Sea Clear II, GPS and NOAA charts

[Grime]

Hi all,
While I am getting Miss Froggy ready to put into saltwater I am trying to learn more about navigation. So here goes.

I found a product on ebay that list the NOAA charts complete set for the entire USA on dvd. It came with a second cd for Sea Clear II. I put them on my PC followed the instructions and nothing seems to work. Must be me or could it be that I don't have a GPS connected.

I read about HOLUX USB GPS on another thread for a laptop and was wondering if it would work on a PC? USB would be the same. Should I purchase this or forget it. I did buy a Magellan Nav 5000 (no usb or manual, dummy learning again) as a back up for a GPS that I can use when I get a laptop.

OK I know somewhere in the above is the question. In other words I need some advice on all this new stuff. Never needed a GPS in the past. I always did like my horse. Look back and remember the way home.

Thanks for all the advice in the past and help on this.
David

[CharlieJ]

David- Laura has all that on our laptop, You can download all the charts from NOAA- ALL of them, for free from the web. Then use free readers to access them. We have Sea Clear II and Map Navigator downloaded.

Once it's all on the laptop you can make your OWN cd.

Let's find a time when she isn't working ( weds-friday) and get her to explain it to you.

Edited-

Oops- Chart Navigator, plus Map Cal II and the SeaClear II manual.

She also told me you were in the store today. Get with me.

[Grime]

Hi Charlie,
Yep I was in the store today. Had to pick up some wiring that I needed for a job. Hopefully we can get by over the weekend. I would like some advice on my rudder. Seems that the bolt hole and bushing has waddled some.

One day when Laura feels like giving me some advice on the gps let me know and I'll take that day off. Right now I only have off on the weekends. So much for retirement.

Take care
David

[AdriftAtSea]

Grime--

I'd highly recommend the book, Boater's Bowditch, which is a version of the American Practical Navigator re-written for small craft operations specifically. 

As for NOAA charts and such, they're available free for download at the NOAA site.  No need to buy them, and the ones at the NOAA site may well be more up to date than the ones on the CD.

If you have a Magellen Nav 5000 and it has an NMEA 0182 output, you can connect it to the serial port (or a USB-serial adapter) on your computer and use it with any number of navigation programs.  Sea Clear II is pretty good, but not as full featured as some of the others, however it is free.

[Grime]

My Magellan doesn't have a USB or serial port so there is no way I can connect it to my computer. I went to NOAA but never could find a link to the charts. The one's I have on cd were advertised as updated to January 08. So maybe I am in good shape on that. Just the instructions to put them into MapCal 2 doesn't work.

The instructions.
To install charts, copy/paste all chart files from regions you like to use into the c:/program files/seaclear/charts folder. Open Mapcal_2 application in c:/program file/searclear/Mapcal-2. Select "Tools>Autolist>Scan for new Charts" Charts will be properly registered in Searclear program. File/Charts/List All.  They just don't show up.

[Captain Smollett]

David,

LInk for NOAA Raster Charts:  Office of Coast Survey - Charts

These work with Sea Clear II and Chart Navigator.  I use both, but greatly prefer Chart Navigator.  You can buy the "Pro" version, or simply download the free viewer.

Great tools for planning; I don't use these on board underway.

[s/v Faith]

Grime,

 

My Magellan doesn't have a USB or serial port

I have an old 300 Magellan and it uses the jack on the back (looks like 4 metal pads with a screw thread in the middle) were you connect a cord from Magellan (ebay) and plug it into your laptop.  I have the one that adapts to the serial port and it works with  both of my ancient Magellan's, and my Magellan meridian (newer). 

FWIW,

  I have a program Kurt gave me to read the NOAA charts, and I also have the Capt. (very expensive) program with lots and lots of charts.

  I do not find the idea of computer based navigation to be suitable (for me) on a small boat.  The laptop monitor is dim in sun, the laptop draws gobbs of current, and my laptop is allergic to salt water.  We have used the laptop exactly 3x in the last 7 months and 2200 miles of cruising......

  I like the laptop for planing race routes, if you are looking for an easy PHRF course it can tell you right where you want your marks.... I am sure someone much more type 'a' then myself would enjoy spending hours trip planning with their laptop... I find looking at the (paper) charts much more profitable especially since that is what I am going to be using anyways.

Here is a picture of the awkward arrangement (taken off shore, near Charleston SC)



  Whatever anyone does, I hope you have a plan 'b' if you are using a computer (or any electronic aid to navigation).  All electronics can and will fail.  If you have perfect  success with whatever you are using, then you are lucky.  I would rather be prudent then lucky.
 

[Grime]

I stopped by Charlie's and Laura's today. Laura looked over my Magellan and it does have the power and computer source in the same location. We could only find a manual for around 20 bucks online. Laura did find someone that has a Nav 5000 for sale with manual, video, power cord and computer cord. Seems that I should have gotten that one if I had known about it. Little more money than I paid but more to work with. Might have to buy that one just to be able to use the one I have. I would have a back up. Or sell the one I have on ebay. Loose money on that deal. I'm no sells man for sure. Shall we say dummy on my end. Live and learn.

I did download the free version of Chart Navigator and then put in the charts for the whole Gulf of Mexico that I had on CD into the program. Got that one to work great. Still trying to figure out Sea Clear.

Being new to sailing I want to be able to have some back ups and still KISS. The small screen on a GPS is hard for me to read so paper charts and laptop would work better. I do like the Nav 5000 screen as it is larger and easier for me to read than others I've seen. Now to find out how to use it and get the converter cord.

Thanks all for the help and information. It is really appreciated.

David

[Captain Smollett]

I am sure someone much more type 'a' then myself would enjoy spending hours trip planning with their laptop... I find looking at the (paper) charts much more profitable especially since that is what I am going to be using anyways.

;D ;D

Me?   Type A?

;D

What I REALLY like about using raster charts on the computer for planning is for areas that I don't have the paper charts (yet).  It's also nice to use the mouse to click in waypoints along a route to figger distances and the like, just to see if a trip is feasible in an allotted time.

Do I prefer to use paper charts, even for planning?  Well, that big stack here seems to be saying "I DO."

;D