For many years I have used the freeware computer program SeaClear for navigational purposes. It works well for seamless chart plotting and showing AIS-targets. Nowadays, many sailors use a freeware called open captain, in short OpenCPN. It has many added features and has been designed for seamless plotter navigation in combination with currents, tides, wind and other weather data presentation. I have not felt the need to change from the ok SeaClear program to this new OpenCPN, but when sailing long distance, the new one has advantages. Not in the least available vector charts for a major part of the world. SeaClear only works with raster charts, electronic copies of paper charts. So I installed Open CPN on the onboard computer, and on the computer at home. Now I need to get used to this new tool. Run some simulations and download the necessary recources (charts, GRIB-files, current and tidal files). I still have SeaClear as a backup, but think it will not be used any longer. We’ll see if I guessed right.
No chart plotter needed here, Leiden – The Netherlands
