Where to get free Charts for East Canada / Nova Scotia ?

[Skip JayR]

Hi, folks !

... for "offline routing planning" I gave it a try to install OpenCPN 4.0.0 (Windows version9 on my desktop computer in the office. I completed the installation with the plugin "ChartDownloader 1.0".

Using it I only get US Charts with small segments of "Fundy Bay" to the Canadian Border (see attachment).

Actually I look for Electronic Navigation Charts covering the fully region of CAN Eastern Coast - "Nova Scotia" itself (with parts of Newfoundland/Labrador).


The chart service by Canadian Government demands a huge prize for a chart set, delivered by the CAN Hydrographic Service. E.g.

1. NOR-A Northern Canada
2. ATL-A Gulf of St. Lawrence
3. ATL-B Nova Scotia - Bay of Fundy
4. ATL-C Newfoundland East and South - Labrador

Each chart set is very costly (while the US charts are cost free), to be ordered at a prize of CAN $599.95 for each set (fully prize list as PDF).

Where to get "free ENC" sets of this region ? - I dont need very accurate detailled charts of high resolution... as for now its for pre-plannings, as I target at to migrate to Nova Scotia (see my thread here: "Legal aspects of living aboard in Nova Scotia (Canada)" and a 2nd thread "Liveaboards In Nova Scotia").

Does exist a data set of "Tidal Calendar" and "weather charts" (annually averages) for this region which can be integrated into OpenCPN 4.0.0 (Windows version) ?

Tks in advance for your support !

[Lepke]

There are no free Canadian charts. Each country usually does it's own surveys and chart printing or digital version. Canada has set their price, and you gotta pay. At least US charts are free, also NZ.

[hpeer]

Try Charts and Tides. Not free but like $40.

Vector charts.

[bcn]

In case you want just some charts and not a complete coverage you might go for selected S-63 charts, licensing for three monthes to reduce costs (The charts will remain visible after that period just with no updates any longer).
See S-63 charts in the manual.

A source for the S-63 charts is Chartworld.com.

[jannw]

google the following:

cm93 charts

And you should find your answer.

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by jannw

google the following:
cm93 charts
And you should find your answer.

Aha.... :-)

The most commonly used set of vector charts is the CM93 set, well known to yachties who have the ubiquitous MaxSea software. The great news is that the latest set of CM93 charts (2009 edition) are now available as a FREE and completely legal download. Having sailed a good number of rivers on Passagemaker (and with river charts being notoriously inaccurate or deficient in detail, often placing the ship on land!), we can vouch for improved accuracy of this latest set of CM93 charts.

(Source: Navigational Software )

... and some instructions:
CM93 Offsets | Official OpenCPN Homepage

There is a thread in CF, too
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...rts-63112.html

I think I can live with an "old 2009" edition for getting orientation offshore on my desktop screen. Will give it a try ! :-)

Many tks !

[transmitterdan]

Be extremely wary of CM-93 downloads from the internet. Many criminals know that CM-93 files are desirable. They will tell you what they offer is CM-93 files but in fact what you get is a virus that often the best virus software does not detect. Once you get the virus on your computer you can have lots of problems up to and including theft of your data and money.

[jannw]

meh ... CM93 from a torrent is almost certainly without problems. Google torrent if you don't know what that is.

[AnsleyS]

I do not know of any way to get free Canadian charts. I bought the atl series and the work fine on opencpn.

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

Be extremely wary of CM-93 downloads from the internet. Many criminals know that CM-93 files are desirable. They will tell you what they offer is CM-93 files but in fact what you get is a virus that often the best virus software does not detect. Once you get the virus on your computer you can have lots of problems up to and including theft of your data and money.

I am aware of that... tks. I was lecturer for Internet Security in Siemens Academy. So I am sensitive against such issues and risks. :-) Morons everywhere

Originally Posted by jannw

meh ... CM93 from a torrent is almost certainly without problems. Google torrent if you don't know what that is.

I am aware about torrents. Tks.

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by AnsleyS

I do not know of any way to get free Canadian charts. I bought the atl series and the work fine on opencpn.

You mean this, Ansley ? - These old charts are "PODs" = Print on Demand maps... or does exist an "electronic version" too ?

Atlantic Coast Sailing Directions


ATL 100E General Information, Atlantic Coast, 2007 $14.95
ATL 101E Newfoundland, Northeast and East Coasts, 1997 $14.95
ATL 102E Newfoundland and Labrador, East and South Coasts, 2008 $14.95
ATL 103E Newfoundland and Labrador, Southwest Coast, 2010 $13.95
ATL 104E Cape North to Cape Canso (including Bras d’Or Lake), 2010 $14.95
ATL 105E Cape Canso to Cape Sable (including Sable Island), 2001 $18.95
ATL 106E Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy, 2001 $18.95
ATL 107E Saint John River, 2009 $14.95
ATL 108E Gulf of St. Lawrence (Southwest Portion), 2006 $20.95
ATL 109E Gulf of St. Lawrence (Northeast Portion), 2006 $19.95
ATL 110E St. Lawrence River, Cap Whittle/Cap Gaspé to Les Escoumins and Anticosti Island, 2011 $10.95
ATL 111E St. Lawrence River, Île Verte to Québec and Fjord du Saguenay, 2007 $9.95
ATL 112E St. Lawrence River, Cap-Rouge to Montréal and Rivière Richelieu, 2009 $9.95
ATL 120E Labrador, Camp Islands to Hamilton Inlet (including Lake Melville), 2004 $18.95
ATL 121E Labrador, Hamilton Inlet to Cape Chidley (including Button Islands and Gray Strait), 2004 $18.95

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Try Charts and Tides. Not free but like $40.

Vector charts.

You mean the Navimatics app ?
Charts and Tides Marine Navigation App - Review of Charts and Graphs iPhone iPad Navigation App

It looks nice....
Charts&Tides for iOS 6

I dont use overpriced Apple products, never used... and never will use. I only have mobile devices based on Android as OS.

[affinite]

Originally Posted by bcn

In case you want just some charts and not a complete coverage you might go for selected S-63 charts, licensing for three monthes to reduce costs (The charts will remain visible after that period just with no updates any longer).
See S-63 charts in the manual.

A source for the S-63 charts is Chartworld.com.

@ bcn - Is that true ?
I downloaded some S63's from Chartworld earlier this year. They worked fine during the subscription period but disappeared from OpenCPN after it expired. I thought, like you, that it was just the updates that stopped.

[bcn]

Affinite,

the S-63s do remain. We have some from summer 2014 for example.
A reminder will pop up in the lower left corner telling you that you should not use the chart for sailing any longer and that is all.

A couple of questions:
You are still on 4.0.0?
What happens if you install the charts again - this will work with a warning when installing the permit.txt?
If you test the InstallPermit within the Chart/S63/Key tab, what happens?
Do you get any error and if which?
Did you update your Windows from 7 or 8.x to W10 perhaps? Then you will need a new InstallPermit.
Or did you change the time zone of the PC?

Hubert

[affinite]

Originally Posted by bcn

Affinite,

the S-63s do remain. We have some from summer 2014 for example.
A reminder will pop up in the lower left corner telling you that you should not use the chart for sailing any longer and that is all.

A couple of questions:
You are still on 4.0.0?
What happens if you install the charts again - this will work with a warning when installing the permit.txt?
If you test the InstallPermit within the Chart/S63/Key tab, what happens?
Do you get any error and if which?
Did you update your Windows from 7 or 8.x to W10 perhaps? Then you will need a new InstallPermit.
Or did you change the time zone of the PC?

Hubert

Hi Hubert
I think it depends on the source.
I haven't tried the steps you've outlined but I did get a response from Chartworld when I emailed them to query see below ...

thank you for your interest in or products.

We as ChartWorld are selling just the licenses to use charts from different chart producers. In case of official ENCs it is not possible to purchase chart licenses which will not expire but only for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months.

Alternatively we could provide you with chart folios from the private chart producer Navionics. These chart folios needs to be purchased for a license subscription period of 12 months as well but after the expiration of these 12 months you are still able to display the charts. You will just not receive any updates for this folio anymore if the license has been expired. An example for one of these folios is 1I03013 (Eastern Mediterranean Sea).

I hope you find this information of use.

Best Regards,
Gunnar Ruediger
Head of Customer Services EMEA
Global Customer Services Team
Chartworld International
Hamburg: +49 40853586940
Singapore: +65 65133500