Apps and Computer Programs

On a recent boat delivery from Michigan to Florida, I had the opportunity to try out some new computer-based planning software from EarthNC. EarthNC uses Google Earth images to present marine chart data by overlaying the charts on Google Earth satellite images. For $50, EarthNC provided 757 vector-format charts (raster format charts and other packages are also available) for the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and parts of the Caribbean. These charts can be used online or offline. When combined with a USB-connected GPS-and the ooPs (www.goopstechnologies.com) GPS software for Google Earth-EarthNC provides a real-time, moving map experience similar to modern chartplotters. EarthNC also has automatically updating weather maps with data supplied by NOAA.

MARINE INSURANCE REDUXI have been reading with much interest your articles about marine insurance this year (April and May 2006).

Compact, energy efficient systems offer an affordable alternative to a laptop.

Suunto M9 Wristop ComputerIn the trend towards miniaturization in electronics, there's a fine line between true utility and whiz-bang cleverness for its own sake....

Stentec is complicated to learn, but still tops for realism and value. Posey has kept developing, and now has a whole suite of programs for different sailing disciplines.

PDA/GPS/Charting Package, ACR ThermaBlanket, Tool Leash

We received a couple of letters this month from people who had trouble setting the tide functions on their Casio SPF-40 watches. One...

Fugawi does the job at an attractive price. RayTech Navigator 4 shines as a real-time navigating tool. Maptech's Offshore Navigator delivers a complete planning/navigation package.

Here's a letter and response we were going to run in Mailport this month, but we'll run it in this space instead: ----------As I...

West Marine's site has been carefully developed and tended for years, and it shows, across the board. The BoatU.S. site is also well-polished.