Label : cartography

Electronic charts : scales and overscale [Update]

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A recent email exchange with a Mediterranean user drew my attention to a specific aspect of electronic charting : zoom limitation of a chart. ENC vector charts (¹) are classified in 6 categories depending scale : smallest scales less than 1:1.500.000 for global views to largest scale up to 1:4.000 for harbours and anchorages. (²).

Marine charts international classification

In most cases, ENC S-57 (¹) official charts the most detailed have a scale about 1:4000, thus 1 cm on the chart (screen view) represent 40 meters on the ground. With paper chart, the only way to get more details is… to use a a magnifying glass, that provides, as we know, in no case more accuracy. But it is quite otherwise for electronics charts.

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Navionics Boating : Italian at the top of business [Update]

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How make the new with the old ? Navionics knows it ! After publishing geographic areas including a navigation application, here is now an application, but without charting. Italian are too much !

Navionics Boating Complements, since January 2014, The App Collection Navy (iPhone) and Marine HD (iPad ). Also available as standard version for iPhone and HD for iPad, Navionics Boating has the same version number 6.0 than others. Navionics point, on the dedicated website page of its website, that Navionics "Boating" does not replace Navionics "Marine" which will continue to be updated. However, it is permissible to wonder for how long, because this new application provides a very bad surprise. Read more …

Charting, the game of 7 errors

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A recent Thread on the Hisse Et Oh forum, I salute by the way, I challenged the accuracy of the chart data provided on the electronic charts. The subject concerns the observation that, in some location, existing information on the Navionics Marine HD application, or on some chartplotters, are missing on Navionics charts available on the website x-traverse.com used with iNavX (and MacENC). Quote :

"So the question is : Is there a difference between the 46XG map and the Europe map or is the difference due to the software that makes the cards tick?. ”

Damned ! It seemed useful to make comparisons closing electronic charts from various sources. As far as I know particularly well geographic location used in example, since it is the approach to the port of Concarneau, near the beacon tower Le Cochon, passage I borrowed hundreds of times over the years I was working with Glenans Nautical Centre. Read more …

SEAiq professional navigation on iPad

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SEAiqA few days before going on a long trip from Toulon to Noumea, my friend Christophe Mahé introduced me to this application which had gone completely unnoticed by me. I sincerely thank him ! As it is never too late to do well, a few discussions with the developer allowed me to install this application on my iPad with all its options. SEAiq went live on the AppStore in April 2012. Its developer, Mark Hayden, is a Californian computer engineer living a good part of his time with his family or alone around the world aboard his Super Maramu, the happy man.

SEAiq Open (¹) is the only application on iPad / iPhone for using vector charts ENC IHO official standards S-52, S-57 and S-63. With information database included in these charts, and update systems , SEAiq transforms the iPad into a real ECDIS (²) professionnal. Read more …

Charting compared, a mixed result

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Croisière estivale aux BaléaresThree weeks and 600 nautical miles of sailing between the mainland and the Balearic Islands have allowed me to test in live some of iPad maritime applications we have.

Warning : il n’est pas question de me livrer à un comparatif point par point entre les applications, mais plutôt de relever certains aspects essentiels de leur utilisation. On the other hand, applications used were up-to-date at the beginning of July. Les évolutions sont rapides, et des mises à jour ont pu intervenir en août ou début septembre dont je ne disposais pas. Finally, the messaging app iNavX associée à la cartographie Navionics disponible from the X-Traverse server for me is the "master-standard" marine applications. iNavX est à ce jour l’application la plus complète en terme de fonctionnalités, and Navionics charting (from the X-Traverse server, I specify) la plus proche de la réalité géographique constatée par de nombreux utilisateurs.

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Free ENC river charts for use with MacENC

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VNFAs part of its policy aimed at offering users an ever more efficient and safe waterway, public institution Waterways of France (VNF) embarked on the production of electronic navigational charts on various inland waterways. The first two : the “Dunkerque-Escaut” and “La Garonne” connection are published.

The big surprise, unique case in the history of French administration, is that these charts are available free and free download on VNF website. It was worth saluting ! Read more …

iSailor, charts are available for France

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isailorSex updated list of new charts available for iSailor, include coasts of France :

∙ Germany ∙ Australia ∙ Bermuda ∙ Canada ∙ Denmark ∙ Egypt ∙ Spain ∙ Estonia ∙ Finland ∙ France ∙ Greece ∙ Italy ∙ Ireland ∙ Latvia ∙ New Zealand ∙ Norway ∙ Papua New Guinea ∙ The Netherlands ∙ Portugal ∙ United Kingdom ∙ Suede ∙ USA : Atlantic Coast, Gulf Coast, Pacific Coast, Hawaiian Islands, Alaska, Great Lakes (U.S. Waters). Read more …

iSailor : Transas maps on iPhone and iPad

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iSailorIn France, mariners know little, or not at all, about Transas company of Russian origin. The Transas Group is nevertheless one of the world's leading professional of navigation software . Founded in 1990 in St Petersburgh, it opens its first office in England in Southampton (UK). Application developer for maritime and aeronautical training simulators, leading ECDIS certified designer, AIS network installer, the company has provided its electronic charting systems to prestigious customers, as the Russian space station MIR in 1996. There are countless marine simulator and flight simulators equipped with Transas technology in training centers worldwide. Several major commercial harbours are also equipped with VTS (*) and VTM (*) from Transas.
With 200 million turnover, the now international group, majority run by Russians, has its headquarters in Cork, Ireland.

All this to tell you that, when the very serious Transas company decides to launch a marine charting application on the iPhone and iPad, does not hesitate to rely on a communication, let’s say… particularly impactful. See instead… Read more …