Depends on where you are going (new or familiar locations), what backup
charts you have on other devices, and which type of view you prefer (raster
or vector).
I agree that having free updates on the NOAA charts in the US is a "best
option" for planning to cruise to new areas. Nice to view them at home on
a relatively large screen on your computer, and then have them available to
view on board on a laptop or some smaller devices. Rocks generally don't
move, but Aids to Navigation, breakwaters, dredging, shifting sands do get
updated.
I use NOAA on my laptop, older Garmin on a trusty small handheld GPS
ancient Navionics on my helm area chartplotter, and recently added an
iPhone app, in addition to paper charts. The Navionics and the Garmin both
had significant errors, even when they were "new" - which used to mean
about a year out of date.
Many of the NOAA charts in relatively remote areas, and Canadian Great
Lakes charts are based on initial surveys from the 1800's, and may still
contain errors if they are not high traffic commercial use areas.
One of my major projects last year was to catalog and organize a superb
collection of ~1300 nautical charts which were donated to the Escanaba
Public Library by a sailing friend. The index is available at:
www.escanabalibrary.org or directly at:
http://www.uproc.lib.mi.us/eplwp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Nautical-Chart-Index.pdf.
The full scale large paper charts are the best mode for planning and
simply enjoying viewing nautical charts from near and far, in a comfortable
library, with the Escanaba Marina just a few blocks away. I welcome all
boaters to take a detour to the far NW corner of Green Bay on Lake
Michigan, and enjoy the nearby boating destinations of historic Fayette, MI
http://www.exploringthenorth.com/fayette/town.html, Thordarson's
beautiful Rock Island State Park
http://washingtonisland.com/chester-thordarson-rock-island/ and Washington
Island, WI http://washingtonisland.com/
at the tip of the Door County Peninsula.
Marilyn
"Adena" Bristol 35.5c
Escanaba Municipal Marina Slip #8
Depends on where you are going (new or familiar locations), what backup
charts you have on other devices, and which type of view you prefer (raster
or vector).
I agree that having free updates on the NOAA charts in the US is a "best
option" for planning to cruise to new areas. Nice to view them at home on
a relatively large screen on your computer, and then have them available to
view on board on a laptop or some smaller devices. Rocks generally don't
move, but Aids to Navigation, breakwaters, dredging, shifting sands do get
updated.
I use NOAA on my laptop, older Garmin on a trusty small handheld GPS
ancient Navionics on my helm area chartplotter, and recently added an
iPhone app, in addition to paper charts. The Navionics and the Garmin both
had significant errors, even when they were "new" - which used to mean
about a year out of date.
Many of the NOAA charts in relatively remote areas, and Canadian Great
Lakes charts are based on initial surveys from the 1800's, and may still
contain errors if they are not high traffic commercial use areas.
One of my major projects last year was to catalog and organize a superb
collection of ~1300 nautical charts which were donated to the Escanaba
Public Library by a sailing friend. The index is available at:
www.escanabalibrary.org or directly at:
http://www.uproc.lib.mi.us/eplwp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Nautical-Chart-Index.pdf.
The full scale large paper charts are the best mode for planning and
simply enjoying viewing nautical charts from near and far, in a comfortable
library, with the Escanaba Marina just a few blocks away. I welcome all
boaters to take a detour to the far NW corner of Green Bay on Lake
Michigan, and enjoy the nearby boating destinations of historic Fayette, MI
<http://www.exploringthenorth.com/fayette/town.html>, Thordarson's
beautiful Rock Island State Park
<http://washingtonisland.com/chester-thordarson-rock-island/> and Washington
Island, WI <http://washingtonisland.com/>
at the tip of the Door County Peninsula.
Marilyn
"Adena" Bristol 35.5c
Escanaba Municipal Marina Slip #8
