Marine Electronics Forum - Raymarine C Series Map Question

I have a C Series Raymarine and am wondering if anyone uses their computer at home to plot out a course for the next day or if it is even worth it. Can you use it to store or backup waypoints ect..? If so, that in itself would seem to be worth it. Is there a seperate devise you need to read the chip? Any other benefits?

The FREE RayTech Planner software, which can be downloaded from Raymarine, when combined with the Navionics Multi Card Reader and a Navionics chart card gives you the same chart view, most of the same features, most of the same buttons, same tidal data, same abilty to pan, zoom etc. as you see on a C or E chartplotter. This software appears to be the RayTech Navigator RNS software without the ability to read GPS sensors etc. so it is NOT a real time chartplotter. But it is a great way to become familiar with your plotter sitting in front of your PC. Routes can be plotted on a PC, saved to a CF card and loaded into the actual chartplotter and routes in the plotter can be moved to the PC, saved, viewed and edited. Route names, waypoint names all are retained in the transfer. The Navionics chart cards will ONLY work with their own reader but this reader will save or read normal PC files or route files on normal CF cards. I planned and plotted my very first voyage ever taken, which happened to be 310 nautical miles, on my PC before I was ever on the boat, the routes were then loaded into the on-board C80 for the voyage.

Maybe it's me but I found the Raytech Planner to be cumbersome. Once I got used to adding and modifying waypoints and routes on my C series I haven't gone back to Planner. I will say that the alphanumeric keypad is a must have and I probably wouldn't have given up on Planner so quickly had I not installed it. It's plug and play through the Seatalk connection.

The RNS software, which allows you to use the chart requires the Navionics reader (about $80), but if you are just wanting to add/edit waypoints then use the free PC Waypoint Utility.

http://www.raymarine.com/default.aspx?site=1&Section=3&Page=900&Parent=3

I use this tool all the time. It is about 100x faster to maintain waypoints using this utility compared to doing it through the screen.

Here is the process I follow:

- Use the C Screen to backup your existing waypoints to a CF card. You can use your chart card to do this, but it is not recommended by Raymarine. I use an old 128MB card from a camera.
- Use the free utility to convert the raymarine backup file on the CF to an Excel file.
- Open the Excel file and add/update/delete the waypoints.
- Use the free utility to convert the Excel file back into a Raymarine backup file. Copy that file back to the CF card.
- Use the C Screen to restore the backup file.
- Enjoy your new waypoints.

Thankyou for the help and input! I need to get the navionics reader. Probably can order it through Raymarine.com.

hanginon - 1/22/2008 7:10 PM

Thankyou for the help and input! I need to get the navionics reader. Probably can order it through Raymarine.com.

To be clear ... if you just want to use the free waypoint utility I mentioned above you do not need the Navionics CF reader because any CF reader will do.
You only need the Navionics CF reader to load Navionics charts to the RayTech Planner software.

Call Jim at BOE if you decide to get the Navionics reader.

10-4 Cowdogs
Thanks