The traditional roles of the navigator and the tactician may now be easily combined and performed to a high level with the assistance of either one of three excellent programs. Each of these programs requires an onboard computer linked to the instruments. Their functions for both tactical and strategic race navigation can apply to coastal as well as ocean racing. They all now provide the option of a simple diagrammatic chart or the boat's position superimposed on a scanned or digitised chart.
They each also provide varying degrees of improving the data from the onboard instruments, making allowances for tides and currents, using proprietary or commonly available hardware and some offer route optimisation modules.
They all allow the user to build up a library of race marks, or enter new ones on the day when selecting the course. The GPS is linked to provide a simple graphic with marks and the track. The sailing instruments are monitored and trends plotted to help understand the conditions. By monitoring the yacht's track and with reference to a polar table, the projected course and the expected wind speeds and angles can be calculated. This can then provide laylines into windward and leeward marks, and next leg calculations of the predicted course and wind conditions.
All the systems allow data logging to build up polar tables of performance which can be merged into a standard polar table to give more accurate calculations.
Deckman for Windows -software to run under the Windows operating environment.
Maxsea - no longer supported
Seatrack
Expedition
Kiwitech - renamed Raytech. Tidal allowance?
Advantage - claiming in 2008 to be the only program to accurately allow for varying tidal strengths over the course