OpenSeaMap and Garmin nautical chart plotter

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OpenSeaMap
on Garmin GPSmap 526

OpenSeaMap works on built-in Garmin Chartplotters of the GPSMAP series and on actual handhelds.

Download

Revier	gmapsupp.img for SD-card	PC-Version for MapSource	Update	Comments
Europe Central	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	twice per month
Europe North	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
Europe South	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
America Central	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
America Northeast	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
America Northwest	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
America Southeast	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
America Southwest	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
Red Sea and Indic	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
Japan and China	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
Indonesia	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
Australia	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly
Arctic	Download gmapsupp.img	Download MS-Version	monthly

Installation

1. Download the Zip-file.
   With 16 MBit about 30 minutes.
2. Unpack archive (7Zip may cause problems).
3. Install map:
   for SD-Card: copy 'gmapsupp.img' to the folder 'garmin' on your SD card.
   MapSource-Version: in folder 'openseamap' execute "install.bat" (MapSource or BaseCamp has to be installed before).

Coverage

Europe

North Europe

Central Europe

South Europe, Mediterranean

America

America North, West Coast	Central Amerika, Caribbean	America North, East Coast
File:Osm america southwest.JPG America South, West Coast		File:Osm america southeast.JPG America South, East Coast

Asia

Red Sea, Indic	Indonesia	Australia
File:Osm japan and china.JPG Japan and China	File:Osm arctis.JPG Arctis

Characteristics of the map

When zooming in, you can see buildings.
When zooming out, the streets disappear and you will see an overview map of rivers and water surfaces.

Garmin GPSMap 526 Piloting chart

Garmin GPSMap 526 Harbour plan

Garmin GPSMap 526 Overview map

Tips & Tricks

• Older devices may only support maps up to 2 GB. Use Mapsource version and upload a smaller part of the map in this case.
  Mapsource Europe (2012)
• In case that some card tiles are not displayed on the GPS device, i. e. there are gaps, you should download a smaller map section onto the device using the MapSource version. This issue can happen on many Garmin devices if the downloaded map is too big.

Changelog

27.02.2013	Charts now as PC-version for MapSource.
25.01.2013	Map updates are generated automatically. A new server makes it possible to keep more maps up to date.
01.03.2012	Groynes are displayed.
20.02.2012	Built-up areas can be allocated to the Garmin MarineType "land urban" and will be displayed in different colours. When zooming out, water surfaces and rivers will be displayed as before while streets move to the background.

Limitations and known issues

• You cannot set the zoom level at which points of interest (POI) are displayed on newer marine devices. The map was therefore limited to POIs that are worth looking at from a nautical point of view in order to prevent the map from being too detailed.
• Labelling of polygons (e. g. sports fields) is displayed too prominently on marine chartplotters. As this cannot be corrected, the labels of most of the objects are simply hidden.

Device list

GPSmap7015

Oregon 450

OpenSeaMap works on the following Garmin devices:
  = tested successfully

All these devices should work for OpenSeaMap, also all the hand-helds and chart plotters in this list:

ok	Type	Comments
	GPSmap 7015
	GPSmap 7012
	GPSmap 6012
	GPSmap 6008
	GPSmap 6012
	GPSmap 6008
	GPSmap 5015
	GPSmap 5012
	GPSmap 5008
	GPSmap 4012
	GPSmap 4010
	GPSmap 4008
	GPSmap 720 / 720s	Touch screen
	GPSmap 620	Portable two-in-one touch screen device for street and marine applications
	GPSmap 526 / 526s
	GPSmap 521 / 521s
	GPSmap 421 / 421s
	GPSmap 172C	No longer available
	GPSmap 60 cx	Outdoor
	GPSmap 60 CSx	Outdoor
	GPSmap 62 s	Outdoor
	GPSmap 62 sc	Outdoor
	GPSmap 62 st	Outdoor
	GPSmap 62 stc	Outdoor
	Colorado	No longer available
	Dacota 20	Outdoor
	eTrex 10	Outdoor, by Mapsource + Multistorage (only 12MB)
	eTrex 20	Outdoor
	eTrex 30	Outdoor
	eTrex Legend HCx	Outdoor
	eTrex Venture HC	Outdoor, by Mapsource
	eTrex Vista HCx	Outdoor
	Montana 600	Outdoor
	Montana 650	Outdoor
	Montana 650 t	Outdoor
	Oregon 550	Outdoor
	Oregon 450	Outdoor with marine mode

Technical background

Over time, the various Garmin devices for car, outdoor and marine applications have evolved in different directions.

New maps are only compatible with the device for the respective target group. NT maps with lane assist guides and traffic information only work on Garmin nüvi devices, whereas the very detailed and colourful topographic maps are meant for use in outdoor devices. However, Bluechart G2 Vision only works in combination with marine devices. All sea maps, either traditional Bluechart, G2 or G2 Vision, work without TYPE files, as these do not display particularly detailed or multi-coloured images on shore. The Bluechart version does not offer green meadows, brown fields or even tree symbols in a forest. However, outdoor devices were designed to be used in a car or on a boat as well. For this reason, a partial support for NT and Bluechart (G2) was implemented. Unfortunately, they did not implement lane assist guides or Bluechart Vision.

So far, Garmin marine devices do not support TYPE files (for freely definable symbols, colours and textures). In order to display polygons, only a few clearly defined colours and textures are available. Without TYPE files, however, the priority of polygons cannot be defined. Maps that are displayed perfectly on Garmin outdoor or travel devices generally do have the same quality on marine devices and are therefore unusable.

Garmin has built in a locking mechanism in newer marine devices to prevent older Bluecharts (without G2) from being used (Message: "Karte nicht kompatibel" [Map is not compatible]). This lock also takes effect when OSM cards are involved.

Thus, a special OpenSeaMap chart was developed for owners of Garmin marine devices. It is particularly designed to adapt to the options of marine devices, which are rather limited compared to those of outdoor devices. This chart also works on outdoor devices with marine mode (e. g. Oregon) without any restrictions. It should also work for older marine devices. However, you should not download the entire map of Europa to less powerful devices in one go, but choose MapSource sections instead. Otherwise the image buildup will be very slow and there can be gaps in the map if the working memory is too small.

On devices that are exclusively used in cars (nüvi series) the map will probably not work without restrictions. Devices for aviation have not been tested so far.