Navigation Mac & Co

What are these AIS beacons? ?

Posted on12 th 202612 th 20263 comments

During a recent delivery across the Bay of Biscay, I came across some funny AIS beacons called “BOUEE SI”. In NavimetriX the icons displayed are those of Class B ships, and these ships being almost immobile, I never stopped wondering about it, in the greatest perplexity. Back home, so I investigated.

Updated UKHO 3Q2026 maps at Geogarage

Posted on30 July 2026

Update of the British charts catalogue from UKHO forNavimetriX, Weather4D Routage & Navigation, SailGrib WR and by Geogarage.

825 updated charts, dont 26 new editions
1 Map deleted
1 chart added

In total the UKHO catalog includes 885 charts (1638 with insets)
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NavimetriX 1.21 A big step forward

Posted on28 July 20266 comments

From 9 month that NavimetriX is launched, the application receives a major update. After the many functions added over the weeks – have a look on the roadmap published upon launch in the FAQ (¹) – and the adjustments made gradually by attentively listening to user feedback, here is a completely redesigned version of the interface, with a new unified typography and a consistent design system across the entire application. It integrates, at the same time, an analog instrument cluster and many other new features.

OpenSkiron no longer responds !

Posted on18 July 2026

For just over a month the website OpenSkiron which delivers the GRIB files for free OpenWRF is no longer available. These alternative high-resolution files (¹) provide fine grid coverage of the Mediterranean, where the Arome model stops.

Apparently, probably due to their Israeli connections, David Gal's website was the victim of a serious computer attack. Thus, OpenSkiron is expected to be offline for a while. It remains to be hoped that he will be able to resume his activities as quickly as possible.. (²)

David Gal is a scientist attached to The Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies in Haifa.

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(¹) Alternative weather models [Update]
(²) Source : forum Yachting & Boating World
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Geogarage revamps its website

Posted on17 July 20262 th 2026

The historic distributor of “tiled” raster nautical charts, from official hydrographic services data (SHOM, UKHO, BSH, aso.) has just redesigned the interface of its website. Much simpler and more user-friendly, it facilitates the selection of useful charts according to navigation regions. Subscriptions to different publishers allow integration into NavimetriX, SailGrib, Weather4D and Squid applications.

Weather4D App Updates

Posted on8 July 20268 July 2026

Update Weather4D 2.0.95 implementation of the magnetic model WMM-2025 replacing the obsolete WMM-2020. Adaptation iOS / iPadOS / macOS 26.x « Liquid Glass ».
Update Weather4D Routage 2.0.60 and Weather4D Lite 2.0.57 : Adaptation iOS / iPadOS / macOS 26.x « Liquid Glass ».

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FTDI multiplexers and drivers for macOS 26.x

Posted on30 June 20261 July 20262 comments

Multiplexer users (*) for macOS must install an FTDI driver to connect them to their device via USB. With macOS 26.x a new driver is essential version 1.6.0. It is compatible with Intel 64-bit and ARM processors, and macOS systems 11/12 and 15. Installation requires a little attention, because the macOS system 26 must allow its installation, the path is not easy to find, follow the guide… Read more …

Update SHOM 2T2026 maps at Geogarage

Posted on29 June 202630 June 2026

Catalog update SHOM charts France / DOM-TOM and dependencies by Geogarage for NavimetriX, Weather4D Routage & Navigation and SailGrib WR

210 charts updated (dont 10 news editions).
3 new charts added.

The catalog includes 866 charts (1432 with the inserts)

All international cards have been removed and will not be replaced by SHOM (See the information of the GeoGarage blog). However, they continue to be present in the database (but will no longer be updated from their last version).
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Starlink and the labels waltz

Posted on27 May 20263 comments

We know the versatile spirit of its founder, everything can change from one day to the next without warning. It was not my surprise during training to discover that last weekend, 23-24 May, the services offer Roam had been revised. Hold off !