers on the chartplotter don't account for tidal variation in depths.

Using a GPS to backtrack is fine, provided the accuracy of the unit at the time you do so was high enough when you made the track in and are following it out. That isn't always the case, and the more critical the navigation, the less I'd rely on the GPS. Use your Mark I EYEBALL instead. Even in fog, you can get a fair bit of information from it. For instance, if you're entering a narrow channel, say 80' wide, and your GPS had an accuracy of +/- 20' when you made it and has an accuracy of +/- 20' when you follow it out, you could be 40' from the center of the channel. That could be really bad, especially in something like the ICW, where the channel's edges are often laden with things like submerged tree stumps.

If you need to determine distance to objects over a mile away, use radar. It is very accurate for distance bearings, not so good for compass bearings.
I've pretty much used my GPS Chartplotter in the ways the OP noted. I agree that a fair amount of caution is warranted as conditions do change (shoaling ect.) but I have used a GPS track to backtrack out of creeks with skinny water, keeping a good eye on the depth sounder and constantly guessing where I might find deeper water if the depth gets too iffy.

I also regularly plot to waypoints I've never been to always erring on the side of the deeper water. I basically trust the chartplotter to get me within binocular range of what ever waypoint I'm using, and then use the MkI Mod 1 (Lasik)eyeball along with the depth sounder to confirm what the Plotter is telling me.

As for cutting bouys, there are bouys you can cut, and ones you can't. I regularly cut one coner in my new sailing grounds where the chart shows plenty of water for my boat inside the mark. Many channels are marked for commercial traffic, so there is no point sailing 2 miles out of the way when there's 10' of water inside the mark and you draw less than 1/2 of that. Cutting marks puts the onus on the skipper to know where deeper water is and take action to make sure you don't sail into areas that were shallower than you expected. Following contours is a method of managing the risk when you're unsure of the area.

The problems are really with the accuracy of marine charts rather than with the GPS system.

The GPS in my aircraft allows me to fly approaches as low as 200' AGL at over 100 mph. The lateral limits are such that if the needles are kept centered, I'll be on the centerline of the runway. Selective availability is no longer, so the problem is not positional accuracy of the GPS but the accuracy of the chart you postion is being desplayed on and the fact that the bottom can change even if the chart presents your lateral position perfectly. For me, I have a "trust, but verify" relationship with my chartplotter. I'm quite comfortable that its showing me pretty much where we are and its up to me to figure out the part the box can't know.
 
#4 ·
Here's about the only things I completely rely on with the chartplotter. I use the speed over ground display to determine when I've actually come to a halt to drop the anchor. Not that critical, but nice. I also leave the anchor alarm on for 15 or 20 mins to see if we set. That has alerted me to dragging when I'm distracted by other things. Still, I would have figured it out on my own in time, just nice to have. I also confess that I take its word for time to waypoint and/or VMG, but only for cruise approximations, not specific dead reckoning navigation.

Now, as far as simultaneous navigation to a chart, its fantastic. It just needs to be cross referenced.
 
#5 · (Edited)
On my chart plotter the entry into Spanish Waters in Curacao put me in the Hyatt Hotel swimming pool and the Boca Grande entry into Cartagena placed me on the reef.

Where I am now moored, Puerto Morelos Mexico it is out by 800 yds.

I use my chart plotter as a general reference and guide to supplement paper charts and guide books.

However, the one thing I do not use it for is accurate navigation...The more I use it the less I do night entries.

Sailingdog has it right...If you can't eyeball it you should not be doing it. Unless your charts are good and up to date and your charting/piloting skills are exceptional.

And Oh yes, never, never cut corners on buoyed entries and channels.

Phil
 
#6 ·
I should have inserted all the obvious caveats about using common sense, paper charts, your eyes, etc. for those who might be new to sailing and think I’m suggesting navigating by chart plotter alone. SD – and others, thanks. I also should not have used the term “cutting corners” since that just evoked negative responses.

However, I would appreciate some responses contributing to my OP. Thanks Minnewaska for your two. As an example does anyone save tracks and view them at home? I’m just not sure I see the value in some of the features. Thanks again for your input.
 
#8 ·
. As an example does anyone save tracks and view them at home? I'm just not sure I see the value in some of the features. Thanks again for your input.
We do that... Occasionally we present slide shows of our cruises, and having the track record adds to the story (sometimes it shows our lousy tacking angles too, though...:mad: )

I've seen firsthand the inaccuracies in charting software - esp in Mexico around Tenacatita and Manzinillo though it's likely a problem everywhere there.

