OpenCPN Basics - The FREE Chartplotter Program

Fellow boaters - I'm thrilled to share my latest project with you: MaintenanceROS! Crafted from my experiences aboard Starry Horizons, it's designed to simplify vessel and maintenance management, making life on the water even more enjoyable.

*****

OpenCPN is a FREE program you can use for planning sailing routes, or you can get more in-depth and use it as a complete chart plotter. It is incredibly powerful, and yes, completely FREE!

We use OpenCPN all the time aboard Starry Horizons so it was the logical choice to share with you in the first of our helpful programs/apps series. This video will cover where to download OpenCPN, how to install the program, some useful options to change, how to download (free!) navigational charts, setting up a GPS connection and a quick bonus segment talking about the feature we use most often.

These are just the basics, so if you’re interested for us to a deeper dive into the features and capabilities of OpenCPN, be sure and leave a comment below!

================
Table Of Contents
================
0:00 - Intro
0:33 - What Is OpenCPN?
1:48 - How To Download
2:46 - Resources: Manuals, Charts & Forum
5:15 - Installing OpenCPN
8:41 - Basic Setup Options
12:00 - Downloading Charts
19:35 - Setting Up a GPS Connection
23:50 - Bonus Tip: Measuring Distances

================
Related Links
================

================
Affiliate Links
================

[NealMastel]

Absolutely have more on openCPN. Needs a series for sure!

[nestorlld]

David, this is awesome. I have installed OpenCPN multiple times and then reverted back to Navionics because I never had the patience/time for the steep learning curve that this software takes. But this basic tutorial clarified many issues that frustrated me in the past. I'm 1000x more likely to use OpenCPN as another source of data now. Definitely, an OpenCPN Advanced video would be highly appreciated :-).

[cestmoi]

Well done. Please make more editorials of all the sophisticated equipment available today. Beyond me (I'm 80 years old, don't even own a boat anymore) but you explain it so well. The future is fascinating (since on the water you can leave most of the politics behind and be a free person). I wish you the best!

[carnivorellama]

Thank you so much for doing this series. I still can’t believe it’s free! So powerful!

[hardstandpete]

Yes, more open cpn please. Been using awhile, but only basically. A tutorial beyond this would be fantastic. Cheers

[peterfistin]

OpenCPN is awesome. A gift for the sailor who is a sw engineer

[karlbass]

Great Job! / Great Info! I believe more video(s) about OpenCPN would be VERY welcome by the boating community.
At about 23:00 into the video, you switch from an RNC chart of where you're anchored to an ENC chart of the same location. I believe the depths displayed on both charts are either MLW (Mean Low Water) or MLLW (Mean Low Low Water). That means the actual depth you're experiencing will be subject to tides. The RNC chart appears to show you anchored in an area that is between 2 and 17 feet (MLW or MLLW). The comparable ENC chart appears to show you anchored in an area between .6 meters (1.9 feet) and 5.1 meters (16.7 feet). So the charts appear to be in sync from a displayed depth data perspective. I think you added that you're actually in about 10 feet of water. I could be wrong, but to me that seems to confirm the charts are pretty accurate, since the bottom would slope from 2 meters / 1.9 feet to about 5.1 meters / 16.7 feet in that area, depending on tide level. Sorry, I geeked out a bit.
Thanks again for a Great video.

[jasonkoslow]

This is the best Open CPN tutorial I have seen. I have downloaded it, and tried to use it a couple times but revert back to my chartplotter and tablet. Please create more Open CPN vide.

[danielcookeb]

Wow, from the UK heading to Ireland. Sadly the charts are, well, not there! Shame. But I'll try with the anchorages and see how it works! Looks fantastic! Definitely checking out the rest of your videos! Great accurate precise tutorial, btw! Love it when people include exactly what to do, no more, no less! Please do passage planning routes, following a route to make a track etc etc! And is there any way of overlaying visuals, or night lights etc for ease of checking buoys, nav marks etc?

[marceld]

Fantastic! Brief video?? I want more! Thanks David! I am off to download it now.

[Peter_Herrman]

Great video, thanks! Never heard of it, but will be downloading soon. Good tip about checking both types of charts. Bring on the advanced course!

[tomstanley]

I have Open CPN on a Raspberry PI. We cruse the middle Chesapeake. I just added the dAISy hat to the PI. The open CPN software even on a limited resource machine like the PI is still powerful and faster than both of my chart plotters. My next move is to convert an in dash installation. I love the Open CPN for it's power and features and the ease of use once you get used to it. I also use the Open CPN to broadcast AIS and GPS information via WIFI to my laptop for a back up and for the option of a second set of eyes on the charts.

[peterhagen]

Great application. I've been using it on my last 3 laptops! You can kick off an automatic update of the FREE US nautical charts.
Well worth the time to learn it!!!

[laurapitre]

Great video as usual. We use this program when navigating in poorly charted areas like here in Fiji. We use Google Earth images downloaded from other cruisers. A video on making your own GE images would be awesome!

[traumagas]

BRAVO BRAVO !!!! More Please ! I too have tried this but was Lost in a sea of Confusion and Aborted it. This AM I pulled my Mac up Downloaded and Followed Along !!! I ordered the GPS !!! online !!! THANKYOU for Sharing your Knowledge !!!! I agree Never have enough Tools for Navigation !!! These Series have Been Great !!! If your ever in the Florida Keys I have 200 Feet of Dock on the Gulf Side in Marathon Fl and a Car your welcome too All the Best to you Guys !!!

[SailingBlownAway]

David - LOVED this! Thank you for making the intro painless. I HOPE you do more vids on OpenCPN! Thank you for sharing these kinds of vids! We learn so much.

[ScoutyBoyO]

Holy Moly...I never knew about this. Super helpful. You rock! Yes, more.

[ericshayer]

Thank you very, very much for this introduction to open CPN, which I found very instructive and helpful

[jjasonsingleton]

Thank you for your tutorial. I was searching for navigation software for PCs and found OpenCPN and downloaded it. I have used Open Office for a long time and never thought that there was a navigation software that was open source. You have given a great explanation of how to get started and I greatly appreciate it.

[tahliahere]

So helpful… thank you and yes would love more on open cpn and other weather and navigation tools you used