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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Navigating with BlueCharts

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Clay
Deckhand

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USA
22 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/22/2002 : 13:22:50

Anyone using Garmin’s BlueCharts? I’m interested in getting feedback on the subject from this forum’s deep well of knowledge. I just bought the CD for the “Americas” and was a bit disappointed in the size of some of the regions and the cost of each additional region. Since I trailer my 25 I would like to have more coverage but the listed price for additional regions really “bites”.

Has anyone found a better source for “unlock codes” than WM or Garmin. Since I’ve never used the BlueCharts, I guess I’m trying to justify keeping it. I know the NOAA charts aren’t cheap; I just spent $70 (or is that units??) on charts for our trip to Charlotte harbor, FL and the surrounding area so I know that argument.

Thanks in advance, I’m looking forward to hearing your experiences.

Clay
#5549 Savannah

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Todd Frye
Navigator

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USA
222 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2002 : 18:17:01

Clay,
Electronic charts are on my list of the future. As a lake sailor (Great Salt Lake, Lake Powell, etc) there are no nav charts available. I use the UTM grid sytem on my Garmin, which works quite nice with topo's for those inland areas I frequent. I can check out topo's and nav charts at the university library and even reproduce them for $1 a square foot. If and when I get my electronic on board navigation operating, I will feel better knowing I can pull out the paper charts when I need back up. Not what you wanted to hear, but maybe the back up ideas are food for thought. The low costs for paper charts from the library have funneled boat bucks into other needed areas. Good luck. Todd Frye

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Clay
Deckhand

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USA
22 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2002 : 19:14:42

Thanks for your comments Todd. I do most of my sailing on inland lakes as well and seldom use the GPS on the lake except for longer trips or when it really blows just to track the speed.

I also love my coastal charts and like to pull them out and reminisce about the trips. Although my wife has pointed out that for non-sailors this as much a social faux pas as showing home movies…. I don’t get it!

Anyway, I’ve left my boat in Kemah, TX for a while and hoped to get in some coastal cruising this summer and that is why I was looking at the BlueCharts. I already have a couple of Waterproof charts of Galveston bay including (what I call) a NOAA harbor guide. I was just thinking that the BlueCharts would be a nice enhancement and wanted to see what “ya’ll thought”. Is it worth the expense?

Clay
#5549 Savannah

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2002 : 20:32:38

"...I was just thinking that the BlueCharts would be a nice enhancement..." - Clay

I agree that the BlueCharts would make a nice compliment to paper charts, but I don't know if I could rely strictly on them for a couple of reasons. As you already know, electronics can fail or batteries can die, leaving you high and dry if you did not have a backup. In and earlier topic, someone wrote that they lost all of their GPS data when they had a malfuncton with their unit. I use my GPS for navigation, but I also have paper charts that I plot my course on and to take an occasional bearing line to fixed objects for both practice and to verify my position. Yeah, both the BlueCharts and paper charts are costly, but one needs to have them to operate safely and if I had to choose one it would be the paper.

If money were no object, I would load up on both paper and electronic charts or even better hire a pilot for local waters!

Don Lucier, North Star
C25 SR/FK

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Ed Montague
Captain

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USA
499 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2002 : 00:11:45

I haven't actually used this program yet but it allows you to scan a map or chart, insert it into the program and calibrate it, and then use it for chart plotting and navigation. This isn't a perfectly accurate chart for navigation but I have played with it on the trial basis and it will work. I too, am on an inland lake most of the time and the best maps are topographical forest type maps. Here is a link to the web site where you can down load the program. I remember somebody else on this site talking about it in the past.http://www.oziexplorer.com/ Keep us posted on what you find.

Ed Montague on 'Yahoo'
1978 #765 SK, Stnd, Dinette ~_/)~

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JesseSmith
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2002 : 09:41:39

BlueCharts truely take GPS units to the next level. I have a Garmin GPSMAP 76S loaded with the charts. They are one of the best things on the boat. They are the most uptodate charts, meaning you can leave all those paper charts at the house. Course I sail on the Gulf Coast where there are things to avoid such as sunken shrimp boats, obstructions, etc and desirable spots like fish havens and fish shoals etc, etc. The gulf south of MS goes from deep 15-20 feet to very shallow <3 in short distances. I feel much better in fog when I know where I am in relation to everything else. I can't say enough about how much I have enjoyed the BlueCharts so I wont go on and on. I can see where on a lake, the need might not be as great, but in bays/gulf/oceans, I will never be without one. If you have a specific question, feel free to email me. I have some graphics I can mail that I got from Garmin if you want to look at them.

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n/a
deleted

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31 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2002 : 22:27:15

While checking on the purchae of a GPS unit I found Garmin has another product of interest to inland lake sailors other than the BlueCharts. The Fishing Hot Spot charts have depth detail and appear to be accurate. You can go on the Garmin website and enter Fishing Hot Spots and see if your lake is there and call up the map to see if the amount of detail would be of value to you.

Bob Arrowood

Robert B. Arrowood

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.