free charts for planning on the web.

[crazyhorse]

Can anyone tell me where you can view different chats on the net

of the world which are free to view.

Dont need to navigate by them just want to see whats possible.

Main interest is Canada.

Thanks Crazyhorse:

[Brian]

crazyhorse
If you go to the link below you will get SOME details of the areas you are interested in by looking through their catalogue of available chips.
It's not much but is better than nothing at all.

http://www.c-map.co.uk/

[Manos]

I have been looking to find some G-maps for my Garmin 185 map sounder. All the charts I want are about $ 200 if you include vat + transport.
Does any one know where do I find second hand G-maps and whether thie may be other makers that make and sell G-maps but at a lesser price??
Any info highly appreciated.

Thanks

[geoff]

Have a look at
http://map.marineplanner.com/mapping...chartindex.cfm
You can view the charts on the web site and you can buy charts for $8.95. Haven't bought any myself so I don't know what the quality is like.

[crazyhorse]

Well thanks Jeff ,Brian ,Manos,

I have looked at the web sites and they only let you go so far,

I am tempted to try and get to the botton of this,but it may take some time,I will keep you posted and thanks for you help and responce.

Crazyhorse

[Flanker]

I bought the Garmin MapSource Atlantic BlueChart CD including a 16mb Garmin chip, normaly £235 for £99 at O M Watts. The interesting thing is that the CD I bought was version 4.0, it has now been replaced by version 4.1 which gives more up to date info. When I looked at the Garmin web site it showed that the CD I had covered all of the Med, Uk & Ireland and the Baltic States. You are permitted to unlock one of 40 charts, unfortunately the UK south Coast was split into two regions 1 & 2. On the web site it stated that if you had not unlocked an earlier product e.g. the 4.0 I bought they would upgrade it free to 4.01 saving $125 per region! that is just for the upgrade, I think it is about £170 per region to buy after the one they give you.

I contacted Garmin to get the free upgrade and they told me that if I waited until Feb 2003 I could get version 4.5 with all the latest info on it, not only that they have now changed the regions and the whole of the South coast of the UK including Chatham is all Region 1 (this also includes verion 4.1) New Region 1 includes :- British coast: covers from Felixstowe to the Isles of Scilly, including Dover, The Solent, and the Isle of Wight. Also covers the River Thames from Twickenham to the North Sea. French coast: covers from Dunkerque to L’Aber Wrac’h, including Rouen and the Channel Islands.

This is important as it now makes Garmin much better value for money, I will now not need to buy another region or pay for the upgrade to 4.5. If you want to get more coverage including Northern France (see link) perhaps you should check out Garmin. I know that buying the plotter is one thing, getting the maps is another. I don't know if G map and Atlantic are compatible. You are permitted to download the maps twice only, I guess that is for people with a laptop and desktop.

Link :-
http://shop.garmin.com/cartography/m...RP=ATL-EU001-1

I hope this helps a bit. Although I have downloaded the whole CD, you can't see anything unless you enter the unlock code. The charts are for use in the Garmin 176 colour plotter I bought from O M Watts reduced from £585 to £295, what is good about this one is that you can also use it in the car. I already use the e-map in the car and the Europe Mapsource maps are compatible same as the memory chips, brilliant value and a great screen for my little boat. I now have the best of both worlds, all Europes streets and soon the South coast charts.

Info from Garmin :-

G-Map :-

"If you've previously used GARMIN's G-Chart¨ line of electronic maps, please note that Garmin will continue to support that product line (however, G-Charts will not work in the BlueChart-compatible chartplotter product line). The BlueChart line provides added flexibility, greater coverage, and offers you cost savings. To encourage current GARMIN customers to upgrade to our new BlueChart line, GARMIN provides a 25% discount on new BlueChart data cards or MapSource™ BlueChart CD-ROM for those end-users who send us an old G-Chart. This is a one-for-one discount available directly from GARMIN only. To verify compatibility with BlueChart data, you will be asked to present proof of a new chartplotter purchase"

BlueChart :-

BlueChart provides navigators with innovative "object oriented" cartography. Descriptive details for features typically found on nautical charts can easily be viewed with a simple key stroke. Cursor movements over the chart provide descriptions for contour depths, chart number, navaid name, and much more. When displayed on a Garmin Chartplotter, BlueChart offers its user a paper chart like appearance. This data will include shaded depth contours, inter-tidal zones, spot soundings, wrecks, navaids, port plans, restricted areas, cable areas, anchorages and more. Additionally, Blue Chart includes chart numbers, name, scales, revision dates, and Notice to Mariner dates.


