When to buy new charts?

[rocklobster]

I have a chartkit charts dated from 1995. Do you guys reverend buying an updated set or is that a waste of money?

Thanks
Joe


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pilotnavigator]

Not sure about the states, but in Canada we are required to have a set of paper charts that are up to date. Each chart can be registered and notice to Mariners is sent out e@ch month with updates indicating if they apply to my charts. These updates must be applies to each chart for them to remain in compliance with Canadian law. Nautical mind in Canada is one of many suppilers of charts for Canada and most of the US.

 

[HRowland]

I use a 3 phase approach. I update the electronic chart in the Garmin every 2 years. I also use an iPad app for charting, typically iNavX which lets you update the charts on demand. I do this every few weeks. The NOAA chart source used by iNavX is updated frequently, it seems like weekly. My paper Chartbook charts are updated least frequently, every 3-4 years or so.

The Navionics charts in the Raymarine plotter on my Nordic Tug can be updated on demand, the SD card I just bought came with 1 year of updates. Not sure how often Navionics updates their chart database.

I will be switching to Aqua Map Charts on my iPad, I believe they update the charts 2 or 4 times a year. Aqua charts has a lot of nice features, Active Captain support (and they have committed to update to the new Garmin Active Captain API in May), real time tides & currents graphically displayed, and a nice presentation. It supports GPX route import/export and can sync your routes in Active Captain. $20 gives you lifetime map updates. http://www.globalaquamaps.com/AquaApp.html

Howard

 

[stwendl]

Does the Canadian rule apply to visiting vessels or only to Canadian registered boats

 

[NorthernFocus]

I have a chartkit charts dated from 1995. Do you guys reverend buying an updated set or is that a waste of money?

Assuming you're talking about paper charts it depends on how you use them. If you're using them as your primary means of navigation then they should be updated every year. If you have them aboard for contingency or for planning purposes they only need to be updated when they get so moldy or faded as to be unusable. I'm as old school as anyone but am also fairly pragmatic. A redundant chart plotter in the form of tablet or smart phone software is much more useful than paper charts. There may be those who will point out how lost you'll be if someone nukes the GPS satellites but in that case you're probably better off staying at sea anyway.

 

[Brian B]

Last year I was on a cruise ship from CA to HI. The navigation officer gave a presentation that I attended. I spoke with the officer afterwards and asked about the ships back up navigation systems. To my surprise I was told that there was not one paper chart on that ship, everything is electronic. The officer related that there was a sextant onboard.

 

[NorthernFocus]

... I spoke with the officer afterwards and asked about the ships back up navigation systems. To my surprise I was told that there was not one paper chart on that ship, everything is electronic...

It's worth noting that the US Govt stopped printing charts several years ago. I think many boaters limit themselves to a chart plotter as the only means of electronic charting and view paper charts as the only viable backup. We carry three methods of electronic charting, all three of which are also GPS capable. Laptop computer is primary, chart plotter is secondary, android tablet is tertiary. Oh, plus the smart phone. The only paper chart aboard nowadays is an overall chart of our cruising area which we use for planning purposes. It's hard to beat spreading a chart out on a table for getting a sense of scale and overall location/direction.

 

[Hydraulicjump]

I remind that it was Jeff Siegel—Active Captain developer—who postulated that the second most dangerous thing on a boat is paper charts (hard to use, not updated often enough, etc.). He generated a great debate among the boaterati.

Like most of you, we use the Garmin chart plotter and update yearly and back it up with an iPad which, frankly, works better than the chart plotter (others will disagree).

Which comes to Howard’s recommendation of Aquamaps. Thanks Howard! Downloaded it, bought the Canadian and US map package ($29: cheapest purchase on the boat and it updates charts for free), loaded Active Captain, and tested it out. I really like it and it is better than that clunky Garmin app. Great recommendation.

Jeff

Ps: Jeff Siegel’s most dangerous thing on a boat? A schedule.

