In our weekly series on navigation software and electronic charting, we will be reviewing the full range of offerings on the market, from free packages provided by nautically-minded programmers to well-known and expensive products created by the biggest players in the marine electronics industry.

Our goal is to write honest reviews-no punches pulled-that give a truthful evaluation of our experience with these products, both good and bad. We also want to be fair to the people and companies who make these products and hold them up to a reasonable standard. To that end, we felt it important to spell out the methodology we used.

In evaluating these packages, we try to come at this from the standpoint of the average user. We used off-the-shelf software straight from the box, which was obtained from the companies that created it or was purchased by Mad Mariner. We used the same tech support options available to everyone and we used computers that, though purchased new for this series, were in line with what an average user might buy if they made a purchase today. The same approach was used for other gear, such as GPS sensors. We used a GlobalSat Technology BU-353 and a Garmin GPS 18 USB.

FOCUS ON BOATERS' NEEDS

Our approach is to focus on the needs of each type of boater. Rather than simply list features, which you can read off the software box or website, we analyze the software and its audience. That way, you can decide which charting and navigation package has the features you value based on your boating needs. One application may cost twice as much, but it may have four times the features-including some which better fit your boating style or those you deem necessary for the safety of your vessel. Or, perhaps you will be perfectly happy with one of the free choices. Not every boater needs radar overlays, AIS, or GRIB weather data on their laptop.Mark and Diana Doyle

Obviously all charting and navigation software packages can create waypoints and build routes. Our goal is to dig deeper, beginning with the ease of installation and the user interface. We explore the technical support available, including the quality of user manuals, available forums, and the manufacturer's website and customer support options. We also evaluate the software's ability to handle chart data in terms of speed, "quilting and stitching," search functions, supported file formats and exportability.

EXTRA FEATURES

We also spend time looking at additional components. How does the package rate on optional features such as collision avoidance or weather overlays? Can it incorporate additional data such as street maps or bathymetric displays? How well does it integrate with external devices such as GPS sensors, autopilots, radars, data recorders or cameras?

We try to provide information that will get you past the speed bumps we encountered, such as glitches when loading chart files or problems attaching a GPS sensor. We also try to highlight unique features and give some tips for those of you who are more sophisticated and value a shortcut. We have included graphics that summarize each program's capabilities and screenshots to illustrate key points. Mad Mariner has also created a Software Forum, where the boating community can gather and additional questions may be answered. The result, we hope, are reviews that are truthful, fair and helpful.