Maptech Navigation, another good home found

Above is the new home page at Maptech.com, and while it represents the end of the old Maptech, it sure doesn’t mark the end of the Maptech name. In fact, the blue “Marine Software” tab takes you to a new company called Maptech Navigation. It’s the creation of Peter Martin, who’s worked for Maptech, Chartkit, and as a professional mariner. Martin bought the rights to develop and market Maptech’s digital charts and software packages (except for The Capn, which found its own good home). Martin says his plan is basically “business as usual”…

That is, Maptech Navigation will update and distribute all the U.S. and foreign electronic charts and charting bundles currently available. He’s also working on an updated Chart Navigator Pro package, hopefully using Rosepoint’s Coastal Explorer 2009 (supposedly releasing at the Fort Lauderdale show). And he further notes that he’ll be working closely with Lee Estes of Richardson’s Publications, the company that bought Maptech’s “Marine Books & Charts” paper business (the red tab above), which included the actual Maptech.com Web address. Martin and Estes went to Massachusetts Maritime together, and you’ll find them within shouting distance at the Annapolis Sail and Power shows, each introducing their respective slices of the Maptech brand.
   Meanwhile, Maptech’s topographic business (the green tab) went to MyTopo, which apparently will keep developing Maptech Terrain Navigator (good software, I think). Plus it looks like Faria, owner of Maptech’s touch screen software (also good), is continuing to use the “Powered by” logo. And for years www.Maptech-Marine.com has been the home of a U.K. company that distributes Maptech, Memory-Map (yes, also good), and related products in Europe. So there will be many Maptechs! It’s going to be a little confusing, but it seems that no Maptech division disappeared (Captn Jack’s excepted) and most are under new, more focused management.