Admiralty Charts

[Capt.K]

hey, does anyone know where i can download some free admiralty charts for devon,

thanks

kris

[SeaSkills]

Can't help with free, but the Admiralty Leisure digital pack of charts for the whole of the South Coast (Admiralty/RYA Chart Plotter Area 1) is excellent and isn't going to break the bank. And you'll have the confidence of knowing you have an up-to-date kosher set of charts, with no expiry date any more

[Jon.esp]

I was looking at these “Admiralty/RYA Chart Plotter” on the admiralty web site.

Can you print out sections of the charts from your pc or do they block that (copyright etc)?

The admiralty also do the leisure folios which are similar in price but if I can print (and then laminate) from the digital version I’ve got the best of both worlds. But I suspect it is going to be too good to be true.

Jon

[JABS]

Yes, you can print.

We use them as back up for the GPS. I have plotted regular routes and laminated!

Yes, great value.

[Jon.esp]

Thanks

This looks like the way to go then.

I’ve been looking at the CP3 west coat of Scotland as we plan to move the boat there for next year. Unless I’ve got something wrong you seem to get about 80 charts on the CD and covers way beyond where I am likely to get to. But for £42.50 seems great. Makes you think about the cost of a Navionics sd card for the Lowrance which looks as if it will be about £170 for the XL9 or £100 for the small charts.

Also do these admiralty cds work out tidal times and current flows or am I reading this incorrectly on the website? Guess I’ll find out when I get one. I’m from a time warp where you use charts and almanacs, parallel rules and pencils.

From what you say Tony, we seem to do similar things regarding laminating charts. I have marked a series of waypoints that correspond to those on my GPS and ink in the rhumb lines and courses. I then cut the chart into a series of A4 size sheets and laminate them. I also have a sheet showing the course and reciprocal to and from each waypoint the distance and estimated cruising time at different speeds. The whole lot together with SSR documentation, Radio Licence current insurance document and various certificates of incompetence go into a plastic wallet.

Jon

[JABS]

Yes, from the same era!

I did my Yachtmaster theory in 1963! Burtons Nautical tables, sextants and a Perdio radio for loran and RDF!

Indeed, laminated chart with courses and reciprocals already plotted are super and woulkd probably pass for a Passage Plan if there wa a need to prove the existance of one!

Incidently, we did but the waterproof Admiralty chart book and I was a bit dissapointed at the lack of detail.

You might get a deal on Chartplotter at the Boat Show, if you are going to any of them.

[Jon.esp]

Tony

Was it the Admiralty Leisure Folio in hard copy that you were disappointed with?

I wasn’t thinking of getting a chart plotter as I was going to use the CD just for familiarisation and planning. From what I gather the cd has its own software and runs on XP. The boys might take a lap top and the CD when we go on holiday but not to take it afloat. I’d print of the charts that I want for laminating. We have the Lowrance anyway.

I’d be interested to know what tidal info they have on these CDs and how it is presented. My son has been texting me this morning about the currents off Stokes Bay (see another thread I started) but if he had one of these and a laptop his questions might be answered.

RDF!!! If I remember we used to go into Newhaven in the fog with the light programme bearing 340m or something like that. But who would believe such a ridiculous story now?

Jon

[SeaSkills]

The Admiralty CD has tidal heights at certain ports, but not tidal streams (some things we still have to do for ourselves if we neeed to). You can connect a GPS receiver to your laptop and use it as a plotter if you want - but probably not a good plan in a RIB!

Which part of Scotland are you heading for? The new set of "Tough Charts" is excellent but only covers the Clyde. The CD coverage is excellent further north, especially if you use the multi measuring tool as your passage planner - it will give you bearing, distance, and reciprocal on your print out.

[Jon.esp]

Ian Thanks for the info on these charts.

Surely they have the tidal flow diamonds but by the sounds of things that is all. I think I will get the CP3 and then have a play around with it.

We are almost certainly going to store the boat in the MRC in Loch Creran and when we are up there start off basing ourselves around Lismore, Port Appin area. You and others gave me info a few weeks back which was a great help.

Jon

[SeaSkills]

You're very welcome.

The charts do have all the tidal diamond info that you would find on the paper charts, but they also have tide table info for a number of ports that you can access by clicking on the symbol. The tidal details are only, I think, for the current year.

Have a good trip to Scotland - hope you get better weather than we've had this year

[BumbleAbout]

Originally Posted by Jon.esp

Thanks
From what you say Tony, we seem to do similar things regarding laminating charts. I have marked a series of waypoints that correspond to those on my GPS and ink in the rhumb lines and courses. I then cut the chart into a series of A4 size sheets and laminate them. Jon

I use a software package (ExpertGPS) which overlays my waypoints & routes onto any maps/ charts/ satellite photographs you scan in and calibrate. I then laminate these (for emergency use) together with a prinout of the waypoint co-ordinates. I used to mark routes by hand, but find it much easier to modify a route using uploaded waypoints after a trip and then reprint them.

An interesting side effect of doing this and double checking a route (waypoints read correctly from my chart) then using then GoogleMaps/ Earth showed a couple of nasty over zooming errors that I had introduced - far too close to some rocks for comfort ...