On 5 Oct 2020, at 08:46, Ken Powers SV Aquarius <ken@...> wrote:

To All, 

Google overlays is not difficult to read, and is sometimes the only option for a map.  In some places the maps are a 100 meters off.  Take a look at the entrance to Maupiha'a in the French Polynesia.  The entrance is a 30 meter wide channel, and only one place to get in and out.  Most maps are 100 meters off.  You can see the entrance clearly on google maps, and all the shallow areas in the middle of the atoll once inside.  It's nice having a moving map showing the entrance.  For this entrance the Navionics Maps were correct, but at the time I didn't have the google overlay, and I didn't know which map was correct. I had several maps, but which is correct?  If I had the google overlays then I wouldn't have had to wait 4 hours outside until someone informed me over VHF which map was correct.  

The wind was 35kts and kind of rough when we entered Maupiha'a.  Google Maps are just another tool that sailors can use to make sailing around the world a MUCH safer proposition.  Many boats that ended up on a reef could have been saved with a quick look at a google map while doing the planning.  And, please don't think it's like reading tea leaves, because it's more like a walk in the park.

I also use a Mac for OpenCPN.  I have never made a .kap file, I just go on line and search for .kap maps for the area I will be going.  And, I have found most of the maps I was looking for.  Currently I have 9GB of maps in my OpenCPN Folder.  And I have 3 or 4 maps for each area.

One more thing about OpenCPN.  It's got a great Climatology tool.  Shows all the paths of hurricanes, and typhoons over the past 30 years, and how strong and location each day of the year.  It also shows the normal winds for each day of the year,  which is great for planning ocean crossings!  It also shows the currents, but have found this feature to be useless.   I do all my crossing planning using these tools on OpenCPN.  I encourage everyone to do a deep dive into the capabilities of this very helpful tool.

Best.

Ken
Aquarius
SM2K#262

On Oct 3, 2020, at 6:09 AM, Germain Jean-Pierre <jp.germain45@...> wrote:

Hello James,

I’d like to add some ideas about OpenCPN... I use it for plotting long trips and it’s functionality is very good.  IMO, it is an essential backup tool to your other navigation system.  It has also become useable on Apple computers in the last few years.  

For external GPS support, I chose GPS/GLONASS U-BLOX 7 available for GBP 7-8 on eBay.  Got 3 ... just in case... and they all work from the Nav station.  It is a reliable friend with ok charts.  Navionics with their incorporated Sonar charts are better.

In Fiji, I doubt any amount of concentration will keep you from touching bommies at some point; but if you navigate slowly, our boats help us stay safe.  Enjoy!

Jean-Pierre Germain, Eleuthera, SM007, Opua, NZ

On 3 Oct 2020, at 22:54, James Alton via groups.io <lokiyawl2@...> wrote:

Ken,

   Thanks for the response.  To me a good Depthsounder has always been very important and I will usually leave  one on even while we are anchored as additional confirmation that all is well when doing the nightly anchor checks.  Sueno currently has two Depthsounders and I am really glad to have a backup of this instrument.  FLS will actually give me another backup.   We also carry a depthstick for checking channels and or some anchorages by dinghy when the situation dictates though maybe there is a better way using modern tools to handle these mini surveys.  With good conditions and water clarity such as in the Bahamas, I think that it is pretty hard to beat having a good lookout when navigating in shallowish water so under those conditions my eyes are not normally looking at an instrument very often.  The FLS concept really appeals to me for those times when there are issues with water clarity, sun angle etc.  and chart data is iffy or even non-existent.  

   I have been reading about OpenCPN and it’s functionality with Google overlays etc. but I have not used it so far.  I agree, dedicated chart plotters are expensive but they can have super bright daylight viewable screens, can be really waterproof etc.   I currently have a B&G Zeus3 plotter,  a smaller back up plotter,  1 tablet, (want to add a back up tablet).  Also a weatherproof, daylight viewable ToughBook laptop with built in GPS that I intend to use for OpenCPN.  Can you comment on how much data storage is sufficient given the storage of the Google map data and full time cruising?  

    The idea of using AIS information from other vessels to plot a path on a chart into a channel or anchorage is new to me and I appreciate you mentioning this option.  That does sound like a very useful tool!  So if I understand correctly, you can ask OpenCPN to plot the track of an AIS target on a chart just as it can plot your own GPS track?   I agree to the concept of having many tools to keep our boats in safe water and especially for those times that I am literally running blind, FLS sounds very appealing.  I will try the 5 meter setting of the alarm as you suggested and consider the value of a pretty constant alarm to remind me to dedicate attention to the FLS.  Constant alarms can certainly be annoying to me so we will see!  