Pete

[Alan]

Just out of interest? 'Cos I'm posting this from Newfoundland whilst visiting the Crazy Canadian.

Alan

[Flanker]

Alan,

Did you pop over on the Rib

Pete

[crazyhorse]

Alan Im interested in the East coast and west coasts of Canada.

Im sure interested in Newfoundland as well.


They make bloody good ribs over there,built for some serious conditions.

Thats not saying they dont build good ribs in the U.K. South Africa,
Australia,Sweden,Usa,Poland,Greece,france and anywhere else for that matter.

They do, but wait till you see them Canadian Boats,you will not sleep till you have one.

Flanker,thanks for the brilliant imfo its guys like you who make this forum worth visiting,The work and explanation is a site to see and I thank you for your help.I read all your Posts.

I have some new imformation comeing in from Canada with regardes to pc charts and radar Overlay.eg C map95 charts ? Bin told more detail and real cheap plus all Certified for commercial operation,so will be upto date,as im sure your now aware I dont believe anything Im told initially.We will see.

This will need a real investigation as Im on the brink of buying a Raymarine Rl80crc with Cmap+.But dont want to spend the money if I can get a better piece of kit.

Will investigate.

Crazyhorse.

Will keep you posted on this thread.

[Manos]

I have seen all the posts on th thread and I have to agree with crazyhorse that the info provided here is VERY GOOD!!
Crazyhorse, I am sure that in Canada make briliant RIBs (a friend of mine also has done a lot of research about the RIBs in Canada and is keen on them Canadian RIBs too). However, I think (and I speak just for my self) is the high cost difrenetial between prices in Canada, the USA Europe compared to those low prices in SAfrica.
Also in other countries in Europe i.e. France, Italy, Greece, the UK etc etc who manufacture RIBs are sooo damn expenssive and most of the times the quality of the finished product is not that great to justify the high price one pays for the RIB (as you say crazyhorse an accountant is doing the specs and builds the boat).
I'm not saying that the same does not apply to some of the companies manufacturing RIBs in SAfrica either but they are cheap cheap.

Nevertheless, I don't think that we can change the World and I go back to my original point.
I just have a small queation related to GPSs.
I have just asked the same question to GARMIN and also some of the GARMIN dealers in the UK.
GARMIN has not replied yet but they will do as always.
However, the dealers in the UK have different opinions and before I put my hand in my pocket I just want to make sure.

The question/s is/are:

Is it trouth that GARMIN GPS Map 185 SOUNDER can take Blue charts??

If yes. Do I have to dowload a new upgrade on the GPS and how do I do that?? There is no interface with the GPS and it only works on the boat.

Also GARMIN (from time to time) publishes shoftware upgrades which one can download on the net. However how do I download them on the GPS??

Any info (I'm sure that many of you know) would be highly appreciated.

Cheers

[Flanker]

Manos,

Your 185 will NOT take blue charts. You will also notice if you look at the Garmin website that to get the whole South coast of the Uk you would neeed to but quite a few maps, v.expensive, hence my choice of BlueChart. Don't forget IF you upgrade to a BlueChart unit they will give you a 25% discount, they are trying to get people to move from G-charts to BlueChart.

For Data cable see this link :-

http://shop.garmin.com/accessories_f...u=010-00150-00

For software udate see this link :-
http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap185s/agree.html

(There are not many updates on the 185, the latest is from 4.03 to 4.05, check in system on the unit to see what version you have, you can do it via the menu feature.)

To update the unit is very easy, I have just updated my e-map and 176 ubits. One problem however is that the data cable comes with a 9 pin connecter (like for a joy stick on the PC), NOT USB. My computer is modern and has no 9 pin port I had to pay about £39 for a Garmin 9 pin to USB converter cable, this cable is a load of nonsense, and even Garmin agree (USA help desk last night) that it only works occassionally, this is to do with data transfer speeds. Garmin's data transfers at a slow rate and cannot keep up with USB speed. In the end I had to use my sons laptop with the 9 pin port to update them. I will be speaking to Garmin about this as I have wasted £39. The answer is to get a Garmin chip reader that is USB, this enables you to take the chip out of the unit and put it into the reader unit attached to your PC and download data from there, then put it back in the GPS, it may be difficult however to use this to update the operating system on the unit.

