Utilities and Waypoints
Utility Downloads
Seamarks’ NorthStar loader
The following program is the latest (V3.1) update for cable uploading and downloading NorthStar GPSs via the SeaMarks program. It is shipped with the SeaMarks program.
Download North.exe for NorthStar 941/951 interfacing (0.25 Mbytes)
Older Seamarks Northstar Loader
If the SeaMarks’ NorthStar Uploader/Downloader does not seem to work and gets locked up, perhaps you need the older (V2.1) version found here. It is slow and takes about a half hour to download 955 points. It has the same name as the newer one, so you might move the newer one (North.exe) to a holding folder before replacing it with this one. Then download this to the SeaMarks program’s folder.
Download the version 2.1 Northstar loader: North.exe
NorthStar’s own loader
This program is NorthStar’s own upload/download utility. That is all it does, but if the above ones gives you trouble, then try this one as it is the manufacturer’s own. It will create or read a file that SeaMarks can import/export.
Furuno loader
This program is for uploading and downloading older Furuno GPSs like the GP30 that require a cable connection. It downloads to a file that SeaMarks can import or export. This is an alternative to the built-in down loader of the SeaMarks program.
Download Furuno.exe for Furuno interfacing (0.15 Mbytes)
Magnetic compass variation tool
This program is to calculate the magnetic compass variation. It updates the old version shipped prior to 5/31/00.
Universal Transverse Mercator converter
This program can convert from UTM to Lat/Lon and back. This is a free utility for those that need the capability to work with Universal Transverse Mercator coordinates (like Northings and Eastings).
Download ll2utm2ll.zip (0.2 Mbytes)
Lowrance Sonar Log Viewer
This is a PC software program that lets you view your sonar logs on the PC. You can even adjust some of the sonar settings from the PC program and it will adjust what you see on the screen.
Download the Sonar Log Viewer (17.8MBytes)
SeaMarks Program Waypoints Downloads
Saltwater Central Bluewater Supermap points off the Florida Coasts.
Volusia County, Florida calibration waypoints on artificial reefs
These are waypoints on a variety of Florida east coast artificial reefs that can be used for calibration waypoints in that area. This material generously supplied by: John Lane, Volusia County Reef Research Dive Team, .
LORAN TDs and WAAS or DGPS GPS L/L waypoints were taken on separate LORAN and GPS units when anchored over a ship, barge or large pile of material on each site. These points were already used in calibrating the ASF tables.
Click here to get: Supermap-waypoints
Brevard County Florida waypoints
These waypoints are on a variety of Florida east coast reefs off Sebastian and Canaveral inlets. They consist of LORAN TDs and DGPS GPS L/L waypoints taken on a Sitex XJ1 LORAN and a GPS. They are already used in the pre-calibrated ASF tables.
Click here to get: BrevardCalibration.DBF
Okaloosa County Florida Artificial Reefs
by Emerald Coast Reef Association http://www.ecreef.org/
Steinhatchee Florida waypoints.
Sea Hag Marina waypoints from SeaHag.com
All Florida Artificial Reefs
Florida wrecks
A listing of wrecks for diving from a site called TravelByGPS.com that I can’t find anymore . Mark Zurl says: “The numbers below represent what I currently have from various sources and are highly accurate. They were taken at the actual site by reliable equipment, not calculated from LORAN or obtained from unreliable sources. Some were given to me, and others I have collected myself, like the PeeWee Vreeland; published Broward County numbers for this shipwreck have proven inaccurate. I am NOT promoting them as dive sites, nor should they be dove by anyone without the proper training, equipment, and experience to do so” – Mark Zurl”
Click here for: TravelByGPS-wrecks.DBF
St. Petersburg Wreck list
This is a listing derived from Loran C for wrecks local to the Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater area. It is an old list from the SPUC.
Click here for: FloridaLocalWrecksOffStPete.DBF
Florida Sportsman Holes and Springs
During the last Ice Age, the sea was about 300 ft lower so these sink holes and springs were once on land. From the Florida Sportsman Magazine.
Team Live Wire GPS Coordinates
They say: “The GPS numbers listed on this site have been collected using several sources through the years. Though many of the numbers have been verified, all have not. USE THESE NUMBERS AT YOUR OWN RISK, If numbers used from this site are found to be incorrect, please contact us so changes can be made. These numbers are updated regularly to ensure best possible accuracy and to add new numbers.”
