Chartbook for BC coast?

[Mycroft]

We really like our Maptech Chartkit book of PNW charts. A buttload of charts for a lot less money. We're heading up the inside passage this Spring; is there a similar product for the BC coast and southern Alaska?

[jackdale]

The following Canadian Hydrographic Service charts are good for the southern portions of the inside of Vancouver Island. 3313 and 3312 also include notes from Sailing Directions.

Gulf Island 3313

Sunshine Coast 3311

Desolation Sound and Jervis Inlet 3312

[DRussell]

Need a bit more than that to get up the inside, it's always good to have the most detailed charts but for a quick reference/overview Evergreen publishing has a very nice, large enough map book with general course heading and reciprocal for most of the coast as well as a lot of interesting local history and knowledge. The information isn't the most up to date but still good. Title is: Exploring Alaska and British Columbia $80 CDN http://evergreen-pacific-publishing....products_id=14


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[NewMoon]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

We really like our Maptech Chartkit book of PNW charts. A buttload of charts for a lot less money. We're heading up the inside passage this Spring; is there a similar product for the BC coast and southern Alaska?

Maptech only goes as far as a little beyond Nanaimo. The Marine Atlas books vol 1 & 2 cover all the way up to Skagway, but most of the charts are not at a very detailed level. Fairly good for planning and better than nothing for backup.

Friends of ours print from their PC nav program on 8.5x11 pages for backup. NOAA has "booklet charts" you can print.

We carry ~ 90 of the full sized charts, as we started cruising the Inside Passage before detailed chartplotters were available. For SE Alaska, we bought "portfolios" of B&W photocopies, for far less than the full color charts. The photocopies are on thinner paper, so fold and store more easily than regular charts. At one time there were also 2/3 size photocopies available. Not sure if either of these are still available.

UPDATE - Bellingham Chart Printers still shows SE AK chart portfolios available, both full size and 2/3.

[Mycroft]

Thanks guys. Good tips!

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

We really like our Maptech Chartkit book of PNW charts. A buttload of charts for a lot less money. We're heading up the inside passage this Spring; is there a similar product for the BC coast and southern Alaska?

Hi Mycroft,

I'm not aware of any current chart books of the area per se, but if you haven't already, do look at the resources available from Fine Edge.

The areas you plan to visit are our home waters for now, and we can highly endorse the Hemingway-Douglass books [linked above] for your areas of interest. [Edit: They are also among the few that offer routine updates online...]

They are cruising guide books, not chart books...

We have experience with electronic charts from Navionics, C-Map, Garmin, etc. and they are all very good for the NW Pacific coast...

Wishing you a great trip.

Cheers!

Bill

[Cimarron]

Charlie's Charts North to Alaska makes a nice supplement to the Hemingway guidebook. It has wonderful sketches for many harbors and their approaches along the way. Because the Hemingway guide is so popular, it's worth noting that any place it mentions is a draw for several other cruisers. When we want solitude, we use it to decide where not to go! I got a good giggle on the docks in Petersburg last summer. One couple mentioned how refreshing it was to see working boats in the harbor. I thought that was sort of an an odd observation, since most harbors in SE have a lot of working boats. A short time later, another couple made the same comment. I got out my copy of the guide, and sure enough, it was a quote from their description of the harbor.

[bobofthenorth]

Be sure to pick up Sailing Directions (equivalent of US Coast Pilot). You'll need 2 books to get all the way to Prince Rupert - 201 and 206 I think bicbw.

You probably won't use them often but if you anchor out a lot they are invaluable.

R.J.(Bob) Evans
www.bobandmarilyn.ca

[Lepke]

The US has a Sailing Directions (Pub. 154) for BC and most of the Pacific It can be downloaded as a pdf for free here:
Maritime Safety Information
It is similar to Coast Pilots with info on navigation, landmarks, currents, etc. Designed for ocean mariners entering the waters for the first time.

[topmast]

After a long time trying to gift all my charts to Skagway (inside) I gave them to Boater's Exchange in Sidney.He may still have them.

[japarker11]

Mycroft,
This info may be dated and I am providing it from dated brain cells.

*** Our research in 2013 indicated full size charts were required aboard foreign flagged vessels transiting Canadian waters. Chartbooks do not comply with this requirement.

*** Unlike NOAA, Canadian Ministries charge for charts. For the complete set of BC charts and the equivalent of our Chart One, totaled $600.

*** There is some accommodation for electronic vector charts. Compliant charts are provided to Canadian citizens at reduced rates, which is how we obtained ours.

*** Even after obtaining these vector charts and cross referencing the douglas' guidebooks which contain GPS lat/lons. We were surprised to find significant areas of north coast that were based upon marine surveys as old as 1867. Needless to say this discovery was made on a dark and stormy night attempting anchorage in a tight rock strewn cove. And yes, we had previously switched datum. Radar and forward looking Depthsounders saved the evening. Anywhere near BC Ferry routes, the marine surveys were much more modern and corroborated with radar and Depthsounders.

*** Once crossing back into SE Alaska, the USGS/NOAA cartography was on par with lower 48 in terms is cost and accuracy as far north as Lat 59N.

*** As far as the Canadian requirements, there seemed to be no enforcement attempts or procedures to enforce. As for the dated survey data, does not Canada have more coastline than Russia and 10% the population. Just manning a superbly capable Coast Guard is enough IMHO.

*** And after your eyes have had enough transitioning to the Canadian buoy system, you have gone back and forth from the charts to Waggoners to the Explorer series and to the vernacular used by Environment Canada in the VHF weather forecasts, pick up Reanne Hemmingway Douglas book, Cape Horn, and read how cruising was in the good old days. Gives perspective to their Explorer Series and a great read.

Things change so fast, hope most of this is still accurate. We are headed south, so haven't attempted to verify current status. It was a fabulous 5000 mm shakedown cruise over two years. Know that anyone who heads north from Port McNeil will have the adventure of a lifetime.

John P



Sent from my LG-V410 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Mycroft]

Wow, sounds like no easy solutions other than digital charts. Thanks everyone!

[Perdiem]

Originally Posted by topmast

After a long time trying to gift all my charts to Skagway (inside) I gave them to Boater's Exchange in Sidney.He may still have them.

Boaters exchange has closed, but I too have been trying to gift a nearly complete set of older charts that cover from the Columbia River to the BC - Alaska border including the out side of Vancouver Island.

They are from the mid 80's but might satisfy any rules we have about paper charts (hadn't heard that before).

If anyone wants them they are in Victoria, BC - until my wife makes them 'disapear!'

Cheers,
Gregg

[Wulf]

Originally Posted by Perdiem

If anyone wants them they are in Victoria, BC - until my wife makes them 'disapear!'

PM sent

[Strait Shooter]

I'd like to throw my hat into this ring as well.
If no one else is coming to get them, let me know.

Thanks....

John