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**Dockhead** · 14-09-2017, 01:30

I suppose the owners of VisitMyHarbour won't mind my reproducing an email I received from them this morning:

"For paid members we now have UK-IRL and some "World" charts available to view in their PAPER format (around 400 of them). Exactly the same as the paper charts, with panels and useful navigation information intact. In the Admiralty new colour schemes, slightly paler.. This is suberb cartography at very high resolution and well worth studying, with HTML5 versions available for tablets too.

"Sometimes with all the electronics, we forget the sheer beauty of a paper chart, the quantity of carefully chosen information crafted in to the finished sheet...

"Click HERE for sample tablet compatible chart. They are in separate folios in the members area.

"If you haven't joined up yet, it's worth joining just for these high res charts alone.

"More info coming October about the Hi-Link yacht hoist (tested afloat this season), and an incentive scheme to get you contributing harbour information articles.

"Take care afloat.
The VMH team"

I am using VMH's up to date official "for navigation" raster charts of all UK, France, and Netherlands waters, as I have been doing for some years now, but THIS is available to anyone who has paid the modest one-time fee for lifetime membership.

For anyone who loves the art of navigation and loves good cartography -- this is a feast. It's a shame these guys don't cover the Baltic and other waters.

To have this kind of cartography for the whole Baltic would cost many thousands per year, and I don't think it's even available as raster charts for all areas. The only comparable supplier of cartography is NV Charts, who simply do not cater to long distance sailors who need to cover wide areas. NV are perfect for those who do all their sailing in one small area -- you get good paper charts together with the electronic ones. But they only update them once a year, and they are bloody expensive -- one small portion of the Baltic costs more than entire UK and Atlantic Europe from VMH.

Those of you sailing in the Channel and other UK waters -- if you're not using VMH, you should have a look! They are a treasure! By the way, the UK harbor pilotage information is the best available and is absolutely free to anyone!

**Pete7** · 14-09-2017, 01:58

A really good website so they deserve a little promotion because they supply so much information to sailors for free

Free charts, tide tables and pilotage : from Visit My Harbour

I have been adding updates and photos to some of the harbours they cover in the UK.

Pete

**Dockhead** · 14-09-2017, 02:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

A really good website so they deserve a little promotion because they supply so much information to sailors for free

Free charts, tide tables and pilotage : from Visit My Harbour

I have been adding updates and photos to some of the harbours they cover in the UK.

Pete

If you'll visit me in Cowes sometime this autumn, I'll introduce you to the owner. It's a tiny company run out of a little storefront on the High Street in Cowes. The guy is kind of dour, but what he is doing is absolutely fantastic. I wish he would either expand to take over at least all of Europe, or other companies would implement the business model. It is a godsend for the long-distance sailor. Do you have their raster charts of UK waters?

conachair · 14-09-2017, 10:24

Got the same email so I must have sent some money their way at some point

And is indeed a excellent site for anyone sailing that way. Pity the charts further south aren't on Google earth so no way to get them into Opencpn (ge2kap can do this) but that doesn't detract from another very useful resource for a cruising boat. Wasn't that long we were hunting for the little copy shop with stacks of already copied charts under the A1 copier to try and get something for the next leg of the cruise, now there is just so much great info on the web, from the likes of VMH, navionics web app, noonsite, Spanish charts are on there and the slowly increasing o charts for OpenCPN.
Down to us as well, updating or adding to the likes of zuluwaterways.com, noonsite etc is a good thing to be on a cruisers to do list.

**Pete7** · 15-09-2017, 03:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Do you have their raster charts of UK waters?

Believe it or not, no but only because I have paper charts for almost everywhere I can get to in a fortnight from our home location. However, I might buy a set just to keep at home.

Combining raster charts and Google Earth sounds interesting and needs investigating, something to do this winter.

Pete

**Dockhead** · 15-09-2017, 03:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

Believe it or not, no but only because I have paper charts for almost everywhere I can get to in a fortnight from our home location. However, I might buy a set just to keep at home.

Combining raster charts and Google Earth sounds interesting and needs investigating, something to do this winter.

Pete

A complete set of digitized, up-to-date, official, "for navigation" Admiralty charts for the entire UK cost only 32 pounds from VMH! They seem to have reduced their prices again. This is ridiculously cheap!!

They come on a USB dongle so you can move them between home and the boat. Use them with OpenCPN or any other nav program of your choice (but O is the best).