The only disconcerting aspect of creating references on a chart is the antiquated system governing the naming convention. NavimaQ only allows seven-character names, which is an old standard left over from early Magellan, Trimble and Garmin GPS units.
This may not seem like a big deal, but it is a severe hindrance for heavy waypoint and route users. A waypoint at Wisteria Island near Key West becomes "Wisteri." We have two anchorage waypoints there, which could be labeled "WIST1" and "WIST2," but that seems a bit 1980s. And what would we do with our 11 waypoints that contain "Miami" (five of the seven characters): Miami Beach Marina, Miami Seaquarium, Miami Turning Basin, Miami Yacht Club... You get the idea.
Thankfully, Barco officials say they intend to update this field length to 24 characters in the next release.
ASSESSMENT
After hearing stories of NavimaQ's instability and bugs, we were pleasantly surprised with the improvements made since the early OS 9 days, and particularly in the latest version 3.4.8. It is clear that much work has been put into the product.
We found NavimaQ to be relatively bug-free and stable, and the program has some unique and useful features, such as the Spyglass tool and Chartmarks. On the other hand, the crashes caused by the BSB4 and BSB5 charts would give headaches to the average user, as might some of the departures from Apple's standard interface. The company is aware of many of the program's shortcomings and much seems to be riding on future releases.
The bottom line is that NavimaQ is a fine work in progress. Boaters with Macs should keep an eye on this product as Barco continues to make improvements and add functionality. For now, it is attractive as a budget-conscious option (assuming you take advantage of the $75 download) for coastal and weekend boaters who want to use navigation software while maintaining their allegiance to the Mac.
MACENC
Many boaters are probably not familiar with MacENC, a relatively new Macintosh application that grew out of GPSNavX, a program that was specifically designed for OS X and worked only with raster format charts.
Despite the "ENC" in its name - which implies vector charts - MacENC displays both raster and vector formats. Its designer, Rich Ray, sees MacENC as a worthy successor to his older application. GPSNavX, which was the name of both the company and the product, began as a personal project in 2002, when Ray wanted to view BSB charts on his Mac with OS X. He created a basic native-OS X chart viewer and distributed it for free.
Over the next year he incorporated new features as requested by his "customers," and the application evolved from a simple viewer to full-fledged navigation software. NOAA's distribution of free vector format charts in 2005 forced a major overhaul of GPSNavX, which led to MacENC. Although GPSNavX is still available, we focus on MacENC because it surpasses GPSNavX in features and function.
MacENC is only available on the web as a download. Ray believes that packaged software - in terms of a printed box, disk, and hardcopy manual - are outdated forms of distribution. Instead, customers gladly forfeit the pretty package in exchange for receiving the software immediately with a credit card purchase from GPSNavX's website (see link below). The cost is $139.95 and the raster-only GPSNavX costs $59.95. A detailed comparison of the two packages is posted on the company's site (see link below).
Although MacENC does not included a printed manual or one in PDF format, the Help menu is very good. Each chapter is clearly written with sufficient detail to take you step-by-step through topics such as connecting your GPS or registering your BSB5 files. You don't need an online connection to use this linked help file, unless you want to hot-link directly to the manufacturer's website. These help chapters can be printed individually as an excellent substitute for a manual.
GPSNavX also provides direct customer support by email or telephone. They were very responsive to our inquiries and we have heard from other users that technical support is prompt and helpful. Better yet, we had no trouble with the installation or operation.
INSTALLING CHARTS
You will need to either download or purchase charts, in raster or vector formats. MacENC works with all NOAA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers charts, as well as Maptech's encrypted BSB4 and BSB5 charts. As with NavimaQ, you can use Snapz Pro X to print charts and KeySpan's adaptor to connect your GPS if needed. If you want tide data to display through MacENC, download and install a companion piece of Mac OS X open-source software called Mr. Tides (see link below).
Installing your chart files is also straightforward: simply copy the BSB (raster) or S-57 (vector) files to your hard drive, preferably to a folder in your Documents or User folder. MacENC uses a feature called Chart Manager to install and manage charts. Chart Manager brings up a browser window, letting you select one or more folders with charts.
