PC Charting Software

[Jack380AC]

Based on some posts I read here, I downloaded the "free" Garmin Home Port software. Unfortunately, it appears to require that you purchase a $160 chart to use it. Am I missing something? I just want to have something much less expensive or even free to plan cruises at home so I can estimate time and fuel etc in advance.

Any recommendations are very welcome.

 

[nickdcj7]

if you have a garmin chartplotter, you can put the SD card for your chartplotter into your pc and homeport will use those maps.

 

[Jack380AC]

I have an old Ratheon chart plotter that uses c-maps. The C-map folks said that the only software that will use it is no longer available called PC Planner.

 

[nickdcj7]

navionics has an app for android and apple that's free to try, and i think it was $10 to buy it for android. I used it as a backup for my trip from md to nj, and it worked well.

 

[av8ingtom]

You can insert a blank SD card in you Garmine CHARTPLOTTER and copy the map. Use this for your home port. I would not recommend using a purchased Garmin G2 Vision card for this.