[carboncow]

Just so I have this correct.

I can use PolarView for planning but if I want live GPS and other features mentioned (AIS, ect) then I need to buy one license of Polar NS for only $33?

The PolarView shows no live GPS tracking, correct?

If I have this correct this is about the cheapest quality ENC system out there, correct? It has all the features I need for basic Great Lakes cruising.

[Jade]

Just so that you are aware, the ENC (S57) charts for the Canadian side of the Great Lakes are very expensive: Erie/Ontario $599.95; Superior/Huron $599.95 cad.

[carboncow]

Can you explain your comment a bit more. I'm looking at the vector and raster charts of all of lake erie on Polar Navy and the data is 100% complete.

Are you stating that CAN does make free data available like NOAA?

Also, are my questions about the software correct? View is only for planning as the license turns on GPS (and other functions) for live use?

[GPSNavX]

The Canadian Side (North Side) of Lake Erie is covered by NOAA in both RNC and ENC, however only at a less detailed scale of 1:400,000. The official CHS Coverage is more detailed at 1:100,000 scale.

http://x-traverse.com/product/TD-CHS-RM-CEN04

[Jade]

!and the NOAA charts of the Canadian parts of the North Channel and Georgian Bay cannot be used for navigation (unless you have a very shallow draft).

!and, no, CHS does not provide free charts like NOAA.

[brak]

Sorry for the late reply! I was out sailing this week, outside the usual communication range (what a concept, I actually get to sail from time to time ). It ain't all fun and games - I also get to stress-test PolarView and make a longer TODO list for myself .

You are correct - PolarView is a free chart viewer/planner/GRIB weather viewer/tides & currents viewer. PolarCOM is an NMEA instrument multiplexor and display.

Combining them together into a comprehensive navigation product requires a paid license (which gets installed in a PolarView). Once you obtain a license, you will get a "live ship" on a chart functionality in PolarView.

This will also provide route information so that various route related instruments (distance/time/bearing to next waypoint, destination, XTE etc) will work in PolarCOM.

And, as correctly noted above, while NOAA chart data is free, - official Canadian charts are decidedly not free (which, I think, is quite unfortunate).

[carboncow]

Thanks for the Great info. I'll be buying a license to as soon as I figure out if I'll be tackling this from a Mac or my Windows 7 system. At the price of additional licenses being so reasonable, maybe both!