You can't understand The Capn software–the first computer navigation program and long an industry standard–without understanding the story behind it. As with all "Captains," there is a story, and like many salty tales this one sets sail on the coast of Maine.

It begins with Dennis Mills, a boater and former journalist who wanted to create a computer program to help mariners calculate and display lines of position from celestial sights. This was nearly 20 years ago, when most people didn't own a personal computer. The project literally began as a computerized version of The American Practical Navigator, so he called it CAPN, short for Computerized American Practical Navigator.

At the same time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was beginning to experiment with electronic versions of their paper charts. As we mentioned in previous stories, NOAA was looking for a private company partner to release the charts for sale to boaters. After considering 37 bids, the winner was a company in Bangor, named BSB Electronic Charts, who produced spiral-bound collections of paper charts called ChartKits. (If you think this sounds a lot like Maptech, you're correct; BSB Electronic Charts was eventually acquired by Maptech.)

With charts now available in electronic format, Mills added a revolutionary feature to his CAPN program. He included the ability to plot a vessel's position directly on an electronic chart display. His company, Nautical Technologies, was one of the first companies to take advantage of NOAA's electronic charts. And The Capn became the first commercially available Windows-based charting and navigation program.

Today, more than 15 years later, The Capn is an aging player in a field full of modern products. But there are still about 8,000 registered Capn users, and the program is used by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Navy, and the Marines, as well as pilots, tug operators, merchant vessels and commercial workboats.

It also was very popular among "pirates." The Capn was created early in the PC revolution–long before today's technology of registration, licenses, keys and dongles. Retired Coast Guard boaters introduced recreational boaters to The Capn, which was then the only show in town. Lacking anti-piracy features, recreational boaters freely copied and passed around the software and its cartography. During the 1990s many cruising vessels in the Caribbean carried a pirated copy of The Capn, courtesy of another cruising buddy boat.

Although this piracy was economically fatal to Nautical Technologies, it created a huge base of Capn users and generated incredible market momentum that continues to this day. Capn users love this application. When Maptech merely hinted at killing The Capn, the public outcry was vehement–including threats to never again purchase any Maptech products. Maptech, aware of the bootlegging problem, granted an "amnesty program" of sorts. Capn users–even without a serial number or replacement CD–could call Maptech and order the upgrade, in effect receiving the complete Capn software and data portfolio set for $149.

Maptech insists there is no threat to The Capn's future. In fact, since Maptech picked up The Capn in April 2006 (at version 8.3.14), they've posted six moderate updates, known in the software industry as point releases. In this article we review the latest version, which is 8.3.20.

However, as Maptech clearly states, The Capn is tailored to and intended for use in the commercial market by professional captains. The product ships in a case labeled "Navigation Software for the Professional." Although its devoted recreational users point out that The Capn has some great features and functions, a new user entering the charting and navigation market would be better served by a package designed for recreational use on a more contemporary computer platform, such as Maptech's Chart Navigator Pro.

SETTING UP

The Capn is sold as a very professional package in a 12-by-9-inch zippered nylon portfolio containing 18 discs and a 64-page comb-bound User Manual. Seventeen DVDs contain complete Maptech cartography for the U.S., including coverage of the Great Lakes and inland waterways. The User Manual is an updated version, recently revised and rewritten by Maptech, who also makes it available through their support web page (see link).

The application easily installs from the DVD installer disc. Once the program is installed, you can load charts by region from the remaining DVDs. As with Maptech's Chart Navigator Pro, The Capn provides more charts and supplemental data than most boaters should load. If you don't need some charting regions or data, watch the installation prompts and only load desired regions.

Today's version of The Capn requires registration by calling a toll-free number or sending an email to a designated registration email address. When you provide Maptech with your serial number they issue an unlock code.

Although a phone registration process may seem outdated and inconvenient compared to an automated web registration, it makes sense for The Capn's users. Designed for captains who are out on a vessel, possibly in bad conditions after a system crash, it is assumed that an Internet connection may not be feasible. Maptech makes the process easy. Our registration was completed in less than two minutes with a representative.

LOOK AND FEEL

The Capn uses a traditional Windows interface that integrates large, plotter-style buttons for use in rough sea conditions. This is a nuts-and-bolts, no-frills user interface, but one that is relatively easy to learn and use.

