"Best" chart/navigation software

[Mal Reynolds]

As an OpenCPN user, I'm surprised at the negativity on the software in this thread. Over the years across 80,000 sea miles I've used sextants, piloting, SeaClear, Garmin/Navionics/BlueCharts Chartplotters, B&G/CMAP Chartplotters, TZ, Expedition, and numerous iThing apps.

On my new to me boat I'll be installing a cockpit (under the dodger) PC monitor with mouse & keyboard to run primarily OpenCPN. I think it's pretty amazing. Incredible that it's been developed by volunteers. I'll be also using Expedition for some things such as weather routing and weather map downloads, but OpenCPN will be the primary nav tool. The MFD will be primarily for radar, sonar & and N2K data display.

OpenCPN has a critical advantage over most other navigation solutions in that you can easily update the charts with the latest information as its published. Important to me as all charts have errors.

[Sabado]

Originally Posted by Mal Reynolds

As an OpenCPN user, I'm surprised at the negativity on the software in this thread. Over the years across 80,000 sea miles I've used sextants, piloting, SeaClear, Garmin/Navionics/BlueCharts Chartplotters, B&G/CMAP Chartplotters, TZ, Expedition, and numerous iThing apps.

On my new to me boat I'll be installing a cockpit (under the dodger) PC monitor with mouse & keyboard to run primarily OpenCPN. I think it's pretty amazing. Incredible that it's been developed by volunteers. I'll be also using Expedition for some things such as weather routing and weather map downloads, but OpenCPN will be the primary nav tool. The MFD will be primarily for radar, sonar & and N2K data display.

OpenCPN has a critical advantage over most other navigation solutions in that you can easily update the charts with the latest information as its published. Important to me as all charts have errors.

What can OpenCPN do for you that the other software applications such as expedition can't? Is it only the charts? Where are you getting the charts for OpenCPN? TZ charts seem to be updated very frequently but I guess it could be different for different locations.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by Mal Reynolds

As an OpenCPN user, I'm surprised at the negativity on the software in this thread.

Nature of the web unfortunately. A vocal few can make a lot of noise.

Forums can be seen as just one global repository of textbook cases of conformation bias.

Meanwhile the chilled out many thousands just go sailing happy with a incredibly powerful piece of free opensource software.

[mvweebles]

=barcoMeCasa;3872218
Forums can be seen as just one global repository of textbook cases of conformation bias.:

Confirmation bias indeed.......

[Sabado]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Confirmation bias indeed.......

Possibly but there are a lot of people that just stay quiet because "hey, it's free". Having assisted a number of sailors (here in Panama most recently), I can tell you, I've seen more than a few simply give up and pay for commercial applications.

Does that matter? I suppose not since there isn't a revenue stream to be concerned about. I would bet money that if you sat sailors down with TZ on a PC and OCPN on another and they were both free, TZ would be the choice. Again, does that really matter? I don't think so.

We've committed fully to OCPN and are slowly working through the limitations as well as communicating with a couple of fantastic developers that are patient and seem to have a desire to help.

OCPN is fantastic!

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Confirmation bias indeed.......

Not a contentious statement in the slightest. Very well studied, known scientifically as SMIP > Social Media Induced Polarisation.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by Sabado

...... Having assisted a number of sailors (here in Panama most recently), I can tell you, I've seen more than a few simply give up and pay for commercial applications.

.........

OCPN is fantastic!

OCPN really is a powerful program. For folks in your current neck of the woods (Panama), it's critical to be able to view satellite renderings as I'm told the commercially available charts aren't great for some of the worlds best cruising grounds such as Las Perlas which is why I've learned OCPN as well be there late this year. Neither TZ nor CE have ability to input satellite charts, at least as far as I know. Depending on where you cruise, that can be an incredibly important feature.

I realize that CF is sort of the clearing house for OCPN issues and release notices. So voicing displeasure with any part of the package is essentially telling the developers they have an ugly baby. But I really don't think they realize how many people would love to use OCPN but can't because it's difficult to learn.

[Sabado]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

OCPN really is a powerful program. For folks in your current neck of the woods (Panama), it's critical to be able to view satellite renderings as I'm told the commercially available charts aren't great. for some of the worlds best cruising grounds. Neither TZ nor CE have ability to input satellite charts, at least as far as I know. Depending on where you cruise, that can be an incredibly important feature. It is for me which is why I finally invested the time to learn OCPN.

I realize that CF is sort of the clearing house for OCPN issues and release notices. So voicing displeasure with any part of the package is essentially telling the developers they have an ugly baby. But I really don't think they realize how many people would love to use OCPN but can't because it's difficult to learn.

Maybe someone who hasn't pissed them off can get through. Or maybe they don't care (which I doubt - no one gives a group such a nice gift as the developers of OCPN have given the cruising community and doesn't care).

Hate on me - that's fine. But think about the issue.

