Preparing for Remote Area Navigation

There are many times on a RTW circuit where the route passes through developing nations and areas far from commercial shipping. In these places charts can be notoriously inaccurate. Augmenting charts with satellite images with your GPS superimposed can be highly beneficial. Some years ago cruisers were using Ovital, a Chinese app which a database of boot-legged Google earth satellite images which could be used off-line. However, this app is no longer available in Playstore or the Apple equivalent. Fortunately, today there is an even better alternative, OpenCPN.

Whilst in Panama (Feb 2023), awaiting solar arch repairs, Mike Reynolds (S/Y Zen Again) was kind enough to run through the software and help get it installed on my laptop. GPS position is available through a link from the NMEA0183 network to my laptop.

In addition, Iain Lewis (S/Y Ruffian) extolled the virtues of a SonarPhone and how to make surveying uncharted waters in a dinghy simple. Something else for the Christmas list!
The pictures below try to explain both OpenCPN, why you need it,  how I got it going on Skyfall and what SonarPhone would be able to offer. Remember to double click on the pictures to get the explanation

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