Unfortunately, the pioneer in e-charting is starting to show its age. It has a definite Win95 look and feel, most noticeable in a cluttered screen display and ragged fonts. There are only 14 rather non-intuitive shortcuts, mostly based on function keys such as F4 for Next Chart Down.

In addition, The Capn occasionally exhibits display artifacts because its monitor refresh was designed for the slow computers of the 1990s. For example, portions of the previous feature sometime remain on the screen as a new window loads, creating an odd temporary patchwork on your PC display. Newer applications take advantage of graphic display speed and clear the screen instantaneously before re-displaying the new window.

The Capn also frequently violates Windows interface conventions and is inconsistent within its own interface, such as whether to use an ellipsis ("...") indicating additional submenu choices. The most troubling instance of a "close-but-not-quite" Windows convention is Capn's inability to resize certain data windows. Since windows of waypoints or routes can't be resized, the information is only legible by scrolling side-to-side or up-and-down with horizontal and vertical elevator bars. At a minimum, users should be able to make windows wider to show complete lines of data.

To its credit, The Capn loads faster than any program we've reviewed, starting up in less than five seconds. It's also one of the most customizable charting and navigation programs we've seen. It includes a proverbial "boat-load" of customization options, such as metrics, colors, ship information, data inputs, Nav Console settings and even time zones.

WORKING WITH CHARTS

Countless times at boat shows, we've been asked, "What charts can I use with my Capn software?" There seems to be quite a bit of confusion about the compatibility of The Capn with non-Maptech raster and vector chart formats. As it turns out, the confusion is warranted: the answer is a bit complicated.

The Capn does work with a wide assortment of raster charts, including the free NOAA RNCs, SoftCharts in GEO/NOS format, and Maptech's BSB formats. In fact, The Capn is one of the few Maptech software offerings that reads Maptech's own encrypted BSB5 format, which are reproductions of Maptech's paper ChartKit pages and include route lines and waypoints. However, The Capn does not read the common International raster format, British Admiralty (ARCS).

The Capn version 8.0 added support for vector charts in S-57 and DNC format. Recall that DNCs are Digital Nautical Charts, vector format files produced by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and used by the military.

The confusion arises because users of The Capn are unable to download and use standard vector chart formats–such as standard NOAA ENCs, Army Corps IENCs, international S-57s or DNCs–straight from NOAA, the Army Corps or the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. In order for these files to be read by The Capn, they must be converted to a proprietary format that Capn reads. In other words, the ENCs and DNCs that are provided on the DVDs are actually "SENCSs" and "SDNCs," vector charts that have been converted to an "S" (for "system"), format. Unfortunately, without this Maptech conversion step, standard vector format charts cannot be read by The Capn.

Although this proprietary format forces Capn users to purchase vector charts through Maptech, there is a value-add. With traditional ENC and IENC naming conventions, such as those employed on downloaded NOAA chart files, it is difficult to identify a chart by its file name, because those file names do not reference the numbers on the equivalent paper chart. As part of Maptech's conversion, they re-name each vector chart to reference its paper chart counterpart. For example, the vector chart file for Mobile Bay (US4AL11M) can easily be found by searching for its paper chart number 11376. The Capn SENC file is labeled 11376-US4AL11M.

As we've noticed in other charting and navigation applications, there are some dated assets on the Maptech DVDs. Marketing departments like to shovel the maximum amount of assets onto the discs, even if the data is a bit stale. Maptech, with its front-line access to chart data, does better than most, but we found the Inland Waterway raster charts were dated back to 1998. To be fair, there may not be newer editions for that region, but consumers of bundled cartography should recognize that today's chart DVDs don't necessarily represent today's data.

By using some of The Capn's special features, charts display very crisply. For example, a "Use High Resolution Display" option is available to display charts with much better rendering. Although Capn warns you this option may sacrifice display speed, we didn't notice any negative impact. The new faster computers allow for regular use of this useful feature.MAPTECHSplit window showing an active route on a raster chart (left) and a 3D bathymetric view (right).

The Capn also has an option to "Use High Visibility Colors." This feature will be familiar to users of SoftCharts, because it is the SoftChart palette. The SoftChart look was always popular for its high visibility in bright light.

