So. Nova Scotia Charts

[Leo MacDonald]

Hi All,

I plan an offshore cruise from / to Groton, CT / Halifax, NS (1-2 day lay over) / Groton, CT in ~July 2006.

I'm looking for a website that has charts of the Halifax Harbor / Approaches that I can download and print on my home printer. Specifically areas covered by Canadian Chart Nos. 4201, 4202, 4203 and 4320. (I have Chart No. 4237.) - Something like the MapTech website.

Any suggestions? Or, would anyone have these charts and be willing to part with them (short term or long)?

[Michael Heintz]

Leo,

I was just recently at a seafood reasturant. The had great placemats, charts of the entire East Coast.

I'll try to remember the name....oh..I remember...it was the Chart House
<img src=http://www.heintzwasson.com/clients/machtnichts.jpg>

[Tod Mills]

.....has not taken the same path that ours has in making raster navigational charts (or ENC's either for that matter) freely available to the public. Instead, as I understand it, all electronic distribution is done with $$ associated from Nautical Data International:

http://www.digitalocean.ca/DigitalOcean%20E-Store/


Hopefully one day they will make them freely available.

If someone knows differently, please speak up.

[Bill Starck]

Leo,

I don't know of any free electronic Canadian charts.
Since you know the chart numbers, I assume you have the catalogue of charts. You can also check the catalogue on line at www.charts.gc.ca. I have been getting my NS charts from Armchair Sailor in Newport, RI. I have to get some new charts for Halifax, if you want, I can pick up copies for you and mail them to you.

Do you know what day you will be leaving for Nova Scotia.

Bill Starck

[Mike]

Leo,

Bellingham chart printers sells Xerox copies of charts. I've used them as backups to electronic charts. Because they are printed in grey scale only (no color) they can be hard to read. I wouldn't use them for harbor charts but for offshore use they are OK.

You might consider just buying the charts you need. Sure it's a hundered dollars but, as Dave Potts once said..."the ability to avoid submerged objests, priceless."

Mike

[Matt Cawthorne]

Leo,
Get charts printed on good quality paper and get the large zip lock bags to keep them in. Last year a few fellow Cape Dory types and I sailed to Cape Breton from the Chesapeake. We sailed well offshore to stay away from the crusty stuff at the edge of the continents that can make a mess of your bottom. We did find, however, that for two days we were in some heavy fog off the southern shore of Nova Scotia. It is like the fog in Maine, but much thicker and wetter. Even with the plastic bags, the charts got very wet. When planning your trip, consider the Bras 'D Orr lakes. All of the beauty of Nova Scotia, but without the fog.

Matt

[Steve Laume]

When I was doing a bunch of canoeing, kayaking and hiking I would print out things on the internet or make copies of maps and charts then lay them out and spray them with clear lacquer. You have an instant water proof chart or map of whatever area you need. Even with an ink jet printer the colors will not run no matter how wet the thing gets. You need to do both sides. Just get a spray can and you can have a mess of water proof charts for cheap. Not quite as durable as those place matts but pretty close, Steve.

[Tod Mills]

...any more, I've been buying waterproof chartbooks, but for places where I don't have that available, your solution just might be the thing.

A rainy trip with a non-waterproof chartbook in a ziplock type chartbook bag was less than satisfactory for me, especially since the paper wasn't the best quality. The pages were sticking together and starting to fall apart.

[Leo MacDonald]

Hi All,

Called Marine Consignment of Wickford to buy a bag of charts he was selling covering from SC to Newfoundland (CDSOA Members get a 10% discount) - they were already gone

So, I bit the bullet and ordered the Canadian Hydrographic Service charts Nos. 4201, 4202, 4203 and 4320 yesterday from John at Federal Publications Inc., 165 University Ave., Toronto, ON, CN M5H 3B8, 888-433-3782, info@fedpubs.com (http://www.fedpubs.com/charts/ns_south.htm>.)
They charge $20.00 CDN each (plus $12.00 CND for shipping.

Fair Winds,
Leo

[Leo MacDonald]

Hi All,

I now have all the charts previously mentioned above plus an offshore chart that goes from NJ to the very south-western tip of NS.

However, my current US charts go east to Cape Sable Isl., NS (the south-western tip of NS) while the Canadian Charts go as far west as Isle La Have, NS (sp?). . . I’m missing approx. 1 degree of longitude

1. Anyone know the number of a US or Canadian chart that would cover that area?

2. Anyone have a chart covering that area and be willing to part with it?

3. Anyone know a source for the above chart?

Thanks in advance

[Cathy Monaghan]

Leo,

.....I'm looking for a website that has charts of the Halifax Harbor / Approaches that I can download and print on my home printer. Specifically areas covered by Canadian Chart Nos. 4201, 4202, 4203 and 4320. (I have Chart No. 4237.) - Something like the MapTech website......

Most of the electronic charts are not meant to be printed on a home computer without special software like Chartbook Maker and even then they are not to be used for navigation. Most electronic charts should be used with navigation software on a computer or chartplotter.

If you want to be safe during your cruise and be sure to avoid rocks, ledges and other hazards, you really do need to purchase the official charts. But you may be able to buy the grayscale charts -- they're usually cheaper. Try Bellingham Chart Printers for the grayscale charts.

Happy and safe sailing,
Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan bay

[Loren]

Hi Leo,
I used the 2/3 sized Bellingham Charts 2 years ago for a trip along the coast of Nova Scotia. They did the job and had good detail in the harbors. Full sized color charts are a little easier on the eyes but the extra time I spent studying a certain area was worth the $ saved. In general they are the same charts. (I used a magnifying glass a couple times while checking the next days route)

Fair winds,
Loren Lyndaker
SV Whippoorwill