Anyone with MaxSea TimeZero Explorer Yet?

[Christian Van H]

I would like to know how you interface RADAR with your laptop...

[s/v Jedi]

That's easy, the Furuno stuff interlinks everything with ethernet (radar, fishfinder, AIS, weatherfax, NAVTEX) and you just plug into that ethernet with your laptop or computer. The MFD will also convert all data from NMEA 0183/2000 to ethernet and MaxSea will pick that up (so no more gps-with-serial-to-usb-**** etc., just ethernet)

MaxSea supports at least the radar and AIS and stuff like weatherfax can be reached with just a web browser.

cheers,
Nick.

[Sailaway08]

I used a beta version last season here in Caribbean and it had an assortment of issues which is was held up the release until last week. I have not installed the release version yet.

The confusion about what was available in the US versus Euro and ROW is the navigator version versus the Explorer version. This is the first release of the Explorer version which fully integrates with NN3D.

The beta version was very fast; it really is time zero when it comes to screen redraws as you zoom in/out. Chart licenses are shared between the NN3D system and MSTZ so you only buy one set of charts, though you do have to purchase vector and raster charts separately. You can either install the charts onto your MFD (highly recommended) or setup MSTZ as a chart server. I was not impressed with the quality of the vector charts in the Caribbean, but they are the only thing available for So Amer and the Pacific, so I bought them for this year's travels.

I need to use the released version and see if they've addressed some of the issues that concerned me last season.

[chicagodrifter]

I used the racing and routing module on version 10.5. Don't waste your money! First your polars have to be good. Second the weather file has to be accurate (good luck with that). I added 4 days to my trip crossing from Galapagos to the Marquesses. I did a lot worst than most that went straight (rhumb). Otherwise MaxSea is a great piece of software. I used C-Map for the charts (very accurate in the Caribbean, up to 200 yards problems in the remote Pacific). Using historical data, weather interpretation and cruiser's experience is the way to go.

[speciald@ocens.]

Defender had the Base software in November but wern;t selling the routing module (just a release code). I have v.12.* and have used the routing module yearly on trips to and from the Caribbean to the Chesapeake. I update the gribs atleast daily by satphone.

[ActiveCaptain]

I've had MaxSea TZ for about 4 weeks now. I've only used it on my boat without the boat moving - just learning about it, experimenting, and giving demos. I hope to finally start heading south again within the week and will give it more of a real open water test.

I'm a developer of navigation software and of the ActiveCaptain site. I've used every chartplotting product in existence and I have to say that this TZ product is the most unique and interesting new software that I've seen in a long time (since Nobeltec released their product with quilting). It brings performance of zooming and panning to a new level. You simply have to see it to believe it.

You really want to have a wheeled mouse when using the product, especially if you want to use any of the 3D capabilities They take advantage of the wheel, especially pressing it while moving the mouse. It's easy to get the hang of and like I said, it'll make you wonder how they make it perform the way they do.

I haven't been able to crash it yet and I've tried - it seems very solid. I very recently downloaded the 1.8.1 version. This added a bunch of new features (panoramio overlays, etc). It's obvious that there is a strong plan to upgrade and enhance the product.

I'm very, very interested in this product and am trying to get more involved with it professionally. For some $340, I think this is the best thing out there and definitely has the most promise of anything I've seen. Right now, I'm just a user of it.