qtVlm is a navigation software for Sailing Boats. The application has a free version with basic features and a full version available through in-app purchase.
The free version of qtVlm is a full grib viewer displaying all types of gribs and providing many advanced grib functions. It supports basics charts and some simple instruments. It includes also an Anchor Alarm module, a viewer for shapefiles, for instance those coming from SHOM, and can be configured to receive boat position either from internal GPS or from an external NMEA source connected through tcp, udp or gpsd.
The full version adds many functions and features:
- Weather routing and route modules,
- A complete set of navigation Instruments,
- Charts modules for Raster charts, Vector charts (S57, S63 and CM93) and mbtiles,
- Support for Harmonic files (tides and currents),
- Iridium GO! communication
- AIS,
- Start line mode,
- Access to Great Circle gribs,
qtVlm can also be used in Simulation Mode, which allows you to simulate a navigation through our server. This is the best way to learn using qtVlm.
Once activated the full version will be available on all your iOS devices.
I use marine navigation & weather apps at lot both for leisure and work. This app does a lot potentially, but is so difficult to use with a very unfriendly interface. Unless you are committed to an extremely long learning curve, you may be better looking elsewhere .
Very useful program
This is an excellent program
The extraordinary variety of configurations and capabilities can initially be confusing, but you can easily set it up to your preferences. I use inexpensive vmh mbtiles for charts and it works well, although these charts do need quite a lot of storage space. The developer is very quick to help and had corrected a minor bug I found very fast! Setting up uk harmonics for tides and currents was not particularly easy, but the (huge) manual explained it all.