Best E-Charts for the Med

[Charlie]

I have Garmin charts that I have used on the Pacific coast. I am entertaining the idea of going over to the Atlantic and find the Garmin chips to be very expensive. So much so that I may sell the plotter and chips and then buy a new plotter and chips. The plan is to leave from North Carolina in mid-May and arrive in Spain at the end of June. I am looking for people to share what experience they have had with E-Charts in the entire Med region.

[goboatingnow]

Garmins charts for the med are reasonable and good I have them. The navionics charts that ray uses are ok but I don't like the fact they ignore a lot of big ships stuff .

Note it can be difficult to get garmins charts on the shelf even in the cruising area you are in for example even though I was in the south of France I still had to order and wait two weeks for the garmin western med charts. My advice sort it all out before you leave.
And in my experience the med charts are cheaper in the YS anyway ( certainly garmin is )
Dave

[Charlie]

Thanks Dave. When I looked it up the charts were $364 a piece. They do cover a large area https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?...937&pvID=36249 and https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?...03#coverageTab but that would be over $700 in Echarts alone and I am wondering about the quality.

[goboatingnow]

You can buy the smaller areas too. My experience is the quality is very good. Better then Navionics, but its hard to evaluate the "quality" of an E-chart , you probably dont find out till youre on that unmarked reef.


The main thing I found is that marina layouts had changed, but all th e coastal and offshore stuff was current.

We had Raymarine gear on a trip from France to Corsica, Sardinia, Scily, heal of Italy and Greece recently, this was Navionics and it was fine too. I still prefer the Garmin charts.

When I was in Croatia three years ago , I had my trusty Garmin 276C plotter and the boat had raymarin, with navionics. my garmin charts missed some of the new marinas, but Navionics left out underwater features ( ok that dont affect small boats), but I prefer to see all teh features.

Thats my tuppence.

Dave

[sinbad7]

Charlie..

You'll find free charts here:

and also here but you'll have to calibrate and convert to .kap with free tools: