Maps

[Notebook]

Hi
Water depth and rocks etc
Are gps maps available on fish finder etc?
Tide dictates depth so are they connected to data etc?
Any help explaining to me much appreciated

[Fenlander]

GPS marine maps are available on the small fishfinder/plotters and I use them... a huge bonus for smallcraft boating. The chart depths shown are approx low water (actually chart datum but low water is near enough) so you need to work out the extra depth due to tide yourself.

[Notebook]

What makes models etc.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Buy a paper chart of your favourite area too it will show you lots of interesting info

[Notebook]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Buy a paper chart of your favourite area too it will show you lots of interesting info

Thanks
Where from?

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Notebook

Thanks
Where from?

Just google admiralty charts

[Notebook]

Found them. Lots to choose from. Which recommended and why?

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Notebook

Found them. Lots to choose from. Which recommended and why?

Wherever you going or want to go each chart has a number

[Notebook]

Sorry, I meant what type. They have 11 different types

[jeffstevens763@g]

I use standard admiralty and imray, imray on the boat and admiralty with better detail to research an area at home. Other opinions in the link



https://forums.ybw.com/index.php?thr...charts.337292/

[paulbrown22]

It may be worth considering doing something like an online RYA Essential Navigation course to explain some of the concepts and go through some of the techniques?

Personally I'd check both Admiralty and Imray for whatever area you want to go boating in, and see which has a better view on a single chart, as sometimes one chooses a better place to split the chart than the other. Your local chandlery will often have a big stock of whatever they think the best local chart is! It also depends what level of detail you want and what scale - i.e. are you looking for more of a planning chart to check routes and distances e.g. around the Isle of Wight, or you want a chart with great detail of a very specific location/harbour. Those are two very different use cases, and need different charts (and potentially several charts!).

Sadly since Admiralty stopped doing the Tough Charts range (although you can sometimes still find on Ebay, and update manually as needed), there aren't really any charts ideal for outdoor use on RIB's. Imray's Y-series are laminated and toughened, but are big A2 sheets, so you constantly need to fold to use on a RIB if making way. Admiralty and Imray both do "leisure folios" which are a series of A3 sheets covering an area, and different sheets within that folio provide a range of scales for different levels of details.

You can obviously browse online for paper charts, e.g. at https://www.bookharbour.com/ , or visit a chandlery/marine store.

[Notebook]

I meant
Maritime
Routing
Magnetic etc.
Loads on admiral site

[Notebook]

Just saw the reply. Thanks

[paulbrown22]

If you go to a chandlery (or a chandlery website), it will all make sense - most of those type places will only sell leisure charts suitable for us small boaters.

Admiralty's main business is really commercial, and many of their products on the website are either commercial user oriented, or e.g. the routeing charts which are for planning major cross-ocean voyages, and probably not applicable to many RIB owners!

[Notebook]

Thanks all

[Notebook]

What about electronic ones on gps units

[paulbrown22]

Have you already got a GPS/Chartplotter unit, or if not, what would you be looking for? A small handheld to use on a SIB, or a large 12" fitted display for a larger RIB? We don't yet have any background on the thread as to what the intended use case or vessel is - i.e. are you trying to go on cruises in a larger RIB, or potter around in a SIB in e.g. Poole Harbour, or set out on longer distance SIB expeditions as some on here do? Obviously depending on the use case and vessel, some options will be more suitable than others.

Or, depending or your use case, potentially something like Navionics on your phone/tablet for much less money might be suitable?

Across our sailing and motor boats we have several fixed chart plotters mainly running CMap electronic charts, and a Garmin handheld running Bluecharts. While the handheld is great as a backup or to take on the smaller boats, it has a relatively small screen which limits how much information you can see without scrolling. If going for a fixed unit, I'd always take the biggest screen you can fit (and afford).

Personally I find electronic charts really useful especially if doing longer distances and/or entering unfamiliar harbours, but I don't tend to refer to them much in our local waters where we are very familiar with the surroundings. And they are only as good as the person using them - you still have to understand what they are telling you, and the limitations of what they can do.

[Notebook]

Haven’t a rib yet. Lol
Having everything in the house, doors, windows, bathroom, kitchen etc renewed. The whole house.
Then next year I want to get a small 3.5m rib.
Do some training and try some lakes and rivers and some coastal areas. Therefore everything will be purchased then
Thanks
Thanks

[Mikefule]

Get a bit of training or do a lot of reading. Unlike a map, a chart is a representation of something that is moving all the time. The depth of the water varies throughout the tidal cycle as does the direction and speed of the water. You need to understand how to predict these variables (depth, direction, speed) which always involves some degree of calculation, and cross referencing with tide tables for the area. The time of high and low water changes daily, and the tidal range goes through a 4 week cycle.

Also, the ratio of distance on the chart to distance on the surface is not the same at the south end of the chart as it is at the north.

Also the direction of the tide will affect the surface conditions depending on the wind — so a change of tide part way through your day out could make the difference between smooth (wind and tide going the same way) and unpleasantly rough (wind blowing against the tide).

It's fascinating stuff. In real life, with a fast boat, you perhaps have to put less effort into precise calculations than you would in something slower. However, you can get caught out with depth of water.

[GuyC]

You could also consider something like Memory Map. They are digitised charts that you can route plan on and then export it as a GPX or similar to a chart plotter.

Reading your posts, I think the first step would be either to do a course or buy a RYA navigation book and use that.

I’m old and boring but I find looking at charts and doing the passage planning really interesting. It’s all part of the hobby.