On the flip side I've been astounded at times by the accuracy here in the PNW. Our son bought a boat in Tacoma and we took it home to Vancouver on a cool March weekend, planning a two day trip.

As evening approached it was clear and we had a good moon so we decided to carry on. I had pre-planned our trip and had the route loaded into our Garmin MAP76. We did have radar. The trip plan was through the LaConner canal appropriately known as 'the ditch' and I'd put about 20 waypoints through that stretch (about 10-11 NM).

We had some moonlight, and lots of light in La Conner so with radar we were fine, but in fact we sat on the "Highway" that is the route line on the GPS the whole way after dark. Arriving in Anacortes at midnight we were able to find some fuel and carried on arriving home after 31 hours straight.

Still, attempting such a run without any visibility or radar would be foolhardy.
 
#7 ·
I'm not saying that you can't use one for route planning...and I use MacENC for route planning regularly... but that you shouldn't be using the waypoints you pick in the route planning as waypoints, until you've actually sailed to where the waypoint it and have checked it to see that it makes sense to use it as such.

Another good use is to see what alternative landfalls you would have in the case of an emergency. I highly recommend writing up a summary of each harbor or inlet that you might have to make an emergency passage into. Include a brief description of the entrance, ATONs to follow, course distances and bearings, etc., so that in the emergency, you're not having to look all this stuff up. It helps prevent mistakes from being made when you're in the emergency and more likely to screw up.

However, almost anything you could do with the chartplotting/navigation software, you could do faster and easier with paper charts IMHO.

A chart plotter can be used quite creatively in many ways. Setting up proximity waypoints can allow you to clearly define an anchor watch and let you know if you're dragging. This is sometimes preferable to using the built in anchor watch feature, since you can customize it specifically for the anchorage in question.

You can also set up proximity waypoints to warn you of isolated, unmarked dangers that might be on your course.

The cross track screen can help you realize if you're being blown or pushed off course.

Using the GPS and checking your COG versus your heading, you can see what the effects of set and drift are on your course in many cases. Heading is the direction the boat is facing, COG is the actual direction the boat is moving in, and rarely are they the same.
 
#9 ·
I'm not saying that you can't use one for route planning...and I use MacENC for route planning regularly... but that you shouldn't be using the waypoints you pick in the route planning as waypoints, until you've actually sailed to where the waypoint it and have checked it to see that it makes sense to use it as such.
???????
How does anyone get anywhere new, if they don't aim for it? Easiest way to aim for it, is to assign it a waypoint and steer towards it. I totally agree that you can't assume that your new waypoint will be a safe waypoint, but that should become apparent as you approach it.
 
#13 ·
Unfortunately, I've seen too many rookies take the waypoints in their GPS for gospel...and that's usually a bad thing. I agree you can use them i fyou remember that they're not tested IRL, and as such should be approached cautiously.

I go buoy or marker to the next buoy or marker... and keep the GPS chartplotter for the big picture, and have the paper charts out. I use the Post-It tape flags to keep the position of the boat updated on the chart, especially if I'm in unfamiliar waters.
 
#10 ·
As evening approached it was clear and we had a good moon so we decided to carry on. I had pre-planned our trip and had the route loaded into our Garmin MAP76. We did have radar. The trip plan was through the LaConner canal appropriately known as 'the ditch' and I'd put about 20 waypoints through that stretch (about 10-11 NM).
I think I heard you guys toot your horn when you went by.
 
#11 ·
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is using the DSC position function when you're buddy boating. Three of us Sailnetters kind of kept track of each other's location this past summer while cruising the same area. It's a great feature, especially if you owe one of them money and are avoiding them. ;)
 
#12 ·
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is using the DSC position function when you're buddy boating. Three of us Sailnetters kind of kept track of each other's location this past summer while cruising the same area. It's a great feature, especially if you owe one of them money and are avoiding them. ;)
he's speaking from experience is my guess. ;) :laugher :laugher :laugher
 
#15 ·
This is less relevant to the use of chartplotters and software than to "being safe". Some of the best anchorages and places we visited on our cruise were due to NOT going buoy to buoy. You can't be so afraid of what your paper charts don't show you that you don't adventure at all.

