Open Ocean Wiki

Category	Software	Description	Website	Windows	macOS	Linux

Navigation and Charting Software

Navigation and Charting Software	OpenCPN	A popular, feature-rich navigation software for sailors. Supports GPS, AIS, and various chart formats (CM93, BSB, S57, etc.). Plugins available for weather routing, radar, and more.	https://opencpn.org	✓	✓	✓
Navigation and Charting Software	AvNav	A web-based navigation tool designed for Raspberry Pi and other Linux systems. Supports AIS, GPS, and chart plotting.	https://www.wellenvogel.net/software/avnav	-	-	✓
Navigation and Charting Software	SeaClear	A simple, open-source chart plotter for Windows. Supports BSB and S57 charts.	http://www.sping.com/seaclear	✓	-	-
Navigation and Charting Software	QtVlm	A navigation and weather routing tool for sailors. Supports GRIB files for weather forecasting and route optimization.	https://www.meltemus.com/index.php/en/qtvlm	✓	✓	✓
Navigation and Charting Software	Navit	A modular, open-source GPS navigation system. Can be customized for marine use with nautical charts.	https://www.navit-project.org	✓	✓	✓

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Weather and Routing Tools

Weather and Routing Tools	zyGrib	A weather visualization tool for sailors, supporting GRIB files. Provides wind, pressure, and wave forecasts.	http://www.zygrib.org	✓	✓	✓
Weather and Routing Tools	OpenSkiron	A weather data downloader and viewer for GRIB files. Works well with OpenCPN and other navigation tools.	https://sourceforge.net/projects/openskiron	✓	✓	✓
Weather and Routing Tools	Weather Routing Plugin (for OpenCPN)	A plugin for OpenCPN that calculates optimal routes based on weather data.	https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/info/weatherrouting.html	✓	✓	✓

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Marine Science and Data Analysis

Marine Science and Data Analysis	Ocean Data View (ODV)	A tool for analyzing and visualizing oceanographic data. Supports CTD, Argo floats, and other marine datasets.	https://odv.awi.de	✓	✓	✓
Marine Science and Data Analysis	GMT (Generic Mapping Tools)	A powerful tool for creating maps and visualizations of oceanographic data. Widely used in marine science and geophysics.	https://www.generic-mapping-tools.org	✓	✓	✓
Marine Science and Data Analysis	QGIS with Marine Plugins	QGIS is an open-source GIS tool with plugins for marine data visualization. Supports nautical charts, bathymetry, and oceanographic datasets.	https://qgis.org	✓	✓	✓
Marine Science and Data Analysis	Panoply	A tool for visualizing netCDF, HDF, and GRIB datasets. Useful for analyzing oceanographic and atmospheric data.	https://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/panoply	✓	✓	✓
Marine Science and Data Analysis	Ferret	An interactive data visualization and analysis tool for oceanographers. Supports netCDF and other scientific data formats.	https://ferret.pmel.noaa.gov/Ferret	✓	✓	✓

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AIS (Automatic Identification System) Tools

AIS (Automatic Identification System) Tools	OpenPlotter	A Raspberry Pi-based marine navigation system. Includes AIS, GPS, and sensor integration.	https://openplotter.readthedocs.io	-	-	✓
AIS (Automatic Identification System) Tools	AIS Dispatcher	A tool for decoding and forwarding AIS data. Works with OpenCPN and other navigation software.	https://github.com/ronaldo-aal/AISDispatcher	✓	✓	✓
AIS (Automatic Identification System) Tools	AIS Decoder (RTL-SDR)	A tool for decoding AIS signals using an RTL-SDR dongle.	https://github.com/dgiardini/rtl-ais	✓	✓	✓

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Logbooks and Voyage Planning

Logbooks and Voyage Planning	Shipdriver	A digital logbook and voyage planning tool. Tracks routes, weather, and vessel performance.	https://github.com/ronaldo-aal/Shipdriver	✓	✓	✓
Logbooks and Voyage Planning	Logbook Konni	A digital logbook for sailors, with support for GPS and AIS data.	https://www.logbookkonni.de	✓	-	✓

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Marine Simulation and Training

Marine Simulation and Training	OpenSkipper	A marine navigation simulator for training purposes.	https://sourceforge.net/projects/opencpn	✓	✓	✓
Marine Simulation and Training	FreeSail	A sailing simulator for learning navigation and seamanship.	https://sourceforge.net/projects/freesail	✓	-	✓

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Miscellaneous Tools

Miscellaneous Tools	Signal K	An open-source marine data exchange format and server. Integrates with sensors, AIS, and navigation tools.	https://signalk.org	✓	✓	✓
Miscellaneous Tools	Marble	A virtual globe and world atlas that supports nautical charts.	https://marble.kde.org	✓	✓	✓
Miscellaneous Tools	Gpsd	A service daemon for managing GPS data. Works with many navigation tools and devices.	https://gpsd.io	✓	✓	✓
Miscellaneous Tools	BBN Marine Atlas	A tool for visualizing marine biodiversity data.	https://github.com/bbnmarine/bbn-atlas	✓	✓	✓

How to Use These Tools: Many of these tools are cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux). Some, like OpenPlotter and AvNav, are designed for Raspberry Pi, making them ideal for onboard systems. Check the documentation for each tool to integrate them into your workflow.