July 19, 2006 19:48
I've been thinking about charts...
With the acquisition of Softchart by Maptech, and the apparent reduction of chart availability (particularly non-US), I'm wondering where GPSNavX and MacENC may be going over the next year. For US coastal waters this doesn't appear a problem with NOAA making the BSB's available. Ditto for MacENC. However, for those of us with further horizons in mind, neither the BSB's or currently available ENCs provide adequate coverage. ENC's seem to be quickly filling in the more detailed, smaller scale charts, but there are still fewer broad scale 'oceanic' charts for major passage making. Both have some detailed coverage of some areas (notable North America and Europe), but there are vast areas which neither provide much coverage, such as Asia, Indian Ocean, Africa, Most of South America, and vast expanses of the Pacific.
I'm struggling with this while planning on going to the South Pacific next year or so. Right now it appears I would need GPSNavX and MacENC, plus PassagePlus (to avail myself to the large offering of ARCS charts). Not an ideal situation. I'd rather have a single solution, preferably MacENC.
Hence, part of my question is do you anticipate expanding compatability with other types of charts? I realize that C-Map's are out of your control, as probably are Navionics. Are there other sources of international BSB charts that will work with GPSNavX and/or MacENC?
Mostly, I'm annoyed at Maptech...and frustrated at the big gaps in ENC coverage.
Scot
With the acquisition of Softchart by Maptech, and the apparent reduction of chart availability (particularly non-US), I'm wondering where GPSNavX and MacENC may be going over the next year. For US coastal waters this doesn't appear a problem with NOAA making the BSB's available. Ditto for MacENC. However, for those of us with further horizons in mind, neither the BSB's or currently available ENCs provide adequate coverage. ENC's seem to be quickly filling in the more detailed, smaller scale charts, but there are still fewer broad scale 'oceanic' charts for major passage making. Both have some detailed coverage of some areas (notable North America and Europe), but there are vast areas which neither provide much coverage, such as Asia, Indian Ocean, Africa, Most of South America, and vast expanses of the Pacific.
I'm struggling with this while planning on going to the South Pacific next year or so. Right now it appears I would need GPSNavX and MacENC, plus PassagePlus (to avail myself to the large offering of ARCS charts). Not an ideal situation. I'd rather have a single solution, preferably MacENC.
Hence, part of my question is do you anticipate expanding compatability with other types of charts? I realize that C-Map's are out of your control, as probably are Navionics. Are there other sources of international BSB charts that will work with GPSNavX and/or MacENC?
Mostly, I'm annoyed at Maptech...and frustrated at the big gaps in ENC coverage.
Scot