Personally, while we carry paper charts as backup, I find my CoastalExplorer software to be one of the best voyage planning tools ever. With the offline ActiveCaptain integration that CE now has you can plan a week long trip in minutes and know everything there is to know about every place along the way. There is absolutely no way you can do that with paper charts.

By the way - one of the biggest issues of going buoy to buoy is everyone else doing the same thing. Always make sure that you use a point a couple of hundred feet or more off of a buoy as your waypoint. In the case of the Bahamas, where EVERYONE is using Explorer Charts, DO NOT head right for an Explorer waypoint unless you want to risk collision with the 20 other cruising boats that ARE heading right for an Explorer waypoint.

SD - with CE and most other charting software, the NOAA ENC and RNC downloadable charts will be more up to date than the paper charts you buy, unless you combine the paper charts with a bunch of NTM and NOAA corrections - and who wants to do that when you can just download the latest copy of the chart.
 
#17 ·
This is less relevant to the use of chartplotters and software than to "being safe". Some of the best anchorages and places we visited on our cruise were due to NOT going buoy to buoy. You can't be so afraid of what your paper charts don't show you that you don't adventure at all.

Personally, while we carry paper charts as backup, I find my CoastalExplorer software to be one of the best voyage planning tools ever. With the offline ActiveCaptain integration that CE now has you can plan a week long trip in minutes and know everything there is to know about every place along the way. There is absolutely no way you can do that with paper charts.

By the way - one of the biggest issues of going buoy to buoy is everyone else doing the same thing. Always make sure that you use a point a couple of hundred feet or more off of a buoy as your waypoint. In the case of the Bahamas, where EVERYONE is using Explorer Charts, DO NOT head right for an Explorer waypoint unless you want to risk collision with the 20 other cruising boats that ARE heading right for an Explorer waypoint.
I've seen this happen. A 65' lobster boat out of New Bedford rammed a large green lit buoy one sunny day as we were coming into the harbor. There was NO ONE visible in the bridge, and as soon as they hit the buoy, someone popped up and ran across to the helm. It was pretty clear that they were not keeping a proper watch and had the boat on autopilot.

SD - with CE and most other charting software, the NOAA ENC and RNC downloadable charts will be more up to date than the paper charts you buy, unless you combine the paper charts with a bunch of NTM and NOAA corrections - and who wants to do that when you can just download the latest copy of the chart.
True, but if he is using the software that comes with the chartplotter and the charts off the plotter, that's a different story.
 
#18 ·
Chartplotter vs Mapping GPS

Is there a difference between a Chartplotter and a Mapping GPS? Is there a difference in the information that they provide?

I've experienced what others have noted: It's the maps/charts that are loaded into the GPS that lack accuracy and not the Lat/Long the GPS is providing. Someone once told me many charts outside of US waters were originally made just after WWII... and have never been updated!

However, I did use a Mapping GPS for primary navigation (no boat instrument at the time) sailing from San Diego into San Francisco. We made port late each evening, stayed within 5 miles of shore, and did NOT have any navigational problems... Until, in the Suisun Slough, the GPS had us crossing land:eek: .

Like anything else, navigation by GPS requires some common sense. Oh, and actually believing what your eyes are telling you when you're NOT fixated on the tiny screen:cool: .

Skipper
J/36 "Zero Tolerance"
 
#19 ·
I had sailed for years without a gps. I have been using one for less than a year now. I was very, very skeptical at first. I verified everything with charts and sight. I sail in the Chesapeake and sailed much of it last season. I continue to use other methods of navigation and always will. But I was amazed at how accurate the thing is. It is tempting to place too much reliance on it so I’m constantly telling myself not to. Perhaps because the Chesapeake is so popular for boating, the charts (hence chart plotters) tend to be more accurate than other areas of the country. Thanks for the input. SD – thanks for the 180.

One other use (but is brand specific and I’m not endorsing any brand of anything) is the integration of Google Earth with my chart software. It is amazing. I can zoom in on a marina and tell if it is primarily sail or power.
 
#20 ·
In major boating areas of the USA, the charts, regardless of the maker, are probably going to be fairly accurate. As you get further off the beaten path...the charts will be less accurate, be based on older data, etc. However, if you get into the habit of relying on the chartplotter as "gospel", when you get into those further-off-the-beaten-path areas, it will come to bite you on your backside. IMHO, it is better to not learn bad habits to begin with.
 
