Sea Clear Newbie Info - Getting Started

[Cheechako]

OK, so I bought the CD and the little GPS puck off Ebay. I've followed the download instructions and can get a gps fix. Other than Chart #1, Bowdictch etc, I seem to have no charts, or dont know how to access them! I've tried everything with the word "Chart" in it on the menus.... what am i missing?
PS: I tried to Search this and got everything from anchoring to who knows what!

[W32PAMELA]

Go to the start menu and find the SeaClear Folder. In it you should find a program called Mapcal. Start the program and go to Tools-->Set Directories. Browse for the folder that contains your charts and put it in the Chart directories window. If your charts are from NOAA they may have each individual chart in its own folder. If this is the case you need to get all the charts into one directory.

When you have informed the program where to look for the charts you need to go back to "Tools", click on "Autoload list" and select "Scan for new charts". This should load the charts from the locations specified in the Chart Directory window.

Somewhere in the forum there should be a more concise set of instructions but that's the outline.

[Cheechako]

Thanksmuch, yeah I figured it out, even though their instructions didnt jive with what I had to do. It didnt give me the option of what charts to install... it was either "no" or "All". I'll see how it does when I open it up again tomorrow!

[Cheechako]

Well... when I open sea clear, it is back to only showing those few world charts. None of the charts I spent a half hour loading the other day show anywhere. I tried tools>autoload>scan for new> etc nothing found..? How do I ensure the download "takes"???? Any idea why they would disappear?

[W32PAMELA]

Do you have the path to the folder with your charts set correctly in the "Set Directories" window? Seaclear won't check in any sub-directories.

Are your charts from the CD you bought or are you downloading them from NOAA RNC Downloads assuming you are using US charts?

[Cheechako]

Charts are from the CD I bought entitled: "Complete US NOAA RNC chart collection w/ Seaclear II officialnoaacharts.com" When I loaded them I follwed the instructions to "register" them with the Seaclear program. I guess I'll just try it again....

I went through the "register" process again. (Seaclear>MapcalII>tools>set directories>c:charts) then as instructed to the (tools> Autoloadlist>recreate>replace existing>) then a I get a list of maybe 30 "problem charts" no other charts boot up for use.

[W32PAMELA]

If you open the seaclear program you'll see "File" in the upper right corner. If you click this you get a menu that includes "Chart". Click on this and choose "List All". You will get a list of all the charts Seaclear has registered. If you've only got a couple of large scale charts then something is not right.

Have you looked at the charts in your chart directory folder. It should be a long list of charts with numbers ending in .KAP and .BSB. If the .BSB charts aren't there it doesn't matter. Seaclear doesn't need them.

I don't know what you have on your CD. I would try downloading a set of state charts from NOAA. Just go to the bottom of the page and agree and then on the next page click on the link in "Click Here to Download NOAA Raster Navigational Charts". Go to the State group and choose NV (5 Mb) and download it. When you've unzipped and drop down through the folders you will end up with two folder with numbers. In these are the chart files. Use Mapcal to set the the directory path to each of these folders with numbers then scan for new charts. It should find 9 charts.

Open Seaclear and go to File-->Charts-->List all and click on the USA chart. When this opens you can go to Nevada and double click on the blue river along the southern border and you should open a chart of the lake above one of the dams.

[Cheechako]

I re did the "registering process" and it seems to be booting up charts when I open Seaclear now. Thanks... hopefully it continues to do that!

[rubyjean]

I used this system last year sailing from Canada to Mexico. I did not trust such an inexpensive program, but found it to be very accurate. Maybe not the best, but I'm going to still use it. Spent many day's in thick fog at night and could alway's sail out of the fog straight down the center of a bar crossing. Two thumbs up from me...Michael..

[W32PAMELA]

Originally Posted by rubyjean

I did not trust such an inexpensive program...

Just to make it clear to people unfamiliar with SeaClear, it is absolutely free.

SeaClear GPS Navigation Software

The best source of information about it is probably found at the Yahoo Seaclear users group

Bob

[Cheechako]

So I've put in a couple of routes just for kicks... pretty cool. The BWR (bearing to waypoint) seems to be off 15-20 degrees compared with the compass rose on the chart.. doesnt matter if I convert to true or magnetic.... whazzup with that? I guess they dont do the Variation in their specified bearing...?
Also, is there a way to determine the heading on any given leg of a route, ie: click and look etc?

[colemj]

OK, I have to ask this: I have Seaclear and have used it. Besides being free, there doesn't seem to be any compelling reason to choose it. OpenCPN is also free and is a FAR better, easier to use and less frustrating program than Seaclear. PolarNavy is almost free and is also much better.

Am I missing something with SeaClear?

Mark

[AnchorageGuy]

There is a SeaClear Yahoo Group with lots of knowledgeable folks and many files and how-to info. Chuck