I just purchased a Chartkit for New Orleans to Panama City Florida. When I was looking at the data it said that the updates were only through 1998!!! I guess the charts are much older. Is this normal??? Chartkits are new to me but seemed like a good idea. But if the charts are extremely out of date they are worthless. Anyone with experience??? I am buying a new boat ASAP and the paperwork is at the bank. The boat is near Destin and I plan to keep it at Mobile. Can I trust Chartkits??? I would hate to end up on an oyster bar or worse.
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river9150
Offshore Navigator 2002
I check my charts which I have been using on Choctwhatchee Bay (ICW Destin - Fort Walton) for the last year. Offshore Navigator 2002 Version 5.0 created 3/19/02. These charts, used as a guide, have kept me knowledgable of position/location. This area is prone to sholling so if you plan on going from Destin to Mobile via the ICW make sure your instruments (especially depth) is working and correct. You didn't say what type of boat you are purchasing but if it's sail be aware of the bridge heights too.
I check my charts which I have been using on Choctwhatchee Bay (ICW Destin - Fort Walton) for the last year. Offshore Navigator 2002 Version 5.0 created 3/19/02. These charts, used as a guide, have kept me knowledgable of position/location. This area is prone to sholling so if you plan on going from Destin to Mobile via the ICW make sure your instruments (especially depth) is working and correct. You didn't say what type of boat you are purchasing but if it's sail be aware of the bridge heights too.
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Al
Use, yes. Trust? Don't think so
We have a three or four year old Maptech chart kit for the east coast of Florida and we use it all the time for trip planning, mileage estimates for ETA to bridges, landmarks, etc. It is in the cockpit in its plastic sleeve on our longer trips where we do not have personal experience about the route. It is very useful and we have no intention of getting rid of it. Whether you trust it depends on what you want it to do. Do I trust it to keep me from running aground? No. We also have a chartplotter with the latest chip of the same area and we use it for closer in navigation, waypoints, ETA's etc. I don't trust it either. I use both of them to give me the best information for making an "informed" choice of the highest probability of the safest way to go. I would say don't get rid of your chart kit, but if you insist, I'll be glad to pay for shipping. Al 356 #340
We have a three or four year old Maptech chart kit for the east coast of Florida and we use it all the time for trip planning, mileage estimates for ETA to bridges, landmarks, etc. It is in the cockpit in its plastic sleeve on our longer trips where we do not have personal experience about the route. It is very useful and we have no intention of getting rid of it. Whether you trust it depends on what you want it to do. Do I trust it to keep me from running aground? No. We also have a chartplotter with the latest chip of the same area and we use it for closer in navigation, waypoints, ETA's etc. I don't trust it either. I use both of them to give me the best information for making an "informed" choice of the highest probability of the safest way to go. I would say don't get rid of your chart kit, but if you insist, I'll be glad to pay for shipping. Al 356 #340
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Vern Bolen
Use Both
Tom am am also from Birmingham and dock in Mobile..Buy a paper chart to study and use both to cruise. My advise is to go outside from Destin to Mobile. Faster and you can sail if you hit the wind right...Good luck Vern Final Fling
Tom am am also from Birmingham and dock in Mobile..Buy a paper chart to study and use both to cruise. My advise is to go outside from Destin to Mobile. Faster and you can sail if you hit the wind right...Good luck Vern Final Fling
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RonD
Digital & Paper Chartkits
The MapTech Chartkit paper editions have "update" pages for each chart in the back, near the back cover. Each year they publish a new edition having chart pages incorporating as many updates as they can, leaving the remainder to those back pages for you to use in manually updating charts of interest. Remember, the chart pages they publish are infrequently revised/re-issued by NOAA. So, you'll inevitably read an "old" date on those chart pages. You can go to the NOAA website and get a list of the most recent chart editions and revisions available. http://chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov/ The USCG NAVCENTER website lists the Local Notices to Mariners (LNMs) on a weekly basis, so it is up to the mariner to read them regularly & make the necessary chart changes manually. The USCG, facing reduced budgets, has shifted or eliminated many ATONs over the past years. http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/ Ditto for using the Digital Chartkits, although they might be more likely to incorporate all the LNM corrections up to the date-of-issue on the CD-ROM release. Same applies to the use of C-Map cartridges, etc. in chartplotters. Be prudent operating in shoal waters and relying on a chartplotter. Things are not always what they appear to be out there. The very nature of the surveys used to create nautical charts makes it inevitable that an underwater obstruction can be missed in the process. A very good treatise on the subject is in Section 1 of Nigel Calder's new book "How to Read a Nautical Chart." It should be a "must-read" for anyone doing coastal piloting and navigation. --RonD
