Creating, checking, and using a route to the next destination is a great start at good situational awareness, but a wise navigator regularly uses all resources available to check on their situation. I’ve certainly had such moments myself, and this case of navigating to the wrong side of Cape Cod in a gale is perhaps especially interesting because I thought I was on a safe route. Now, they were never in danger because they were still navigating an elaborately marked commercial channel, but even a crude route showing the major turns on their chart screen could have prevented what must have been a “holy s.t” moment toward the end of a long dark night. I know that many experienced boaters understand their value, but the multifunction displays that otherwise deserve their popularity do not yet shine at route making, and these days many of us simply don’t do what our screens don’t make it easy to do.įor example, the AIS track above shows a very well equipped and operated yacht that almost got to Philadelphia before realizing they’d missed the C&D canal. These entries will also be a chance for me to preach about using routes to avoid navigation mistakes. Moreover, many Garmin owners are about to receive a wonderful app gift, and while the different advances are not such a competition now, together they suggest the broad harmony between phones, tablets, PCs and MFDs many of us will eventually experience on our boats… System requirements: Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista or Windows 7, 2.0 GHz Pentium 4 or equivalent, 250 MB disk space, 1 GB RAM, 1024 x 768 display, video card that supports DirectX 9.0, microSD/SD card reader, USB port.Did my planned back-to-back reviews of evolving Navionics and Garmin apps suddenly become moot when the Garmin acquired Navionics on Friday? I don’t think so! The terrific Plotter Sync integration I’ve been experiencing between the Navionics Boating app and multifunction displays from Simrad and Raymarine is not likely to go away anytime soon, if ever, and it may add significantly to your current navigation happiness. You can easily create point-to-point routes, determine distance and bearing measurements between checkpoints, and calculate your estimated travel time for each leg of the journey.Īfter the HomePort application has been installed on your PC, this 2 GB microSD/SD card can also be used to transfer the preloaded BlueChart maps from your chartplotter to your PC for use with HomePort.Ĭompatible units: GPSMAPr 400 series, GPSMAP 500 series, GPSMAP 600 series, GPSMAP 3000 series (trip planning only), GPSMAP 4000 series, GPSMAP 5000 series, GPSMAP 640 chartplotters preloaded with BlueChart mapping.Ĭompatible maps: BlueChart g2 Vision, BlueChart g2 and BlueChart (both microSD/SD and Garmin data card formats). It can plot a course to avoid hidden underwater hazards and keep your vessel away from shallow or rocky shorelines. In addition to managing waypoints, routes and tracks, the HomePort application will also help predict fuel usage, tides, depth profiles, and more. You can then transfer this planned route back to your chartplotter and head out on your adventure. HomePort enables the use of existing BlueChart data from your preloaded chartplotter or preprogrammed card to help plot a course on your PC. This new marine planning software is a must-have tool for mariners heading out on the open water.
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