Apostle Island Charts

PrincessoftheLake · Dec 14, 2011

Squidd-
I have sailed in the Apostle Islands for the last 7 years. I would suggest that you certainly get 14973 and I think 14966 is also good to have.

I think you could do the trip to Duluth/Superior but it depends on boat speed. Keep in mind that starting from Bayfield to get all the way around Sand Island is about 23 miles I think. Depending on conditions and your boat speed that can be about 6 hours. I would guess it is another 6 hours to Superior. I have not made that trip yet I am only passing along information from others who have.

Is this your first time in the Apostles? You are going to love it!

Jackdaw · Dec 14, 2011

Squidd said:
Getting ready to buy my first chart...

Plan on dry slipping in the Washburn/Bayfield/Red Cliff area, and wondering which NOAA chart will be most useful to me...

Sailing will be "mostly" in the AI/Madeline Is. area,weekends and overnighters so I'm thinking #14973.

Or is that cutting my scope too small and is there enough detail in # 14966 ?
ie: Is it practicle to "round the horn"and sail to Duluth/Superior area on a 3 day weekend..?

14973 is your place to start.

I've included a link to a hi-rez (printable) version of the chart from NOAA
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/955501/14973 APOSTLE ISL INCL CHEQUAMEGON BAY.png

That would be a heroic 3-day sail in a 26 footer. Remember that there is a huge stretche of open water between Duluth and Sand Island, with only two places to put in. And its normally the lee shore. I'd never want to do it on a schedule. You'd be sailing at night in any case. I'd suggest a 3-day trip to Cornucopia.

Stu Jackson · Dec 14, 2011

Why not try the booklet charts for free before you decide what to buy, or just buy both, you'd be safer?

http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/BookletChart.html

DannyS · Dec 14, 2011

I motorsailed a 45 footer from Duluth to Bayfield in 10 hours through 6 foot swells and a pretty strong headwind and it wasn't fun. As Jackdaw said, there are few places to run for cover in that stretch but it's not a problem as long as you have the time to wait for your weather window. Typically getting to Duluth isn't the problem, it's getting back to the islands. That part of the lake acts like a big wind funnel that pushes to Duluth/Superior.
This is the chart booklet I carry on board,
http://sailboat-store.com/sailboats...erior-chartbook-and-cruising-guide-p-165.html
I like it because it has the whole lake, both wide view and detailed views. Don't just limit yourself to the Islands, it's a BIG, beautiful lake to explore!

PrincessoftheLake · Dec 14, 2011

Squidd-
One of the things that I have found is that after all these years I can pretty much get around the islands without the use of the charts as much. One other thing, and you probably already know this-pick up a copy of the cruising guide "The Superior Way" by Bonnie Dahl. It has a lot of great information in it.

Jackdaw · Dec 14, 2011

Squidd,

Oh, three days each way?? You'll be fine there. As an example, you could do Bayfield to Sand Island (25nm) and stay at either East or Justice Bay. Next day set out for Cornie or Port Wing. Cornie a better bet for a slip but it makes a LONG 3rd day of 45 miles. PW closer to the Twin Ports. Remember to NOT cut between Sand Island and the mainland. Yea its 1.5 miles wide bot mostly only 6 feet deep. Anyway Justice Bay has spectacular sea caves, and makes for a great jumping off point. You're going to love this place.

Oh, and PotL called it, get Bonnie's book

Jackdaw · Dec 15, 2011

One other thing - You will very quickly get a feel for the islands and where you are based on sightings.. so soon a chart is not needed day to day. What you WILL need is a good charting GPS. In the dark or FOG it is required equipment.

Water uniformly deep but there are some shoal spots, and a few rocks. Get someone to spend some time to pass on the local knowledge. Stop by when you're up, we could have a beer and I'll mark up your chart with you.

Jackdaw · Dec 15, 2011

Handhelds just as accurate with fix but as you say hard to read. And with nautical charts not much cheaper than small plotters. But mid-size tiller boats are a pain to mount plotters on... where? The bulkhead is too far away to see it unless its a big plotter. Many will mount one with a RAM Mount just inside the companionway, and then can angle the arm to view it from inside or out. 5 inch Garmin and Lowrance units are good and come with built-in charting.