It is very easy to update the system following the instructions, if anyone wants to try my USB adapter let me know. To find out if there is an update for your unit look under products, select yours, and when the page comes up look at the left column under software updates, it will tell you what has been updated. You need to look at the system details in your unit via menu to get info on your present software details.

For info, if you have Microsoft Autoroute Express on your PC or one of Garmins MapSource products, when you have the data cable attached and the GPS on, it will give you live details of where you are on the maps on the PC via the GPS. A bit difficult walking down the road with a generator and your desktop, but will still work with a laptop!

If you have any problems PM me.

Pete

[Manos]

YOU ARE AN ACE MATE

Thanks a lot. However, I bought mine from SAfrica when I got the boat for about £500 last year so does it worth it changing it?? Have to think about that.
Any whay thanks for info much appreciated.

Cheers




PS I already had a looked @ the GARMIN site thanks to the info you provied in your earlier post. I've also noticed there that they do not blue charts for my GPS. But it was only that one UK rep said that it could be converted (bull). Didn't believe him and just had to make 100% sure. I'll buy a G-map @ $200 for the boat in Greece and for the new RIB in the UK will get a new GARMIN that takes blue charts. Made my up mind. MANY Thanks again!!

[Flanker]

Crazyhorse, thaks for the nice comment

Please note however that a couple of months ago I had no clue about boats whatsover, all the info and knowledge I have picked up as I have gone along. Anyway any info that I have posted will have been researched and come from a reliable source e.g. Garmin e.t.c. Do NOT be fooled that I seem to be a brainy boater, I do think however that if we all share and pool our reliable researched info together it will save us all loads of time and more time on the water

I have learnt a lot on here and it is only fair to try and help when possible. As always everyone is different with different ideas, if not all the boats would be the same! But there are some things that are common to all e.g. safety

With regards to GPS I use that all the time (on land), so know something about that, I am now just adapting to Charts e.t.c.

Have a great Christmas and a brilliant boatbuilding New Year,

Pete

[Garygee]

Hi folks


Happy Christmas to everyone

As far as charts go I belive that there should be somthing to allow you to keep them updated without having to fork out considerable cash every year or two to keep them upto date.

I keep mine updated by placing a waypoint next to the change with detail of the change in the description.
This does use up your waypoints but with 3000 to go at I have not run out yet, even planning quite long routes.

All the best Gary

[crazyhorse]

Thanks Flanker,

I follow your posts and like most pick the relevant bits out,for egsample the last minit deals was great ,I wanted a specific piece of kit and they didnt have it, but if it were not for posting it I would not of known about there bargains.

We are all convinced of ribs potential and have a common goel in reducing costs where we can through,passing on experiance and ideas,

Your comments on garmin GPS are of no use to me but will be to others,as we all buy at different times and therefore have the best kit we can afford at that time.

A forum like this can be great as we can state it as we find it, and not what we are sold,the only way to get a great deal is to look long and hard and capitilise on our pooled experiance and knolledge.

Hopefully this will put us in a good position to look after our common goal and reduce our costs or get better kit.

In my case I would like to do absolutley nothing, but sitting on my boat/cruising offshore, eating good food , drinking whilst Im doing that ,somebody that I dont know drops money off in my letterbox,for collection at a later date when Im a bit bored.

Any takers for the letter box Please send a private message and I will give directions when I can get round to it or when Im bored.

Hava a great Christmas. Im in the mire as I got to pretend, I put a lot of thought into Chrisi Presents, when in fact, im off to buy them now fro the corner shop,I have 3 hrs.

See ya

Crazyhorse

[Andre]

Santa was most generous to me this Xmas . I have now got a BlueChart data card of the English Channel for my Garmin 176C GPS. Can't wait to test it on the water and a pity I did not have it for the St. Malo cruise as it also covers that area

I have a set of leads to connect the GPS to my laptop. Does anyone know whether I can view this via the laptop or do I need any software. I do not want to try in case I do some damage to the BlueChart and Garmin do say they do not replace them if data is lost. Better safe than sorry

Andre