 Thanks for the helpful input,

James Alton

SV Sueno

Maramu #220

   

   

On Oct 3, 2020, at 1:39 AM, Ken Powers SV Aquarius <ken@...> wrote:

Hello James,

As Danny wrote in his comment above, the FLS is not the only thing used to provide information about the dangers in front of you.  Good maps, eyes on the bow, are also helpful.  But, good maps are not good everywhere, and eyes on the bow get tired.   I have also noticed that many US sailors don't know about OpenCPN.  Download OpenCPN for your computer, connect to a GPS device, and you have a back up chart plotter ..... FOR FREE.  Get the maps from your sailing friends.... I also download all the Google overlays for areas and add to my map folders in OpenCPN before I take off.  This gives me one more input to keep Aquarius from touching anything.   Another thing about OpenCPN.....  You can connect to a Vesper 8000 AIS over WIFI, and now if you're going into a tight place and other boats are in front of you, you can plot their path.  I used this method in Fiji, and Malaysia entering marinas.  I didn't know the exact path in so I just plotted the path of a few larger boats going in and out and just followed their path.  This also helps in shipping lanes you can see which boat are moving and where they're going.  All for free.  If you have two computers loaded with OpenCPN, 2 Pads with charts, and 2 Smart Phones with Charts,  spending money on the standard chart plotter might be a waste of money?

For the question.  I set the alarm on the Echo Pilot for 5 meters.  And though it's annoying, it works.  If I am entering a marina, and it's 4 meters deep for a 100m the alarm will constantly beep.  Someone might say, "turn it off", but it's my reminder to keep my scan going.  The scan is just like flying a plane, you're constantly looking for an display/device/person that may not giving you correct information.  And, another good thing about having a FLS.  Most of us are carrying spares if something goes wrong.  How important is your depth sounder?  I would say VERY.  But, many of the SM's are getting older, and everything is not always working 100%.  If your depth sounder goes out, it's really nice to have a back up...  And the FLS is also my backup depth sounder... 

My 2cents, as someone else on this channel would say.  

Ken
Aquarius
SM2K#262
Aquarius is currently in Thailand getting her mani-pedi.

On 3 Oct 2020, at 22:54, James Alton via groups.io <lokiyawl2@...> wrote:

Ken,

   Thanks for the response.  To me a good Depthsounder has always been very important and I will usually leave  one on even while we are anchored as additional confirmation that all is well when doing the nightly anchor checks.  Sueno currently has two Depthsounders and I am really glad to have a backup of this instrument.  FLS will actually give me another backup.   We also carry a depthstick for checking channels and or some anchorages by dinghy when the situation dictates though maybe there is a better way using modern tools to handle these mini surveys.  With good conditions and water clarity such as in the Bahamas, I think that it is pretty hard to beat having a good lookout when navigating in shallowish water so under those conditions my eyes are not normally looking at an instrument very often.  The FLS concept really appeals to me for those times when there are issues with water clarity, sun angle etc.  and chart data is iffy or even non-existent.  

   I have been reading about OpenCPN and it’s functionality with Google overlays etc. but I have not used it so far.  I agree, dedicated chart plotters are expensive but they can have super bright daylight viewable screens, can be really waterproof etc.   I currently have a B&G Zeus3 plotter,  a smaller back up plotter,  1 tablet, (want to add a back up tablet).  Also a weatherproof, daylight viewable ToughBook laptop with built in GPS that I intend to use for OpenCPN.  Can you comment on how much data storage is sufficient given the storage of the Google map data and full time cruising?  

    The idea of using AIS information from other vessels to plot a path on a chart into a channel or anchorage is new to me and I appreciate you mentioning this option.  That does sound like a very useful tool!  So if I understand correctly, you can ask OpenCPN to plot the track of an AIS target on a chart just as it can plot your own GPS track?   I agree to the concept of having many tools to keep our boats in safe water and especially for those times that I am literally running blind, FLS sounds very appealing.  I will try the 5 meter setting of the alarm as you suggested and consider the value of a pretty constant alarm to remind me to dedicate attention to the FLS.  Constant alarms can certainly be annoying to me so we will see!  