The MapTech Chartkit paper editions have "update" pages for each chart in the back, near the back cover. Each year they publish a new edition having chart pages incorporating as many updates as they can, leaving the remainder to those back pages for you to use in manually updating charts of interest. Remember, the chart pages they publish are infrequently revised/re-issued by NOAA. So, you'll inevitably read an "old" date on those chart pages. You can go to the NOAA website and get a list of the most recent chart editions and revisions available. http://chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov/ The USCG NAVCENTER website lists the Local Notices to Mariners (LNMs) on a weekly basis, so it is up to the mariner to read them regularly & make the necessary chart changes manually. The USCG, facing reduced budgets, has shifted or eliminated many ATONs over the past years. http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/ Ditto for using the Digital Chartkits, although they might be more likely to incorporate all the LNM corrections up to the date-of-issue on the CD-ROM release. Same applies to the use of C-Map cartridges, etc. in chartplotters. Be prudent operating in shoal waters and relying on a chartplotter. Things are not always what they appear to be out there. The very nature of the surveys used to create nautical charts makes it inevitable that an underwater obstruction can be missed in the process. A very good treatise on the subject is in Section 1 of Nigel Calder's new book "How to Read a Nautical Chart." It should be a "must-read" for anyone doing coastal piloting and navigation. --RonD
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Jack
Ditto on Calder
I have been sailing for 40 years, and I must say that Calder's recent book is the best explanation of the uses. misuses and limitations of chsrta data I have ever read. A great book, with the added bonus of a well bound version of Chart 1
I have been sailing for 40 years, and I must say that Calder's recent book is the best explanation of the uses. misuses and limitations of chsrta data I have ever read. A great book, with the added bonus of a well bound version of Chart 1
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Rick Webb
Changes With Every Storm
So even the most current chart may not be accurate. I have the current charts if you would like to look at them I can meet you here in town somwhere when you come down. If your mast is 50' or more you are going to have to go outside but I am sure you know all that stuff already. We are on our way now to sail over to Destin. One thing of particular intrest is the Destin Pass Bridge height has been changed from 50' to 49' on the charts, 49' is still optimistic.
So even the most current chart may not be accurate. I have the current charts if you would like to look at them I can meet you here in town somwhere when you come down. If your mast is 50' or more you are going to have to go outside but I am sure you know all that stuff already. We are on our way now to sail over to Destin. One thing of particular intrest is the Destin Pass Bridge height has been changed from 50' to 49' on the charts, 49' is still optimistic.
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river9150
Be Wary of the East Pass
You said near Destin. If you go outside through the East Pass, be very careful. This is a man made pass, it's narrow, congested and rough.
You said near Destin. If you go outside through the East Pass, be very careful. This is a man made pass, it's narrow, congested and rough.
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tom
Coastal Pilot
I ordered a coastal pilot and it said that the depth was 5 1/2 feet from the sea bouy to the bridge then deeper. A pearson 323 draws 4.5'!!! If there are waves I might hit in the troughs!!! Do people take larger sailboats in and out of there??? I was there on land and saw some small daysailors and a 20 something sailboat was anchored on the sea side of the bridge. I just got the Coastal Pilot yesterday and haven't read much yet. It seems more oriented to larger vessels. The pass at Peridio looked OK from the charts but the coastal Pilot recommended that you not try to enter during rough conditions. I plan to sail from Destin to Mobile. Now I'm thinking to motor to Pensacola then go outside. I guess that Destin would be OK to go out under mild conditions at slack tide. Even entering Mobile bay won't be a cakewalk in rough conditions. There are shoals on both sides out for several miles. Panama City looks good on the chart but the CP warns about heavy traffic,everything from ships to barges on the ICW. Sailing the Gulf Coast is sure different than TVA lakes!!!! Any local information would be appreciated. Especially about the Chandeluer Islands off of Mississippi. St Joeseph Bay is also interesting. I've been there sea kayaking and it is beautiful!!!!
I ordered a coastal pilot and it said that the depth was 5 1/2 feet from the sea bouy to the bridge then deeper. A pearson 323 draws 4.5'!!! If there are waves I might hit in the troughs!!! Do people take larger sailboats in and out of there??? I was there on land and saw some small daysailors and a 20 something sailboat was anchored on the sea side of the bridge. I just got the Coastal Pilot yesterday and haven't read much yet. It seems more oriented to larger vessels. The pass at Peridio looked OK from the charts but the coastal Pilot recommended that you not try to enter during rough conditions. I plan to sail from Destin to Mobile. Now I'm thinking to motor to Pensacola then go outside. I guess that Destin would be OK to go out under mild conditions at slack tide. Even entering Mobile bay won't be a cakewalk in rough conditions. There are shoals on both sides out for several miles. Panama City looks good on the chart but the CP warns about heavy traffic,everything from ships to barges on the ICW. Sailing the Gulf Coast is sure different than TVA lakes!!!! Any local information would be appreciated. Especially about the Chandeluer Islands off of Mississippi. St Joeseph Bay is also interesting. I've been there sea kayaking and it is beautiful!!!!
