Nautical Software.com is a trading name of LightMaster Nautical Training and Software. When you buy from LightMaster, you gain from the proven experience of the UK's leading producer of training software for users of small craft. Established in 1991, the Company’s original software covered basic seamanship subjects such as learning Collision Regulations Vessel Lights, and How to Navigate in Tidal Waters. The main focus of the Company is now on detailed simulators for marine radar and radio, plus tutorials for ColRegs Vessel Lights and IALA Buoys, VHF and Radar.
The Company was founded by Martin Quaintance, an experienced yachtsman and sailing instructor, whose computing pedigree includes software development operations with ICL and customer engineering with IBM. Martin was elected to Fellowship of the Royal Institute of Navigation for his work on improving navigation safety by the development of computer-based training simulators for small-craft users. He is also a qualified RYA examiner in the use of VHF DSC Radio.
The Company has regularly demonstrated its products at Boat Shows, and at many RYA Instructor conferences. Since its origins, 29 years ago, LightMaster has worked closely with the Royal Yachting Association, to ensure that its software is suited to the running or support of RYA courses. LightMaster was chosen to provide the simulators around which the VHF DSC Radio courses were designed, and again to provide the radar simulators central to the RYA small-craft radar courses. There have been various new software versions as PC capability and marine equipment designs progressed. LightMaster simulators are still the main teaching medium in these courses.
All LightMaster Software is designed to run on standard PCs under various versions of Microsoft Windows. The experience which can be gained using such interactive training software is unrivalled by any other training medium. Most training CDs or DVDs offer fixed illustrations or video, where the only interactivity is in choosing the next chapter to view. LightMaster simulators give real, hands-on experience, where the equipment responds to your use of realistic controls. The simulators provide completely immersive, interactive experience with the various pieces of equipment. The Radar Simulator, for example, acts exactly like a real marine radar set, except that the environment can be fully controlled. In addition to providing a complete radar set, the program also gives complete control of your own vessel via rudder and throttle. There are pre-set exercises built into the software, but a versatile programming facility allows anyone to create a virtually unlimited range of situations in a few moments: these can be saved and used over and over. The Radar Training Simulator provides more practice in radar plotting, collision avoidance and coastal navigation than could be gained in many months of sea time.
LightMaster products are popular with individual leisure sailors, sea schools, colleges and institutions. Our software has been chosen for crew training by coastguards around the world; by police, fire and rescue services; and by many branches of the military. Overseas sales have expanded, throughout continental Europe, the middle east, far-east, USA and Australasia.