#21 · (Edited)
One strategy which has proven itself to me over the past 8 years -- from Maine to the Virgin Islands -- is to use a computer-based charting program and NOAA raster charts, wherever available.

The raster charts are EXACT copies...pictures, if you will....of paper charts. And, as Labatt said, you can download the latest ones easily JIT (just in time, i.e., when you need them). They are dated and include updates thru the latest NTM before publication.

The chart plotting software allows you to do both short-term and long-term planning. It is VERY easy to plot waypoints and routes for future voyages. Much, much easier than doing it on paper charts. And, don't forget, if you're using NOAA raster charts, you ARE to all intents and purposes doing it on paper charts.

Moreover, you can retain these routes for future passages. On the first use, as Dog said, you need to be very careful to verify the accuracy of the waypoints. I'm careful to choose the routes to stay in deep water, away from obstructions, and at safe distances away from buoys. I choose the waypoints and routes keeping in mind the possibility of having to run them in absolute zero visibility conditions, which I've done several times in extremely heavy fog. This means that I don't always take the most direct route; rather, I take the safest route, even in low visibility conditions.

Once I have created a new route with appropriate waypoints, I upload it to all three of my Furuno GPS units (one at the helm, one at the nav station connected to the laptop, and one spare). That way, I can easily view my boat's position on the laptop as well as obtain detailed information such as distance and bearing to next waypoint, time to waypoint, XTrack error, SOG, etc., etc.

On portions of a route where I expect to see heavy commercial traffic, including large ships, I plot the waypoints outside the main channel, often in water too shallow for big ships. That way, I KNOW I don't have to worry about them hitting me. The Delaware Bay and Delaware River is a good example of this. There's a never-ending parade of large ships going up and down this Bay. If you stay just outside the buoys, there's still plenty of water for a yacht, but not a ship.

We are blessed at the accuracy of the NOAA raster charts for popular boating areas in the U.S. They are unbelievably good. I didn't come to that belief easily, knowing something about how charts are made and being an old navigation instructor. Nevertheless, as Dog and others have said, it behooves all of us to not follow chartplotters/GPS data slavishly, but to consider these as one of many navigational tools. A damn good one, but nevertheless only one of several we should be using when underway.

Bill
 
#22 ·
Of course here's the issue of going solely by Chartplotter (consider yourself someplace else - perhaps near a reef marked on a chart). Chartplotter maps often don't get updated frequently by most people. The cartography is expensive to maintain. In other words, while you can update your PC/Mac software NOAA ENC and RNC charts for free, it could cost hundreds of dollars to update your charts on your Raymarine or Garmin. This is being worked on however, as a few of the companies are offering lifetime updates, user added content and other features to their chartplotter cartography.

Anyway, here's a pic of innacurate cartography that could lead to some issues with pre-done waypoints on a chartplotter.

 
#23 ·
I have a Garmin 541s that I bought in March 2010 and agree with many of the post here. There are times when it is spot on and there are times when it's not even close. Less the latter though and the problem is clearly that the charts are inaccurate.

Not really sure how to keep this device and its built-in charts up-to-date as there appears to be no mechanism to do this from Garmin.

Really do not like Garmin's Home Port application and prefer MacENC and the NOAA charts instead.

The most interesting use of the Garmin is it's track feature that I have used to follow a previous pass through an area. In the end, I really don't understand how to use all the features of the Garmin or it's just really limited for functions of storing and maintaing tracks.

I tried using Home Port to plan a trip and found that Active Captain and other online resources were much more valuable.
 
#24 ·
You can use MacENC to setup the waypoints and routes and then export them to the Garmin.
 
#25 ·
The primary use for our chartplotter is as a bookend on our shelves. It does it's job well.

Most of our sailing is daylight and we are primarily paper chart users. We rarely have it on due to the power draw. If we had solar or wind generation on the boat that might change our usage but I doubt it. With the LED and cold cathode ray fluorescent lighting on board we are able to go almost a week without charging the batteries. The CP would cut into that. Would rather save the juice for the autopilot.

We do use our chartplotter in stormy weather or when sailing at night as an aid. When the chartplotter is on the radar unit is also generally up as well. We like to confirm our track on the paper chart using the GPS in those conditions. But it is never our primary navigation device. It only takes one error. If I do not know where I am then I stop the boat or reverse course before relying on the GPS to close on an obstruction.

We view it as one of the many options marketed to sailors for our pleasure and enjoyment. Many times we think the items are vital. Look at the magazines - everything is.