 

[dclagett]

Back east we have things called thunderstorms. Supposed you were traveling along and get struck be lightning, which happens more than you would believe. Also, you had your iPad plugged into the boats electrical system. You may have just lost all of your electronics. If you did not have an electronically controlled engine you may still be able to continue your journey. Having paper charts may be a good thing in this situation.

The debate continues.

 

[Hydraulicjump]

Ha! Thought that would get a rise out of the analog set. But to quote Michel de Montaigne: “My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened.”

unplug your iPad in a thunderstorm...

 

[dclagett]

OK you got me. But I still carry paper charts. Just purchased a new set yesterday for the Chesapeake Bay.

 

[CaspersCruiser]

......I still carry paper charts. Just purchased a new set yesterday for the Chesapeake Bay......

You do manually update them every time NOAA makes changes, right?

 

[CaspersCruiser]

Last year I was on a cruise ship from CA to HI......To my surprise I was told that there was not one paper chart on that ship, everything is electronic....

Next time you board an airline flight, almost certainly the only charts available will be displayed on an iPad or similar tablet. There will also be a pair of instrument panel mounted moving maps that are very similar to a chart plotter. The only paper will be the weather/NOTAM package, flight release and computer flight plan.

 

[Tut]

+1 for Aqua Maps app, best one out there in my opinion. My iPad is my primary planning device.

 

[dclagett]

Casperscruiser,

Funny you ask if I update the charts. The charts come with and electronic version that I display and navigate with on my iPad using the Avenza app. The charts are updated every Thursday. They are made by William & Heinz and are in a book form with the entire bay plotted with course lines, headings, and mileage. The one drawback for me is the charts are not tied together, one needs to call each chart up separately.

I use the paper charts for an overview of the next days travels while relaxing in the cabin at night. I still will not read a book on a tablet, it needs to be held in my hands and smell like paper.

Dick

 

[Bruce Moore]

Aqua Maps users. I've been reading the Waterway Guide overview and exploring the Aqua Maps site. Looks good.

When I went to the iOS app store the Aqua Map US Canada package (which we'd need for Salish Sea coverage) says to download the free "Aqua Map Marine" which will automatically transfer the US/Canada area I purchase into the free app. Apparently this will enable ongoing updates and support. This is version 9.2.1 released 4 days ago.

Anyone experience this. Make sense?

Thanks,

Bruce

 

[stwendl]

Not sure why AquaMap are so popular, just tested out some maps in my area, and compared with the maps on my Garmin they have less details in terms of shallow spots in rivers, bridge clearances and such. While aqua maps look pretty and the presentation is rather neat, lack of such essential details would make me think twice relying on that source. Perhaps there are some hidden features not turned on, but can’t seem to see any.

 

[ixlr8]

Not sure why AquaMap are so popular, just tested out some maps in my area, and compared with the maps on my Garmin they have less details in terms of shallow spots in rivers, bridge clearances and such. While aqua maps look pretty and the presentation is rather neat, lack of such essential details would make me think twice relying on that source. Perhaps there are some hidden features not turned on, but can’t seem to see any.

I just downloaded AquaMap, I agree with you. I find some area's have good detail, other areas, not so much. I don't think it is going to be the one I use.

 

[Tut]

As to Aqua Maps, if there is something like a bridge that you want information about, touch the screen on the item of interest, a window will open, touch the magnifying glass, a large window will open with all kinds of information about the item.

 

[stwendl]

Yes I saw that. However, clicking on bridge seems to bring up a list of several bridges and relying on the use to recognize which is which. If new in the area this may be confusing. But the problem that was most concerning the as the lack of detail of shallow spots in a particular area I was interested in and familiar with, just to see how well this app performs against other resources I have used. And having it fail in that area does not create confidence in the accuracy of this product. As you may guess the first impression usually dominates the overall opinion toward a product. There will always be that little doubt