charts

[phil416]

Before heading out for the great unknown, we have to have charts.  New Admiralty charts or Noaa can be prohibiitively expensive.  What to do.
    1.  Consignment shops; real bargains exist especially for small scale trans oceanic charts.  But beware of out of date large scale charts, bouyages change.
    2.  Tides Ends black and white charts can save big bucks for harbor charts, but require careful study, especially when you are tired.
    3.  The very expensive Imray Iolare charts Proved my biggest money savers.  The large scale port inserts on these small scale charts cut way down on the number needed.  Up to date, and printed on superb paper, they proved the best bargain out there for me.
    4.  I kept my charts in 4" pvc pipe with end caps.  They stayed nice and dry even as the ever present water found its way in.                 Lets hear more ideas  Phil

[Auspicious]

    2.  Tides Ends black and white charts can save big bucks for harbor charts, but require careful study, especially when you are tired.

Bellingham prints 2/3 size B&W charts also.

[tomwatt]

Only of interest to inland, bath-tub sailors, unless you're doing the big circle on the ICW/Great Lakes/Mississippi...
Lower Miss:
http://www.mvd.usace.army.mil/gis/navbook/main.html
Arkansas River:
http://www.swt.usace.army.mil/navigation/navcharts.cfm%20
I realize this doesn't cover the whole system, but sourcing for other sections via link at Corps of Engineers. And I like to download, print the PDF and then Laminate the silly things... holds up pretty well, and I can always reprint. For inland waterways works very well, since the charts tend to be long and narrow.

[CharlieJ]

Phil- where in Solomos is your boat? We got here last night. Plan to stay a few days.

[CharlieJ]

Belay the "few days"!!

We toured part of the museum. The air-conditioned part.

Lighthouse part- closed- 120 edges inside

Woodshop- Closed- too hot

Model shop- closed- too hot

Walking around? Forget it- heat index over 110

We'll sail for Annapolis in the morning- no reason to spend more time here.

[Auspicious]

Hi Charlie -- Please get in touch when you get to Annapolis. Happy to ferry you to grocery, laundry, whatever.

[CharlieJ]

How crowded are the anchorages? Particularly Spa Creek. Safe to try coming inmon a Saturday or should we lay out til Monday?

And I do have your number.

And thanks- that'll be great

[phil416]

Charlie;  I'm at the Harbor Island Marina.  Deep Blue has a sign on the stern pulpit celebrating the Red Green Craftsman's Club, And the tim Taylor Workplace Safety Institute.  If you can set a time to meet someone at the Tiki Bar (Daytime preferably morning) I will try to get you a ride for groceries etc.  Phil

[CharlieJ]

Sorry to miss the boat, but wemare out in the bay, bound for Annapollis

[Piraten]

Cheap NOAA charts

http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/BookletChart.html

Just print them off and put them in a binder.  A little odd in reading and takes a little preplanning.

They are free and all you need is a printer.

[Jim_ME]

Piraten, Thanks for sharing this. I had been using the full chart viewer for some time, and printed some out in sections, but didn't know about booklet charts. Very convenient. Grog to you.

[CharlieJ]

The booklets are very handy, but a little difficult to plan longish legs on. But do-able.

What we did is set up to print every other one then turned the paper over and printed the other pages on the back. Then as yo turn pages you get a sequence and can have two pages open to look at.

The other small problem is that often there will be no compass rose on a page.

Of course ALL NOAA charts are free online for downloading.

[Piraten]

I find using the booklets do have one or four advantages.

1. I can doodle notes all over them without worrying about ruining an expensive chart.

2. For long hauls, I print just the sheets I need and tape them together, then I can write notes about different anchorages, waypoints and "gotta take a look" areas.  The ones I want to keep I transfer to a "Keeper" set for future reference.

3. A binder is easier to store sometimes than a tube of charts.

4. 8x11 paper is cheap, printing out full scale charts can get pricey if you don't have your own large paper printer.  And you can always tape the 8x11s together to get full size charts.


5. I also keep them in page protectors in the binder and only print one side that way I can doodle notes on the back.