My wife and I asked ourselves last season if the next boat we buy does not have one would we purchase one? The debate is not over but I would guess probably. Because when I used the term aid I meant that under those conditions it can be a real help and provide peace of mind.
 
#27 ·
Once again my two cents - People, it's generally OK to use your Chartplotter as your primary navigation device. You don't have to feel bad about it. We use it as our primary navigation device (with our CoastalExplorer software as our primary planning tool for longer trips). Even without regularly updating the chartplotter cartography the only places you really have to worry about (in the US), when using it as your primary navigation device, are areas prone to shoaling. New islands don't pop up overnight, so even five year old cartography won't have you bumping into some new landmass that didn't exist before. AND, since most US cartography is based upon the NOAA charts, if your chartplotter is off your paper charts will be too (not talking about buoy numbers but rather navigational hazards). Just don't be stupid and don't put a blindfold on. Use your eyes to make judgement calls. We also take a quick look to see if there's a difference between the latest NOAA charts on CoastalExplorer vs. the charts we have on our chartplotter (this is how we found out that all of the Ambrose Channel buoys going into New York Harbor were renumbered a month before we transited). Yes, buoys are moved, added and changed, security zones are put in place, etc. but general navigation is fine. There are few places I'd always want to make sure I had the latest cartography (like New York Harbor), but outside of that I'm OK with working on charts from a couple of years ago. We've sailed over 10,000nm this way.

What are our paper charts good for (and we do carry paper charts for every area we visit)? We mostly use them as an activity to pass the time on longer passages - charting our GPS position on them every 30-60 minutes so we have something to do. And yes, they will be there in case of a lightning strike (which we've ALMOST had).

I guess what I'm saying is you should always have paper charts aboard, but don't feel guilty about using your chartplotter as a primary navigation device.
 
#28 ·
My post has gotten a lot of good responses that will take some time for me to sift through. Thanks to all.
Iharmon – thanks. I do like your approach. I do like to play with the technology but I also love to sail. Last summer, I found myself turning the GPS off numerous times because all it was doing was draining the batteries. I’m still evaluating what the thing is really good – when and how I’ll be using it. I can’t say that it adds to my sailing enjoyment but if it adds to safety then I’ll use it as an aid. Last summer, I found myself often over using it because of the learning curve. I’m spending some time here at home over the winter playing with the software and hardware so I’m better prepared and not distracted when I’m back on the water. Hence, the reason for my post.
 
#29 · (Edited)
My post has gotten a lot of good responses that will take some time for me to sift through. Thanks to all.
Iharmon - thanks. I do like your approach. I do like to play with the technology but I also love to sail. Last summer, I found myself turning the GPS off numerous times because all it was doing was draining the batteries. I'm still evaluating what the thing is really good - when and how I'll be using it. I can't say that it adds to my sailing enjoyment but if it adds to safety then I'll use it as an aid. Last summer, I found myself often over using it because of the learning curve. I'm spending some time here at home over the winter playing with the software and hardware so I'm better prepared and not distracted when I'm back on the water. Hence, the reason for my post.
Keep in mind the contex of the situation and type of sailing of the various responses and suggestions you got. For the most part they are all usefull in different situations. I'm not an "all or always" type of person. Different situations require different approaches. Sometimes the paper charts are put away (for example when I'm in my home waters on a nice sunny day). Some times I have the paper charts out, the chartpolotter and radar on with a spare handheld GPS at the ready and a crusing guide out after reading and re-reading the remommended entrance to a new harbor in unfamiliar waters in the fog.

One thing I did not notice being suggested that I use the chartpoltter a lot for is the ETA and ETE features for purposes of selecting the destination for the day, when we need to depart, etc.

I have built up a large library of waypoints and routes for my sailing area over a 20 year period or so. The waypoints are in general named using some abbreviation of their locations name. Early on I found this easier to use than some type of numerical reference. The routs became a bird's nest jumble when they were all displayed in MapSource or were tough to find in a list on a GPS unit. What I did to keep them straight was to take que from the airline industry and consolidate and altered so that most of the routes started and ended in various "hubs". It made it a lot easier to find what I was looking for.

Don't be afraid to use the chartplotter, It can make your life easier. Just use common sense and compare what it is telling you with any other information you have.
 
