Introducing Control Center, new chart areas, and much more

July 7, 2023 • 2 min read

A better way control the most important functions in Orca

When you are at sea, situations can quickly turn from pleasant to demanding. It could be an approaching vessel, an unexpected weather front, or something that happened onboard. Because of this, you want your navigation system to be responsive, and important actions must be easily accessible.

This week’s update introduces the Control Center, a fast and unified way to access the most important functions in Orca. The update also includes expanded chart coverage, a range of battery optimizations, and the option to select between true and magnetic heading references for your instruments.

The Control Center

The Control Center is activated via its dedicated button in the top right corner of your chart. 

You’ll have access to the most important actions in Orca from the Control Center:

• Chart layer control – lets you show and hide chart layers

• Route control – The top right panel lets you edit, reverse and clear your active route

• Display and brightness - On an Orca Display, you’ll find screen brightness adjustment, night mode, and touch lock in the third panel

• Radar controls – currently available in an invite-only beta, live inside the Control Center. If you own a Raymarine Quantum radar and want to join the beta, reach out to hello@getorca.com for access

• Man Over Bord and Share Live Location – two important safety features, are also accessible directly from the Control Center. You will still find these in the Safety Hub along with your nearest SAR contact number

Expanded chart coverage

Chart coverage in Orca is constantly expanding. This week’s update introduces new areas in the Caribbean, including Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Martinique along with more than 400 Finnish lakes. The Dutch coastline and inland waterways have also been updated with data from better sources.

The approach to Pointe-à-Pitre on the island of Guadeloupe.

Improved battery performance

Orca is now much smarter about battery usage. Chart rendering has been optimized to consume less power, in particular when you make the chart follow your location. Orca is also more clever with Bluetooth and internal GPS usage to keep your battery lasting longer.

True and magnetic heading

You’ll now be able to select between true or magnetic heading references for your instruments. True heading reference makes working with charts and bearings easier, while magnetic heading reference makes the headings reported by Orca align with your analog compasses onboard. 

If you have multiple sources for magnetic declination, you can select the one you prefer via Settings > Core > Connected Devices. By default, Orca uses the WMM courtesy of NOAA.

And there is more

For a complete list of this week’s changes and additions, see the Change Log. If you are curious about upgrading to a truly modern navigation system, check out the recommendation guide to learn how Orca fits into your boat.