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Rick Webb
Should Be No Problem
Check your chart most depths are figured at mean low low tide. Except in the winter the depth should never be a problem out there for you. Seeme my depth sounder reads 12 to 15' through the channel. Sailing in the bay is not an issue with the commercial traffic they are very large and easy to spot, mostly barges and are not moving that fast. Just keep your eye out for them. Inside or outside is a call you may want to make just before you leave unless the weather is bad I'd go outside and sail vs motor but much of the inside can be sailed as well. When are you planning on making your trip? Holler when your down here again and we'll have a beer. Where are you going to keep your boat in Mobile? I can recomend a couple of good places if you are not set up yet.
Check your chart most depths are figured at mean low low tide. Except in the winter the depth should never be a problem out there for you. Seeme my depth sounder reads 12 to 15' through the channel. Sailing in the bay is not an issue with the commercial traffic they are very large and easy to spot, mostly barges and are not moving that fast. Just keep your eye out for them. Inside or outside is a call you may want to make just before you leave unless the weather is bad I'd go outside and sail vs motor but much of the inside can be sailed as well. When are you planning on making your trip? Holler when your down here again and we'll have a beer. Where are you going to keep your boat in Mobile? I can recomend a couple of good places if you are not set up yet.
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tom
before the last of August
We are in the final stages of buying a pearson 323 at Niceville. We will probably exchange money and title this weekend. The boat's slip is good through August. I talked to Turner Marine in Mobile and they have a slip available. My ocean experience is limited and most of my sailing has been in deep TVA lakes. Honestly I had my depth alarm set at 30' Much of South Holston lake is over 150' deep and some over 200'. Except in the channel most of Mobile bay is less than 15'. We'll do fine after a few months of sailing on the gulf but I'd hate to run aground on my first trip!!!! Sailing with a friend off of Corpus Christi we ran aground several times trying to get into his marina's channel. Fortunately we were never stuck. I ran aground once in the Keys but again it was soft stuff and we got off easily. I always like a cold beer...
We are in the final stages of buying a pearson 323 at Niceville. We will probably exchange money and title this weekend. The boat's slip is good through August. I talked to Turner Marine in Mobile and they have a slip available. My ocean experience is limited and most of my sailing has been in deep TVA lakes. Honestly I had my depth alarm set at 30' Much of South Holston lake is over 150' deep and some over 200'. Except in the channel most of Mobile bay is less than 15'. We'll do fine after a few months of sailing on the gulf but I'd hate to run aground on my first trip!!!! Sailing with a friend off of Corpus Christi we ran aground several times trying to get into his marina's channel. Fortunately we were never stuck. I ran aground once in the Keys but again it was soft stuff and we got off easily. I always like a cold beer...
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Rick Webb
Turner Marine is at the Top of my List
Is the boat in the Blue Water Bay Marina? Much of Mobile bay is less than 12-18" but it is all soft though some is real sticky. You will learn and adjust quickly.
Is the boat in the Blue Water Bay Marina? Much of Mobile bay is less than 12-18" but it is all soft though some is real sticky. You will learn and adjust quickly.
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Augie Byllott
Charted Depths
Ronald Reagan said it best, "Trust, but verify." Of course he was referring to nuclear arms treaties, but the principle is the same. Plot your course according to the charted depths, but eyeball your depth finder frequently. Also, pay close attention to tidal ranges. A hard grounding at low tide is often just a nuisance. When the tide changes, things improve. A hard grounding at high tide can be a salvage issue. When the tide changes, things get even worse.
Ronald Reagan said it best, "Trust, but verify." Of course he was referring to nuclear arms treaties, but the principle is the same. Plot your course according to the charted depths, but eyeball your depth finder frequently. Also, pay close attention to tidal ranges. A hard grounding at low tide is often just a nuisance. When the tide changes, things improve. A hard grounding at high tide can be a salvage issue. When the tide changes, things get even worse.
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tom
sailed the bay
I just purcashed my sailboat this past weekend after the paperwork we had a great sail. Best of all after two years without sailing we docked in high winds without bumping!!! Using the chartkit charts I was able to pilot around the bay no problem. We had a GPS and Loran but turned neither on. Using the old compass equipped binoculars we knew where we were at all times. I asked a sailor in the slip next to mine what he thought of the Destin pass. He said that it was good now but changes frequently. A storm can very quickly fill in the channel. He also said that he wouldn't attempt the channel in rough conditions that he would either stay off until things settled or go to Panama city or Pensacola. He seemed very knowledgable and has been sailing in the area for 20 years. It's good to be sailing again!!!!!
I just purcashed my sailboat this past weekend after the paperwork we had a great sail. Best of all after two years without sailing we docked in high winds without bumping!!! Using the chartkit charts I was able to pilot around the bay no problem. We had a GPS and Loran but turned neither on. Using the old compass equipped binoculars we knew where we were at all times. I asked a sailor in the slip next to mine what he thought of the Destin pass. He said that it was good now but changes frequently. A storm can very quickly fill in the channel. He also said that he wouldn't attempt the channel in rough conditions that he would either stay off until things settled or go to Panama city or Pensacola. He seemed very knowledgable and has been sailing in the area for 20 years. It's good to be sailing again!!!!!
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