If you have a iphone or an ipad, make sure to get the Navionics app. It makes a great backup, or even a primary source for getting your bearings.

One other piece of invaluable equipment, a pair of good bearing/ranging binoculars... I'd feel uneasy about ever leaving the dock without mine on board.

Stu Jackson · Dec 15, 2011

Squidd said:
I'm looking into GPS equipment now... is hand held good enough (screens are so small) or should I be going chartplotter type system (I'm not a high dollar guy, but I want to be safe)

I'm never quite sure why folks make a distinction between chartplotters and handhelds. HH are simply smaller chartplotters. If your eyes can stand the smaller screens, which are not that much smaller, then save a lot of $$ and have flexibility with a HH. Garmin's quite good GPS Map76Cx and Csx are on sale for more half off what I bought mine for a few years ago. Of course, you still have to get the charts, but the ones they are offering now have a lot more coverage for the same amount of money they were charging for just a few years ago. You're sailing where there aren't a whole lot of buoy changes. Go into a West Marine (there's usually one somewhere near you or use your Xmas drive to visit family and find one) and check them out. The tremendous cost difference for chartplotter, in my view, is wasteful. Another thing to consider is that as computers and all those iThingies get more popular, the "marinized" chartplotter, which only does one thing, may be going the way of the dodo bird.

Stu Jackson · Dec 15, 2011

Squidd said:
I got a pair of binocs with the boat but not "ranging"... (I assume that helps gauge distance to objects) but what is the purpose?

Everybody has their favorite ways to navigate. I use the compass on our binnacle to do what others use ranging binoculars for. Yes, they can help find distances by using heights of known objects, but most have compasses for range-finding, actually compass bearings to different objects for fixes. Read Dutton's or any other coastal piloting book. You should know this stuff even if you have a GPS.

Jackdaw · Dec 15, 2011

Bearing binocs have a built-in compass that show the bearing of whatever you are looking at. They have two big purposes.

1) If you sight two landmarks, you can draw reciprocal bearing lines from the objects on your chart to fix your position where the lines cross.

2) Collision avoidance. While you are moving, any object who's bearing does not change over time is on a collision course with you. At night this is a huge deal. With the binocs, you take a sighting of the other boat, and two minutes later another one. If the bearing does not change, you are on a collision course. If the off-the-bow angle gets smaller, they will pass in front of you. Bigger, behind you.

And I agree with Stu, grab a good piloting/nav book for some quality winter reading.

DannyS · Dec 15, 2011

Get one of these

I know I'll catch some flack for this from some of the purists out there, but this is what you need after you buy your "real" chart. They sell them at all the gift shops in Bayfield, it's a placemat map of the islands. It's waterproof, it's the perfect size to stash under the cockpit cusion and if it blows overboard, it only costs a few bucks to replace. As others have said, it doesn't take long to get to know where you are in and around the islands. There really are only a handful of true hazzards because for the most part, the water is deep and clear. Get the real deal chart for when you really need it, but use the placemat for quick reference. Just remember... "This chart is not intended for navigational use"! Yeah, right.

Jackdaw · Dec 15, 2011

LOL Danny you're right. Everyone I know has (and uses) those place-mats, myself included!

EDIT - great pix BTW... I see your star navigator prescribes to the course-up map reading style..

cb32863 · Dec 16, 2011

I completely forgot about the place-mats! When I did my ASA 103/104 up there, the instructor mentioned that they were some of the best charts of the area.

I think we are going to have to organize a little meet-up in the area sometime this summer.

PrincessoftheLake · Dec 16, 2011

Danny-
You made me laugh about the placemat chart. I have one and have had one every year I have sailed the Apostles and would never go out with out one. Between the placemat and Bonnie Dahls book it pretty much gives me everything I need to get around the islands.
I agree with CB-got to have a meet up next spring, assuming I don't make the jump to the east coast.
Oh, one other little tidbit. My roommate is the daughter of Ron and Bonnie Dahl. I have had the chance to visit with them when they have been at the house. Lucky me.

Apostle Island Charts

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