Paper charts & Guide books?

[Benjay]

Looking to get paper charts and pilotage/navigation guidebooks for the Bahamas and Florida Keys as a backup to electronic charts.

Everyone talks about Explorer Charts for the Bahamas. Look great. But they are only for Bahamas.

Maptech Chartbook looks great too, and includes Bahamas and all the USA.

Then there is the Waterway Guide which is just a guidebook but seems excellent and I will get that regardless.

So I wondered if I just get Maptech Chartkit everything and forget about the Explorer Chartbooks?

Or just get everything on backup iPad and phone??

Does anyone have experience on this topic?

Thank you ??

 

[O C Diver]

I would take a look at Aqua Maps. It runs on a smartphone or tablet. Can't speak to the charts for the Bahamas, but I've used them extensively on the East coast, Great Lakes, and some in Canada. The cost is minimal for lifetime free updates. They're available for both Apple and Android. Both Active Captain and Waterway Guide information and icons can be selected to appear.

Aqua Map - Marine GPS, Boating Charts, Lake Maps

Ted

 

[Hippocampus]

Struggling with the same thing. Decided on WaterwayGuide on the iPad. Explorer chart books/guides. Navionics on the iPad and two SD micros (Canadian maritimes to Chesapeake and Chesapeake to Bahamas) on C-map for the MFDs. Also have navionics for the MFDs. Added in a ICW flip chart book as well. Did this on advice of others. Get NOAA on the laptop for free. Have aqua map but no real experience with it yet.
Will follow this thread as very interested in judgment of others as to adequacy.

 

[Osprey69]

I think the OP was looking for an analog answer as a digital back-up

We have the Maptech chart-kits and their Guides. Been using them for decades and would not be without them. So there you go.

 

[Shrew]

Active Captain is a great resource, similar to the waterway guide. Though AC will require an internet connection.

 

[O C Diver]

Active Captain is a great resource, similar to the waterway guide. Though AC will require an internet connection.

One of the nice features of Aqua Maps is that all the Active Captain and Waterway Guide data is already downloaded to your device. While it's only current to the last download update, you can utilize the information without internet.

Ted

 

[Flatswing]

Aqua maps uses Explorer charts in the Bahamas - highly recommended. Waterways guides are useful but not mandatory since all the local info is embedded in Aquamaps. Paper charts are mainly useful for looking at the big picture. I still carry the Explorer chart books for that reason despite having a 16” MFD.