 Thanks for the helpful input,

James Alton

SV Sueno

Maramu #220

   

   

On Oct 3, 2020, at 1:39 AM, Ken Powers SV Aquarius <ken@...> wrote:

Hello James,

As Danny wrote in his comment above, the FLS is not the only thing used to provide information about the dangers in front of you.  Good maps, eyes on the bow, are also helpful.  But, good maps are not good everywhere, and eyes on the bow get tired.   I have also noticed that many US sailors don't know about OpenCPN.  Download OpenCPN for your computer, connect to a GPS device, and you have a back up chart plotter ..... FOR FREE.  Get the maps from your sailing friends.... I also download all the Google overlays for areas and add to my map folders in OpenCPN before I take off.  This gives me one more input to keep Aquarius from touching anything.   Another thing about OpenCPN.....  You can connect to a Vesper 8000 AIS over WIFI, and now if you're going into a tight place and other boats are in front of you, you can plot their path.  I used this method in Fiji, and Malaysia entering marinas.  I didn't know the exact path in so I just plotted the path of a few larger boats going in and out and just followed their path.  This also helps in shipping lanes you can see which boat are moving and where they're going.  All for free.  If you have two computers loaded with OpenCPN, 2 Pads with charts, and 2 Smart Phones with Charts,  spending money on the standard chart plotter might be a waste of money?

For the question.  I set the alarm on the Echo Pilot for 5 meters.  And though it's annoying, it works.  If I am entering a marina, and it's 4 meters deep for a 100m the alarm will constantly beep.  Someone might say, "turn it off", but it's my reminder to keep my scan going.  The scan is just like flying a plane, you're constantly looking for an display/device/person that may not giving you correct information.  And, another good thing about having a FLS.  Most of us are carrying spares if something goes wrong.  How important is your depth sounder?  I would say VERY.  But, many of the SM's are getting older, and everything is not always working 100%.  If your depth sounder goes out, it's really nice to have a back up...  And the FLS is also my backup depth sounder... 

My 2cents, as someone else on this channel would say.  

Ken
Aquarius
SM2K#262
Aquarius is currently in Thailand getting her mani-pedi.

Matt
Not anybody is able to read tea leaves. I cannot and so I better use a depth sensor...
--
Gerhard Mueller
Amel Sharki #60
Currently Kalamata, Greece

Using OpenCPN with Google overlays does not help a lot. Such maps are usually georeferenced pictures of Google Earth. So they have no depth information and are raster charts only (bitmaps, called *.kap), no vector charts with additional informations. However there are also professional charts available for OpenCPN and most circumnavigators uses the old CM93 v2 vector charts even when the latest available version is from May 2015 for free.

--
Gerhard Mueller
Amel Sharki #60
Currently Kalamata, Greece

On Oct 3, 2020, at 1:39 AM, Ken Powers SV Aquarius <ken@...> wrote:

Hello James,

As Danny wrote in his comment above, the FLS is not the only thing used to provide information about the dangers in front of you.  Good maps, eyes on the bow, are also helpful.  But, good maps are not good everywhere, and eyes on the bow get tired.   I have also noticed that many US sailors don't know about OpenCPN.  Download OpenCPN for your computer, connect to a GPS device, and you have a back up chart plotter ..... FOR FREE.  Get the maps from your sailing friends.... I also download all the Google overlays for areas and add to my map folders in OpenCPN before I take off.  This gives me one more input to keep Aquarius from touching anything.   Another thing about OpenCPN.....  You can connect to a Vesper 8000 AIS over WIFI, and now if you're going into a tight place and other boats are in front of you, you can plot their path.  I used this method in Fiji, and Malaysia entering marinas.  I didn't know the exact path in so I just plotted the path of a few larger boats going in and out and just followed their path.  This also helps in shipping lanes you can see which boat are moving and where they're going.  All for free.  If you have two computers loaded with OpenCPN, 2 Pads with charts, and 2 Smart Phones with Charts,  spending money on the standard chart plotter might be a waste of money?

For the question.  I set the alarm on the Echo Pilot for 5 meters.  And though it's annoying, it works.  If I am entering a marina, and it's 4 meters deep for a 100m the alarm will constantly beep.  Someone might say, "turn it off", but it's my reminder to keep my scan going.  The scan is just like flying a plane, you're constantly looking for an display/device/person that may not giving you correct information.  And, another good thing about having a FLS.  Most of us are carrying spares if something goes wrong.  How important is your depth sounder?  I would say VERY.  But, many of the SM's are getting older, and everything is not always working 100%.  If your depth sounder goes out, it's really nice to have a back up...  And the FLS is also my backup depth sounder... 

My 2cents, as someone else on this channel would say.  

Ken
Aquarius
SM2K#262
Aquarius is currently in Thailand getting her mani-pedi.

On 03 October 2020 at 18:43 Ken Powers SV Aquarius <ken@...> wrote:

Danny,

I also could not believe that the reefs/bommies came straight up from 50M. Amazing!  And, I would be moving along at 6kts and was able to see them 80 meters in front of me.  80 meters gives me plenty of time to stop Aquarius.

Best,

Ken
Aquarius SM2K262