Bahamas navigation documents

Delezynski

Delezynski

.
Jan 22, 2008
551
NorSea 27 Az., Doing the To-Do list
Hi all,

Jill and I are planning on cruising the Bahamas in the future. We are looking at all of the documentation and charts available and have a question for the masses of you who have, and do use them.
First, we do have a chart plotter with up to date chip. A computer with OpenCPN as backup.
I am only talking about paper stuff.
We currently have;
Guide to the Abaco 2015
The Great Book of Anchorages, The Bahamas – the route most traveled
Waterway Guide, Bahamas 2014
What I am now looking for is charts. I see two choices.


First is the Explorer Chartbook, Near Bahamas 7th Edition. The plus is that it has more than just charts, and I see a lot of people LOVE them. The down side I see is that they are spiral bound, in the middle. That makes it hard to use my nav tools (YES I STILL use paper charts!) And I need to get 3 sets to cove all of the area at about $70.00 per set.
The second option I see is Maptech Chartkit Reg 9 Bahamas 7TH Edition. The up side is they fit my nav station AND my charting board. They are not split in the middle so I can use my tools. One set covers almost all the areas I need. And the one set is about $140. The down side is they are just charts. But I think we have the extra stuff in other publications.
What say you? What way did you go, and why?
By the way, I don't plan to purchase till Late Sept. or Oct.
Greg
 
C

Capt Thomas

.
Jan 27, 2015
7
Morgan OI 41 Boynton Beach
Delezynski
Have made many trips to the Bahamas(40 +) with paper charts with charts from Bluewater books and charts in Ft. Lauderdale fl.
For the Abacos Steve Dodge is, by far, the best. For the Exumas the criusing guide to the Bahamas is all you need. Paper charts and prudent seamanship will get you where you want to go.
Running at night in the islands is not advised due to the lack of reliable nav. aids
Capt. Tom
S/V Chardonnay
Morgan OI 41
 
Rick I

Rick I

.
Jan 6, 2007
414
CS36Merlin and Beneteau 393 - Toronto
Explorer Charts
Pavlidis' Guides

Beware of Navionics electronic charts of the Bahamas. Many geo-referencing errors and will surely put you ashore if you are dumb enough to rely on them.
 
Delezynski

Delezynski

.
Jan 22, 2008
551
NorSea 27 Az., Doing the To-Do list
Thanks for the replies so far......

A bit I did not say in the first post.

Our boat, Guenevere, is 27 Ft and draws about 3.5 ft. We have been cruising for some time now. I have a Standard Horizon chart plotter with C-Map chips and will be updating my chip shortly before we head out. BUT, above and beyond ALL the nav stuff, we use our eyes. We understand the daylight and not going into a rush. :)

I was using a Yoeman chart plotter and LOVED it.

It was the best of both worlds, a real track hard copy track on a paper chart, driven by GPS. :D

Sadly, ours has finally gone belly up. May have been to much salt spray in tropical waters? And, they are getting very hard to come by. :cry::cry:

So, I am now using a plotting board that I have attached an eTrex GPS to the side of.



I use the plotting arm quite a bit. I do more than just "look" at the charts. We both, Jill & I, read the cruising guides for local info.

I watched a couple of Youtube videos of people using the Explorer Chart books. That spiral binding down the center would render the use of the plotting arm very hard, if not imposable to be accurate with. :cry:

So, I guess my question is, if you are recommending the Explorer charts, what tools are you, who are using them using? Can you share a photo or two?

THANKS!
Greg
 
Rick I

Rick I

.
Jan 6, 2007
414
CS36Merlin and Beneteau 393 - Toronto
Delezynski said:
Thanks for the replies so far......


So, I guess my question is, if you are recommending the Explorer charts, what tools are you, who are using them using? Can you share a photo or two?

THANKS!
Greg
Click to expand
The Explorer Charts are very accurate and the scale is big enough (and there are enough lat long lines ) that you can plot your position on them without a set of parallel rules. So don't worry about the ring binding. Just a GPS or smart phone GPS will do. Most of the courses and waypoints are also marked on the charts. Much of the time, especially going through cuts or entering anchorages good eyes are what you need. The waters in the Bahamas are easy to read. You will get the hang of it fairly quickly.

When I first went to the Bahamas we had to rely (well we didn't really rely on them) on Admiralty charts, some from the 1800's and a hand bearing compass. We used the charts as a guide. A lot of trial and error in those days. With Explorer Charts it's a whole new world.

Here's an example
http://www.explorercharts.com/images/GB3-pg-49.jpg



What photos are you looking for?
 
G

gettinthere

.
Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
We use the chartplotter as primary and place plots onto the Explorer chart as we go, using the lat and lon from the gps readout of the chartplotter. In some places we plot frequently and in other places not so much depending on where we are. If the chartplotter crashed, we have alternate gps devices. If WWIII starts and we loose all gps, I dont need the gps to find the liqueur cabinet!
 
