navigation

Our navigation rests upon an old CPF 180i Standard Horizon chartplotter, and Navionics (installed onto an old iphone 5s). We use it along with a separate AIS tool for traffic. Navionics lists positions in DMS.

In 2017, Navionics was purchased from an Italian company by American multinational Garmin. Map subscriptions used to cost less than $50 CAD/year(it was below $30 CAD when we first used it in 2016), but in 2025 costs ballooned to $79 CAD/year. If you have the maps downloaded, you don't have to renew the subscription, but you will not receive chart updates. Remember that if you delete maps, you will have to get a subscription to regain access. If you can, use an alternative to Navionics like Open CPN.

The chartplotter was a donation from our friends on SY Dakota (they upgraded theirs and gave us their old one in 2022). For now, it carries all of the c-maps for western canada.

We carry a sextant aboard, and both of us are learning to use it. Depending on GPS isn't ideal, and learning to navigate without it might save your life.