Like most advanced charting and navigation applications, Capn integrates intelligent chart display, which it calls "Smart Chart Logic Technology." Charts are seamlessly quilted–unless you choose to turn this option off in order to view the chart edges. Capn also automatically selects the best scale chart for the current zoom and location. Charts can be printed, with very nice printouts including customizable scale marks (graticules). Charts can be displayed in a split screen, such as a chart on one side of the screen and 3D bathymetric view on the other side (see photo).

Panning and scrolling a chart is a bit inconvenient in The Capn, largely because of the lack of a conventional grabber "hand." You must pan a chart by zooming out, left-clicking until the new area is reached, then zooming in. Most contemporary applications now use a grabber hand as the convention to pan and scroll.

However, Capn has a very nice "Go To" feature to move across charts. To Capn's credit, the program includes distinct commands for "Go To" (pick a waypoint and bring up that chart) versus "Steer To" (pick a waypoint and create a route to it). Many applications combine or confuse these two actions.

The Go To feature makes it very easy to pull up a new chart location. You can flip to any region where you have created a waypoint or route (see photo). Alternately, you can flip to a new chart by entering a latitude and longitude position. A very nice option is Go To>General Location, which brings up a window of named chart locations for waters in the U.S. and the Bahamas. For example, the Bahamas window lists 1,448 locations. Scrolling and selecting "Marsh Harbor" instantly brings up the best chart for that port, centered on your screen.MAPTECHWaypoints and marks are stored in a library table which can be sorted by column heading (see cursor arrow). To quickly go to a charted location, highlight a waypoint or mark and select "Center On Mark" (bottom center).

The General Location feature would be even stronger if it included a search box. Here again, Capn shows it age by not including this now-standard feature. However, a workaround is to click on any location name (as if you are about to edit it), then start to type the location you're searching for. The window will jump to the name you are typing.

One of The Capn's best features is "Allow Transparent Raster," which overlays a transparent raster chart over a vector chart (see photo). This feature lets you view a more familiar-looking raster display while querying objects from the underlying vector chart. It's also a nice feature to check if the two charts agree, such as on a shifting shoreline. The option "Show Feature Hot Spots" helps you see where to click on the raster chart to invoke the underlying vector object. With Hot Spots on, vector chart objects display a red dot so you know where to click on the raster chart. For example, a raster chart may show a green dayboard square near a depth reading. The Hot Spot ensures you don't inadvertently click on the depth reading if you wanted the dayboard information.

The Capn allows you to customize your vector chart displays, including display layers, depth metrics, shaded areas to warn of unsafe depths, and maximum soundings. It also has an option to "Favor Vector over Raster," which displays the vector chart whenever one is available, otherwise reverting to a raster chart.

WAYPOINTS AND ROUTES MAPTECHThe Capn allows you to view a transparent raster chart over a vector chart. By turning Hot Spots on, you can click to see information from the vector database.

It is very easy to create waypoints and routes in Capn. You can also create a "mark" to pinpoint an anchorage or special fishing location. Photos can be linked to these marks.

Routes are displayed with course and bearing, although the text is a bit difficult to read because of transparency, overtype and ragged fonts. The Capn can record a track, but cannot create a route from a track. Unfortunately, it uses basic waypoint and route management, placing data in one collection rather than subfolders defined by the user.

Waypoints and routes are not freely importable or exportable. Version 8.0 added the ability to export routes only to a GPS using GPX format and another Windows utility such as EasyGPS. Capn users can, however, import and export data to other Capn users.

Capn also includes many alarm features, including visual and audible alerts for waypoint approach or arrival, alarm zone approach or entry, man overboard, anchor watch, cross track error and GPS malfunction.

The Capn's Trip Calculator is a nicely-designed feature. It not only calculates your trip data, but you can use it in reverse. By beginning at the last waypoint it will calculate departure times or speeds needed to make a restricted bridge opening or to arrive at a location before dark.

Underscoring Capn's commercial orientation, it will also calculate the area inside a route, in metrics ranging from square meters to nautical square miles. This feature is useful for search and rescue operations, commercial fishing or lobstermen if they'd like a quick calculation of their trap field area.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

The Capn includes additional marine data, such as tide and current predictions, a nautical almanac and Coast Pilot. It does not support weather downloads.

Tide and current predictions are displayed in small pop-up windows that open on top of the chart. The interface is a bit dated in the sense that many other programs graphically show tides and currents for the vessel's current time and location. In The Capn, the display is a traditional tide or current graph for a 24-hour period and you must cross reference a particular time.MAPTECHTide and current data is provided with The Capn. Stations are shown on the chart ("T" and "C") and in table form (inset).

However, it is very easy to access present tide and current predictions with the Choose Tide Station or Current Station features. With these features on, all tide or current stations within 30 nautical miles of your vessel are shown on the chart with a "T" or "C" (see photo). Right-click a station and view that station's tide or current in a very concise shorthand format, such as "15:38 0.8 ft (Rising)." One easy improvement would be to include the tidal range, such as "15:38 0.8 of 3.2 ft (Rising)."

In Nobeltec VNS, invoking tide and current predictions severely slowed down VNS's performance. The same problem occurs with The Capn. You cannot feasibly run Capn with tides and currents enabled. Only enable this feature to obtain the information you need, then disable it immediately.

The Capn's Nautical Almanac, reached by choosing Navigation>Rise and Set Times, brings up a window that calculates the rise and set times for the sun and moon (for that day or month), meridian passage of selected planets and a list of star positions.

Coast Pilots can be displayed if you choose to load them. Although the documentation implies they are automatically loaded, they are not. Before viewing the Coast Pilots, you must download the documents from Maptech's technical support web page (see link). Once loaded, choosing the feature Go To>Coast Pilot Page will open the Coast Pilots in a large text window. There is limited search capability, but you can access the index to locate relevant pages.

To compensate for your compass deviation, Capn includes a Compass Deviation Card. This window lets you fill in your vessel's deviation correction, allowing The Capn to display accurate course routes. Fill in the deviation for the four cardinal points and Capn automatically calculates the intermediate values in 15-degree increments. (For a story on compass deviation, see link.)

The Capn interfaces with many external devices, including an autopilot, GPS, compass, depth sounder and video camera. If your GPS uses a serial connection, you must purchase a serial-to-USB adapter such as KeySpan's USB High Speed Serial Adapter for $39 (see link).

The Capn has a standard AIS interface, including a position report on a vessel showing a ship's status, COG, heading, speed, rate of turn and MMSI number for Digital Select Calling. Right-clicking on a target provides Full Ship Info with more details on the vessel (see photo). To reduce clutter on your chart display, such as in a busy harbor with many ships, the tracks and "closest point of approach" lines can be turned off.

As we've said, The Capn includes many features not intended for recreation boaters. For example, it can set watches for fishing areas or calculate the length of your vessel and tow. Licenses can be purchased in quantity for fleet management. Maptech will also customize your Capn purchase to add special features or functions, or customize your charts with information overlays, specific to a commercial vessel's needs. All these additional features are reminders that Capn is designed and marketed for the commercial or government user.

ASSESSMENTMAPTECHAll AIS targets are shown in a list (left). Right-click on any charted target to get Full Ship Info (center).

Devoted users of The Capn can breathe a little easier. It seems there are no longer any assassins lurking in Maptech's corridors. In fact, the United States Power Squadrons has just announced that beginning Spring 2008, The Capn will be taught in their most advanced navigation class. Students not only receive instruction on The Capn, but also take home a personal copy for their own use.

And although The Capn's founder, Dennis Mills, has retired after a stint with the company as product manager, Maptech has responded to consumer demands, recently posting several updates and a revised manual. Technical support is abundant through Maptech's online support, which includes technical documents, various downloads and discussion forums (see link).

However, although The Capn is a jewel–and truly the first e-charting application–it is getting long in the tooth. It remains a powerful, feature-rich program and should improve with access to Maptech's extraordinary resources: technical support, sales channels, development team, and charts and supplemental data. But Maptech must invest in this product or it will eventually die. Its interface and features require a serious dusting-off.

Although Maptech's stated direction for The Capn is a program geared for government and commercial vessels, today it is used by two groups of boaters: Recreational users who learned on the program and remain loyal and commercial captains. Both groups want a simple stable charting and navigation application.

If you're a recreational boater and already own The Capn, it's still a great program. You should take advantage of the latest updates to the software and cartography that Maptech offers for $149. However, if you don't already own The Capn, or if you want to switch to a more contemporary application specifically geared to recreational users, a better choice is Maptech's Chart Navigator Pro.

Capt. Mark Doyle and Capt. Diana Doyle are authors of the Managing the Waterway cruising guide series, and their work has appeared in numerous publications. They also produce CDs and DVDs of NOAA and USACE charts.