The sites waypoints were manipulated into the SeaMarks format and Loran numbers calculated from them without calibration using the government ASF tables. Some of the waypoints may have originally been converted from Loran with unknown accuracy.
Long bay Artificial Reef Association
Long Bay is located at the southern end of North Carolina, from Cape Fear to the South Carolina border. These do not represent all the artificial reefs on their chart.
Click Here for: lbara-reef-balls-NC.DBF
Louisiana Reefs, Wrecks, and Rigs possibly from
This list was fetched from the web some time ago and I have lost the original origin. It was possibly done from this site as they currently have a very extensive data base.
Click here to get: Louisiana-wrecks.DBF
Click here to get: Louisiana-rigs.DBF
Click here to get: Louisiana-balls.dbf
Alabama reefs and wrecks
A list of stuff from the from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Click here to get: Alabama_Reefs.dbf
Click here to get: Alabama_Tanks.dbf
Click here to get: AlabamaPublicReefs.dbf
Outdoor Alabama reefs from OutdoorAlabama.com
Click here to get Master_AL_Public_Reef_Coordinates.DBF
Upper Gulf Wrecks and Hazards data from 1988
This data is from an old set of lists. It contains some good data and some suspect data. For example, if the lat/lon is rounded off to the nearest minute or degree, the data is useless. However, there may be gems in the list.
Listing_of_wrecks_and_hazards_off_TX
Listing_of_wrecks_and_hazards_off_LA-MS
Listing_of_wrecks_and_hazards_off_AL-FL
Upper Gulf Oil Rigs from TravelByGPS
51,673 spots, some duplicated, some probably removed. This is from a site that is no longer available.The data covers AL through TX. FL does not allow drilling.
Listing_of_Rigs_Upper_Gulf_1st_part Listing_of_Rigs_Upper_Gulf_2nd_partMississippi Gulf Fishing Banks
A list of offshore artificial reefs. The first is a list recently added from the site:
http://www.dmr.state.ms.us/Fisheries/Reefs/offshore-reefs.htm
with 69 GPS waypoints and the second is one downloaded in 2006 that has 236 waypoints, most of which were in Loran form.
Click here to get: MississippiGulfFishingBanks.DBF
Chesapeake Bay Fishing holes
WRECKS, REEFS AND FISHING HOT SPOTS ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY courtesy of The Chesapeake Angler magazine
These waypoints are provided as is without conversion by the program. I don’t know the accuracy of either the Loran or GPS data, so be advised that the data could be off the mark.
Click here to get Waypoints for Chesapeake Bay.dbf
MD, VA reefs
Don’t remember where I got the following from, so if anyone can enlighten me, I will put the data here.
Click here to get: ChesapeakeBayFishing.dbf
Click here to get: MD-VA-coordinates.DBF
Chesapeake wrecks
The following was found on a site at:
http://media.channelblade.com/boat_graphics/templatesites/dts/dealerlibraries/241/fishing_sites.pdf
I don’t know where the data came from, so I would assume that the lat/lon may be suspect. Certainly it is questionable for use as calibration data.
SaltWater FISHING waypoints for the North East US!
Selected Loran and Lat/Lon coordinates for shipwrecks and artificial reefs in the New Jersey – New York – Long Island area some are duplicates from different sources. Supplied by N. Hirsch at www.saltwaterfishing.com, although this site has closed.
Click here to get: swfishing.com.dbf
Aqua Explorers’ Wrecks of NJ, NY, CT, MA and RI
The ShipwreckExpo.com Free Shipwreck Location GPS Coordinate List for New jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The list on their site: has clickable links to get historical info and images.
DIGAWO DATA BASE
This is an old government data base of wrecks and obstructions in the North East US. It contains stuff that may no longer be there and also has some points that are too rounded off to be of any use. All the data is in Lat/Lon. The original name was something like: DIGital Archive of Wrecks and Obstructions
Click here to get: digawo.dbf
West Michigan Dive Center
This site has closed but left a list of waypoints for us. Most are GPS coordinates, but some are possible calibration points as both Loran and GPS were given.
Click here to get: WestMichiganDiveCenter.DBFLake Erie Wrecks
All Information from Erie Wrecks by Georgann & Michael Wachter.
Click here for: LakeErieWrecks.DBFSouthern California Hot Spots
Southern California Hot Spots by: http://www.fishingnetwork.net/
Click here for: SO_CaliforniaHotSpots.DBF