C-map who has the lowest cost?

[Ativa]

What is the best location to purchase a C-map cards?
I need to purchase c-map card. Florida the bahamas and central america.

Who is the best price place to get it from.
Thanks

[dana-tenacity]

There are a couple of discs doing the rounds of the cruising fleet, get the whole world free.

[Ativa]

lol thatg would be great, however every time I stumple upon a great deal I spend twice as much in the end..

[southernman]

If you have a laptop the free discs are the go - no problems at all - just find someone who can set em up for you for a few cans. Works well with the other disc that is going around the cruisers with Maxsea on it.

[Pblais]

The old C map format is dead. It was too easy to copy so it is no longer supported. All the data is old. Paying for it at this point is just buying old charts from folks that didn't pay for it in the first place. It's a way to pick up a few bucks. So don't pay much. The new C map Max or +NT formats cost about the same at the various retail outlets and there are not many real bargains. It is not easy to copy.

[southernman]

Paul, so you can copy the new Cmap Max charts? The old charts you refer to are sometimes called the 'russian' CD's as this was their origin as I understand it. They are free as far as I know - never been charged anything for them - more a few cans to install them on someone's laptop etc.

[dana-tenacity]

Back when people used paper charts we used to photocopy, trade, trace, use hand drawings on napkins, some of my charts were 20-30 years out of date, they could still be used. I think the "old" cmap are plenty good enough.

[Pblais]

Paul, so you can copy the new Cmap Max charts?

Nope. It's why the old format was dumped. They have added a lot more value to the charts now. I've got a small hand help Raymarine device that has a pocket PC sized screen. Uses the Navonics Gold chips. Very nice data chips but quite well copy protected and not exactly cheap. They can be updated if you send them in. There is a free update if you can prove you paid for it. There is also a trade in deal if you buy a new version.

The Russian Data is actually what Garmin uses. They negotiated a deal for all the imagery they had and used it to make the Blue Chart series data.

I think the "old" cmap are plenty good enough.

Being free is one thing but being better is yet another. They don't have to be that good to get you there but they don't have to be that wrong to send you to ruin either.

[Sonny]

Try joining the C-Map club, if I remmeber correctly they give you a better price and update one card a year free. In addition they have members selling cards they don't need or use anymore at very reasonable prices.

[Tom Spohn]

In addition to Sonny's good advice remember that C-Map offers significant discounts for US Power Squadron members.