EDITOR'S NOTE: This story, the 17th installment of Hard Facts on Software, marks the final review in the series. But it's not over yet. The authors are taking several weeks to prepare a conclusion that will summarize what they have learned and make recommendations. For more on the conclusion, read our Room13 Blog.
More than 20 years ago, a group of engineers in France realized they could bring a computer onto a boat if they could re-engineer the system to run on 12 volts. They began with hacksaws, soldering irons and a Macintosh computer.
So the name MaxSea was born – originally "MacSea," named after this first onboard Macintosh. In fact, one of the company's founders and its current CEO, Brice Pryszo, used this Mac as navigator during the Quebec Saint-Malo Transatlantic Race in 1984. With an official software release in 1985, MaxSea is technically the oldest e-charting software company and application.
MaxSea is now an established player in electronic charting, forming a technical alliance in 2004 with Furuno to combine software and hardware strengths. MaxSea is currently the leading navigational software in Europe – available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch, French, Icelandic, and German – with more than 40 percent market share in the fishing industry and 30 percent in the yachting industry. Since 1986, every winner of the Volvo Around The World/Whitbread, BOC and Vendee Globe Races has used MaxSea software. Over 25,000 copies have been sold worldwide.
MaxSea is a modular application, meaning it consists of a base software package with optional add-on modules for specialized features. Understanding these modules is important because they govern which features are included and which can be added. The basic software comes in five options: Planner (free), Navigator+ ($500), Commander ($1,000), Explorer ($3,000) and Professional ($5,000).
MaxSea Planner is simply planning software, available free on DVD from Furuno dealers. It does not connect to a GPS, but you can create and transfer routes to your Furuno chartplotter using an SD memory card. It is a "MaxSea Lite" sample, a planning tool or trial before upgrading to a full version of MaxSea.
Navigator+ is MaxSea's base package developed for the U.S. market, and it includes a full set of NOAA raster charts. Although it does not include any add-on modules, the application connects to a GPS and autopilot and can download and overlay weather data. Performance Sailing, Weather Routing and ARPA modules can be added.
Commander adds features such as events recording, data layer editing and the option of additional modules, such as 2D and 3D images or advanced AIS display. Explorer is a new package, designed to bundle the best features of Commander with the 2D/3D Modules and the Windows Desktop Management Software. Professional is the same software as Commander, but with nearly all modules included. It also integrates a fleet tracking system that works via e-mail, designed for shipping, fishing or charter companies.
Furuno also offers NavNet-Commander and NavNet-Explorer, which are the same as the basic Commander and Explorer packages but allow direct connectivity and interaction with Furuno NavNet systems.
Clearly, MaxSea has no shortage of e-charting options at an assortment of price points. There are entry-level packages that compare in price and functionality to Nobeltec VNS or Maptech's Chart Navigator Pro. There are also options that cost thousands of dollars with all the modules, and are designed for the professional.
Which package you choose depends on which modules you need or may want in the future. Not all software choices are compatible with every module. The best way to explore the choices is with MaxSea's software comparison website (see link). Click on the title of each package, then click on accessories for details on which modules are supported.
Indeed, navigating the modules alone can be daunting. For example, MaxSea provides two modules for integration with ARPA devices. The ARPA Module ($250) allows the display of ARPA and AIS targets, but does not include the ARPA Center or AIS Messaging. The Mobile Target Tracking Module ($250) – MaxSea's most popular – displays targets, includes Target Centers and AIS Messaging and allows target tracks to be saved.
The 2D/3D Module ($250), included in Explorer and Professional and available as an add-on in Commander, allows the display of 2D and 3D data. With the Personal Bathymetric Generator (PBG), you can continuously update your 3D charts with data from your sounder. A Ground Discrimination Module ($250) combines with third-party hardware to record bottom hardness and bottom type, which is a popular feature among fisherman.
The Sailing Performance Module ($250) adds tools such as upwind and downwind lay lines displayed on the chart, which are continuously corrected for changes in true wind direction and current. MaxSea's Weather Routing Module ($250) uses a boat's theoretical performance data, tide and current information, and GRIB weather files to calculate an optimal sailing route.
The NavNet Module ($500) upgrades MaxSea Commander, Explorer or Professional to the NavNet version, allowing for direct data exchange with a Furuno NavNet system. The MaxShell Windows Desktop Manager Software ($250), included with Explorer and Professional upon request, is a module that replaces the Windows interface. It is designed for use on professionally crewed vessels, separating MaxSea from the PC's other functions, while giving direct access to MaxSea utilities.
SETTING UP
Here we evaluate Explorer (version 12.6.3), MaxSea's full-featured recreational package, with the addition of the Sailing Performance and Weather Routing Modules.