TZ has fantastic satellite images that download with two clicks.

[Mal Reynolds]

Originally Posted by Sabado

What can OpenCPN do for you that the other software applications such as expedition can't? Is it only the charts? Where are you getting the charts for OpenCPN? TZ charts seem to be updated very frequently but I guess it could be different for different locations.

Expedition is focused on optimal speed and routing, and it does this well. Weather GRIBS and NOAA 500MB and Surface Analysis, Satellite maps are all quick and easy to download. However, I find Expedition's charting, panning, zooming is clunky while OpenCPN is quick and intuitive. Easy to make a quick route to get distances and bearings. Also the Metrology plugin is super-helpful for route planning.

US charts come from NOAA directly. MBTiles are updated more frequently than I download them. Canada provides monthly updates. Since it's on a PC, updates are quick and direct to the Ship's PC.

Maybe someone can chime in on Chartplotter update frequency, and how often the user actually updates them.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by Sabado

TZ has fantastic satellite images that download with two clicks.

Do you have a choice of sources? Every anchorage can be different, often bing is best but sometimes google & arcgis are better for seeing the seafloor for sand patches & rocks.

The TZ website says >

Current marine areas covered:
Spain
West Mediterranean Sea (Spain, France, Italy)
Italy, Sardinia and Sicilia
France and Corsica
Germany and Kiel Canal
United Kingdom
Denmark
Norway
United States
The Bahamas

Seems very limited if that's the case?

Though we're falling into the bias trap now of "yeah but mine does this!"

I can cruise for a month on the cost of TZ so not really that interested other than curiosity

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by Sabado

What can OpenCPN do for you that the other software applications such as expedition can't?

For me living on the hook constantly opencpn runs on a raspberry pi 3 drawing little power which never gets turned off year in, year out & can display signalk data.

[Sabado]

Originally Posted by barcoMeCasa

Do you have a choice of sources? Every anchorage can be different, often bing is best but sometimes google & arcgis are better for seeing the seafloor for sand patches & rocks.

The TZ website says >

Current marine areas covered:
Spain
West Mediterranean Sea (Spain, France, Italy)
Italy, Sardinia and Sicilia
France and Corsica
Germany and Kiel Canal
United Kingdom
Denmark
Norway
United States
The Bahamas

Seems very limited if that's the case?

Though we're falling into the bias trap now of "yeah but mine does this!"

I can cruise for a month on the cost of TZ so not really that interested other than curiosity

We have full world charts from TZ that are updated very often. That said, the chart package was very expensive! https://mytimezero.com/charts-catalog

The price of TZ is a very small portion of our circumnavigation expenses. I haven't yet found any issues with cloud cover etc with the satellite maps but if I did, I would use the internet through Starlink to find a better map.

Again, we use OCPN and do like it but it just isn't close to as refined as TZ. That doesn't bother us since it's free.

Weather, charts, routing, Polars, sail sets, etc are a simple click in TZ. I'm not crapping on OCPN, I'm just pointing out that there IS a difference between a free application and a $500 one.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by Sabado

We have full world charts from TZ that are updated very often. That said, the chart package was very expensive!

The price of TZ is a very small portion of our circumnavigation expenses. I haven't yet found any issues with cloud cover etc with the satellite maps but if I did, I would use the internet through Starlink to find a better map.

Again, we use OCPN and do like it but it just isn't close to as refined as TZ. That doesn't bother us since it's free.

Weather, charts, routing, Polars, sail sets, etc are a simple click in TZ. I'm not crapping on OCPN, I'm just pointing out that there IS a difference between a free application and a $500 one.

The "current marine areas" were on the satellite image page.
Don't doubt there are many refinements, but for me it would be a nice to have a play with but not a need.

Non starter anyway if it can't run on a Pi3 or use signalk data. Weather is viewed on the phone, no point getting too zoomed in, it will be wrong anyway. Like Randall Reeves said, the forecasts "can be very suggestive"

[Sabado]

Originally Posted by barcoMeCasa

For me living on the hook constantly opencpn runs on a raspberry pi 3 drawing little power which never gets turned off year in, year out & can display signalk data.

For us, TZ runs 24/7 providing anchor watch (including remote notifications) and AIS alerts. It currently has a 5 month uptime. This is more a system limitations not a software one.

[Sabado]

Originally Posted by barcoMeCasa

The "current marine areas" were on the satellite image page.
Don't doubt there are many refinements, but for me it would be a nice to have a play with but not a need.

Non starter anyway if it can't run on a Pi3 or use signalk data. Weather is viewed on the phone, no point getting too zoomed in, it will be wrong anyway. Like Randall Reeves said, the forecasts "can be very suggestive"

It's all a choice. Again, we like OCPN but I'm going to push back if someone says it's better then something like TZ. It is less intuitive and the chart selection is not as good.

We don't have any real power limitations but if we did, we would think differently.