Bob 04 H260

Bob 04 H260

.
May 16, 2007
1,509
Boatless ! 26 Ottawa, Ontario
We have done some cruising in the Bahamas. We use a Raymarine MFD and Garmin Garmin Blue Charts on our iPad for the electronics. We have a complete set of Explorer chart books, they now also sell an electronic version as well. Explorer has a good web site and I recommend you subscribe to their Bahamas Chatter listserve. Any experienced cruisers in the Bahamas use and swear by the Explorer charts. However all the charts note "VPR" (visual piloting rules apply), there are few aids to navigation and the ones they do have often move around by themselves :cry: Going through cuts, entering an anchorage or harbours you often need a mate on the bow.
The Dodge books are great. We uploaded all the Explorer and Dodge waypoints into our Raymarine plotter and iPad. The Dodge waypoints can be downloaded in a file for a couple of bucks on his website, saves having to type them all in. The Garmin electronic charts used the Explorer charts as their base and seem to be better than the Ray charts. Most boats travel between the waypoints on the recommended magenta lines. If you will anchor out on the banks for the night pull well off the line and put on a few extra lights, there is often traffic in the dark, usually they stay on the line :D.
We tend to plot our course on the electronic charts for the next day, then check the Explorer charts to find any differences, points of concern etc. When underway we take electronic bearings to any feature we can visually identify (like the end of a small cay) and then use the compass in our binoculars to check that bearing to confirm our position.
The biggest issue in the Bahamas is weather, most get it from Chris Parker on SSB.
Enjoy the cruise, great country great people, Bob
(If the wire binding was a problem for me I would just remove it )
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=3591
 
Sumner

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Delezynski

Delezynski

.
Jan 22, 2008
551
NorSea 27 Az., Doing the To-Do list
Thanks for the info Bob 04 & Sumner,

Bob 04, in your photo album, is the chart in photo 11 the Explorer chart book????
 
Bob 04 H260

Bob 04 H260

.
May 16, 2007
1,509
Boatless ! 26 Ottawa, Ontario
Delezynski said:
Bob 04, in your photo album, is the chart in photo 11 the Explorer chart book????
Click to expand
Yes it is the Explorer chart book. If you want to check one out first they usually have them at the WM stores along the E coast of USA.

We know one of the authors in the chart book and through him have been introduced to Monty. Very good people trying to produce the best product they can.

Bob
 
Delezynski

Delezynski

.
Jan 22, 2008
551
NorSea 27 Az., Doing the To-Do list
Bob 04 H260 said:
Yes it is the Explorer chart book. If you want to check one out first they usually have them at the WM stores along the E coast of USA.

We know one of the authors in the chart book and through him have been introduced to Monty. Very good people trying to produce the best product they can.

Bob
Click to expand
I think I have what I was looking for. I was hoping for a somewhat different outcome, but got what I needed.

Looks like I will wait till I get back to the east coast and can see the two chart options side by side for myself, then make the purchase. Was hoping for a head start.

Greg
 
B

BJV

.
Jun 8, 2004
61
Island Trader 41 foot Ketch, CC Arnold
Explorer charts are the way to go, loads of info, accurate and you can trust the suggested routes/waypoints.
Many electronic charts now incorperate explorer data, cmap and garmin I believe.
For cruising guides Palvidis are the best, exception is sea of Abaco area where Dodge's is best.
 
J

JTulls

.
Dec 6, 2014
89
International 14 and J-Boat J80 San Diego
Rick I said:
Explorer Charts
Pavlidis' Guides

Beware of Navionics electronic charts of the Bahamas. Many geo-referencing errors and will surely put you ashore if you are dumb enough to rely on them.
Click to expand
I have a friend who just got back from cruising in the Bahamas and used Navionics charts with no issues. With all the updates they push, sonarcharts, satellite overlays, and community edits it seems like the charts are pretty accurate. Is there a specific area that you know of that is incorrect in the Bahamas area?
 
G

gettinthere

.
Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
I've posted before about an incident. A boat near us was on the Exuma bank on my AIS. He was headed directly at a 4' sand bar on my Garmin/Explorer chart. It was not on his navionics chart. I warned him just as the depths were coming up fast contrary to his navionics.
 
Sumner

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Bob 04 H260 said:
This boat was not so lucky ! Total loss only 9 months old, they followed a route indicated on a Navionics chart to enter the harbour at Georgetown...

http://explorercharts.com/chatter/?p=10641...
Click to expand
On that link they said...

The Lagoon 44 catamaran Next Life that wrecked on the reef between Fowl Cay and Guana Cay, Exuma, has been towed out of the area. The boat had been reported to have been attempting to enter Elizabeth Harbour along a route shown on Navionics electronic charts.
Click to expand
I ran OpenCPN over there with NV charts (also had the Explorer Charts with me) and I just looked at the area mentioned above between Fowl Cay and Guana Cay and the NV chart clearly shows reefs and no passage between those Cays.

I had no problems with the NV charts and OpenCPN and didn't notice any discrepancies but also I don't care whose charts you are using it it foolish to run any of those cuts in the dark. A boat from the yard was lost this spring going in Elizabeth Harbor from the popular north entrance and I don't know who's charts they were using but people can have the best charts and still get lazy in using them.

In some areas the NV charts had better detail than the Explorer Charts. I looked at both any time I was entering an area that I had reason to be worried,

Sumner

=============================================

1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac

Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...

Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
Sumner

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country


Above is a screen dump of the NV chart running under OpenCPN for the area where the cat went aground. No matter whose chart you are using in an area like above you need to do it when you have a visual on the water.

Even the Explorer charts tell you that all the coral heads are not plotted accurately in an area like this and the same goes for the borders of the reefs in the area so you need to see the water regardless of whose charts you are using over there if you are in an area like that shown above.

Also above you can see there is no route marked between Fowl and Guana. Personally even with the Mac I wouldn't use this route into Elizabeth Harbor to the north of here myself if I could avoid it. Even the north route in has to be taken with great care as a number of boats have been lost there over the years and it is a lot more open than this route in,

Sumner

===================================

1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac

Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...

Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
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