Sea of Cortez Nav

[djstude]

Does anyone know what the best program is for the GO7 Simrad for Cruising in the Sea of Cortez? Trying to decide between C-Map and Navionics.....In the past I have not been pleased with Navionics in the Sea of Cortez...Curious to know if C-Map has been successful for anyone... Thanks

[mikereed100]

Both will likely be disappointing. I use OpenCPN with cm93 charts, which are fairly useless outside of La Paz. I have supplemented this with charts made from Google Earth using GE2Kap on OpenCPN. This is time consuming, but the charts are dead-on. Used in conjunction with Shawn and Heather's guide for depth this is all you need. You must still be careful to use the electronic or paper charts to mark reefs and small islands that do not show up on GE.

[Viking Sailor]

OpenCPN allows you to correct the CM93 ed2 charts datum. This allows you to move Mexico charts to match the received GPS positions.

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by Viking Sailor

OpenCPN allows you to correct the CM93 ed2 charts datum. This allows you to move Mexico charts to match the received GPS positions.

That is useful but unfortunately, even when corrected, they still lack useful detail for anything other than passage making. The problem being that there are no detailed paper charts for Mexico that electronic charts can be drawn from. Luckily, using GE2Kap we can make our own charts with as much detail as we want.

The aforementioned Shawn and Heather offer digital charts for most of the more popular anchorages with soundings that are very useful. If you have their guidebook, it contains the same chartlets so you don't really need the electronic charts, although they are nice to have. We usually enter anchorages with OpenCPN and GE2Kap running on the laptop and Shawn and Heathers chart on the Ipad.

[Viking Sailor]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

That is useful but unfortunately, even when corrected, they still lack useful detail for anything other than passage making. The problem being that there are no detailed paper charts for Mexico that electronic charts can be drawn from. Luckily, using GE2Kap we can make our own charts with as much detail as we want.

The aforementioned Shawn and Heather offer digital charts for most of the more popular anchorages with soundings that are very useful. If you have their guidebook, it contains the same chartlets so you don't really need the electronic charts, although they are nice to have. We usually enter anchorages with OpenCPN and GE2Kap running on the laptop and Shawn and Heathers chart on the Ipad.

Funny! When I enter an anchorage I use my eyes and brain to see and figure out how and where to park the boat. The last thing I need to be doing is fixating on a chart (electronic or otherwise).

[jamhass]

None are great. CMAP ok at the harbor level where available. Navionics ditto. Otherwise Sean and Heather your best bet, either hard or electronic.

[Captdd]

Ahoy,

I've sailed out of La Paz and grounds North to Loreto a couple of times. I agree with Mike in using Paper Charts and regular depth soundings as even the charts were off a bit here and there due to shoal movement, (plus the charts are missing a few rock outcroppings).

Old school, Charts, Depth and a sharp eye!

You'll be fine!

Cheers,

Captd

[iseadreamer]

I would agree with captdd with the caveat to use charts as only very general reference. We have been sailing this area for 19 years and trust our depth soundings and eyes primarily for anchoring. Hurricanes and tropical storms do change Sea of Cortez anchorages; usually, not dramatically, but you might find your charts and chartlets with errors regarding local conditions.

[contrail]

Cruised the Sea of Cortez for 13 years (1991-2004) with a simple GPS (pre plotter days), radar, and various cruising guides such as Charlie's Charts, the book by John and Patricia Raines, Gerry Cunningham's stuff and a 40 year old cruising guide that gave a wonderful take on the Sea of Cortez before very many people had been there or much stuff had been built.

Like all navigation, it was interesting, but certainly not really challenging. Wonderful place. Electronics can make our cruising more complicated, not less, at times. Our eyes almost always make it simpler, however.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, djstude.

[atkinsoa]

Spent last winter in the Sea of Cortez with Navionics on the I-pad. It's true,
some of the islands are just not where they should be according to the charts. Even my Ais had me on the wrong side of an island a couple of times. Charts are good, but not if you can't trust them on a moonless night
while passing close to land. Paper charts, and the books mentioned above are
still essential.