#30 ·
Mapping software for std-horz 180i chartplotter

I have just bought the above plotter and the manual doesnt name a brand of mapping software that I can use on my pc to create waypoints/routes.
It only mentions the type of nema sentences to have.
Can anyone recomend compatable pc mapping software.
I have Cmaps MAx Lakes chart chip that I bought with the plotter and this covers my crusing grounds just fine.
Looking forward to any suggestions, RVS.
 
#31 ·
Do you have a PC or a Mac? If you're on a PC, SeaClear II, OpenCPN, are possible choices, though you may need a translation utility to load the waypoints and routes to the GPS. If you're on a Mac, MacENC (not free), is a possible choice.

I have just bought the above plotter and the manual doesnt name a brand of mapping software that I can use on my pc to create waypoints/routes.
It only mentions the type of nema sentences to have.
Can anyone recomend compatable pc mapping software.
I have Cmaps MAx Lakes chart chip that I bought with the plotter and this covers my crusing grounds just fine.
Looking forward to any suggestions, RVS.
 
#32 ·
<< If anyone routinely uses their software or plotter for anything I don't list, please add your uses so we can all get maximum benefit out of these amazing devices. >>

You can use it to get real time current set and drift if you have a GPS, compass and log connected.
 
#36 ·
Since this was my original post, I guess it’s OK for me to update or revive it. I just re-read all the responses from several months ago and made a new list of additions to my original post (below). Again, thanks for all the great responses – both supporting and being critical of the use of these devices.

As much as I like technology and gizmos, I do admit to often struggling to really learn to use it effectively. Many of you (like Dog) go way over my head with technical details on software formats etc. I do have SeaClear and NOAA charts on my laptop but don’t use it much. I also have Garmin HomePort on my laptop and use it a lot. I also use Active Captain a lot –great service. I’m considering loading a new chart plotting app and an Active Captain app on my new Android phone once I figure out how to use 25% of the other things it came with.

I have used my chart plotter a lot more than I ever thought I would and now wouldn’t do without it. I really do like my Garmin 441 but I don’t believe Garmin has done a very good job of providing instructions on it’s use. I would sure welcome something on what many of the features are intended for. The units do so much, a good instruction book would be 500 or 600 pages in length.

Additional Uses:

1. Get an idea of how long it will take to some waypoint/destination.
2. Speed over ground when getting ready to drop anchor.
3. To record alternative landfalls in case of an emergency – mark the entrance and make notes as to hazards, best anchorages, etc.
4. Set up proximity waypoints when anchoring so you can see if you are dragging based on wind directions and shifts.
5. The cross track screen can help you realize if you're being blown or pushed off course
6. Saving tracks for possible slide shows/presentations.
7. Using the GPS and checking your COG versus your heading, you can see what the effects of set and drift are on your course in many cases. Heading is the direction the boat is facing, COG is the actual direction the boat is moving in, and rarely are they the same.
8. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is using the DSC position function when you're buddy boating. Three of us Sailnetters kind of kept track of each other's location this past summer while cruising the same area.
9. I use the Post-It tape flags to keep the position of the boat updated on the chart, especially if I'm in unfamiliar waters.
10. used a GPS track to backtrack out of creeks with skinny water
11. plot to waypoints I've never been to always erring on the side of the deeper water
12. Getting into small anchorages where detail is not shown on the charts.
13. integration of Google Earth with my chart software. It is amazing. I can zoom in on a marina and tell if it is primarily sail or power.
14. Due to power draw, turn unit on only to record (track) entrances to anchorages, etc. and not long tacks in open water.
15. in stormy weather or when sailing at night as an aid
16. To show alterations to aids to navigation such as modifications to the channel North of Kent Narrows. Of course, opening your eyes will show the same alterations but a note might help remind you of how bad the area is for shoaling.
17. ETA and ETE features for purposes of selecting the destination for the day, when we need to depart, etc.
18. to get real time current set and drift if you have a GPS, compass and log connected

Cautions:
1. Don’t use waypoints you have created for planning purposes for actual navigation without visual and chart checking.
2. When cutting corners, consider whether the buoy or day marker is intended for commercial shipping or to mark shoals in smaller channels.
3. Charts and GPS are more reliable in popular cruising areas and less reliable in more remote areas.
4. Don’t plan buoy to buoy since that can cause you to hit the buoy and that is what lots of other boats are doing too. Create waypoints a couple hundred yards off the buoy. Also, plan routes out of commercial channels and perpendicular to them.
 
#37 ·
I am a very new sailor, and while I have paper charts for every place I have ben/intend to go, I rely heavily on iSailor on the iPad. It is SO easy to use, so easy to get a quick reference of this buoy, or that light, or to touch to make waypoints, or take measurements, I cannot see navigating without it. I can also hardly imagine using an old school fixed chartplotter that you cannot swipe and pinch etc.

During a recent overnight transit of Lake Erie, it was especially useful for giving some sense of position where there was little in terms of visual reference.

Of course I would refer to paper charts, and of course there is a need for paper backup to electronics, and of course there is a need for visual verification, and of course there is a need for common sense. I think at least a couple of posters in this thread were kind of full of themselves, not very open minded, and kind of mean-spirited in their replies.
 
#40 ·
I am a very new sailor, and while I have paper charts for every place I have ben/intend to go, I rely heavily on iSailor on the iPad. It is SO easy to use, so easy to get a quick reference of this buoy, or that light, or to touch to make waypoints, or take measurements, I cannot see navigating without it. I can also hardly imagine using an old school fixed chartplotter that you cannot swipe and pinch etc.

...
Of course I would refer to paper charts, and of course there is a need for paper backup to electronics, and of course there is a need for visual verification, and of course there is a need for common sense. I think at least a couple of posters in this thread were kind of full of themselves, not very open minded, and kind of mean-spirited in their replies.
I hope I do not come across as mean-spirited or full of myself, but, when electronics die from a lightning strike, when the GPS fails because of solar activity or an outage (and there are planned outages that can last for a long time) do you know how to transfer what those tools do to your paper charts? I don't mean just "referring" to the charts. Can you take a fix to get your position so that you can accurately provide your location if you have a mayday situation? Plot a DR course on the paper chart and run it? If you can, than I misunderstood your use of the word "refer" and I apologize.

I agree that electronic chart plotters are easy to use, they're fun, they give you all the information you need quickly, they won't fly overboard in a breeze, etc. They also fail.To me common sense means knowing how to seamlessly use a paper chart and plotting tools to give you the exact same information that your electronic chartplotter can give you. I respectfully disagree that advocating knowing how to use a paper chart is anything other than responsible boating.
 
#38 ·
It's funny how people feel obligated to state that they have "paper charts" as if they have blasphemed a religious figure if they don't.

I am not condoning that paper charts have no place but, depending on what you are doing, their relevance can fade pretty quickly. Even as backups, they are not as accurate as the electronic charts, so they are a step down in quality. I have a chart plotter and an iPhone for backup that can be charged via the 12v outlet. My charts are ancient.

Social software like Active Captain sets a new direction with current information that complements any guide book.
 
#39 ·
I guess I was off sailing with this discussion surfaced before so I apologize for my late comments. A marvelous use of a plotter is as an anchor monitor. As soon as we anchor and get the engine off we turn the plotter to north at the top and zoom down to the highest magnification - in our case, Raymarine C80 with gold charts, 1/32 of a mile. Then we turn track on (if not already on from entering the anchorage). We leave it on for at least a couple of hours to make sure we are not dragging. You can come back a few days later if you are not sure and let it run again and see if the pattern is any different. Given time and a few wind, current shifts you can see where the anchor is by the pattern made by the track function.

Something else to remember is that the cartography on electronic charts comes from somewhere and the quality of the electronic charts is directly related to the quality of the sources. In the Bahamas, Garmin have rights to Explorer Charts and if I was going to spending a lot of time there it would be a good enough reason to buy a Garmin plotter. In the Eastern Caribbean, Navionics charts have the Imray/Iolaire chart data so they are best there.

Someone mentioned using a plotter to navigate into an anchorage that was not well-shown on the paper charts. I would want to know where the electronic data came from. It is a gross mistake to overzoom on a plotter. Just because you zooming in does not mean that there will be infinitely more data to be had at a tighter scale.

We have done just under 20,000 miles in the last two years and did not have the paper charts out except for Bahamas (Explorer Charts are remarkably good) and around really isolated islands like Easter, Pitcairn, and Suawarrow where you will use every bit of data you can get (plotter, paper charts, cruise guides). In US waters and places like French Polynesia where there are good paper charts there are good electronic charts. In some places the paper charts and electronic charts are both terrible and the cruising guides (if they exist) are best. BTW, we make sure to have up-to-date electronic charts but are happy to have older paper charts - otherwise the cost of long distance cruising can get out-of-hand - even with reproductions.
 
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