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Electronic gear

Didn't want to pay for BlueChart.

Instead I went to OpenSeaMap, here...
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Open ... rt_plotter
...for a free vector map of the known marine universe and everything. It's not hi-res, but it's a lot better than what's shown in the photo above.

I combined the OpenSeaMap with NW Topos...
http://www.switchbacks.com/nwtopos/
...for land detail, but this extends inland only so far. In the Broughtons, if I recall correctly, it shows Echo Bay but not Paddlers' Inn or Burwood group.

When I'm home, in the next couple days, I'll try to remember to post photos of how these different map sources look on the GPS.
 
Here are pics of the two maps I linked above.

(I tried using the img tag with these URLs, but I got the message "It was not possible to determine the dimensions of the image." If anyone can help me with that, I'd be grateful.)

NW Topos:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/670 ... WTopos.jpg

OpenSeaMap:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/670 ... SeaMap.jpg

They're both vector maps, so they scale well. The OpenSeaMap data doesn't provide much detail, but it would get you to a waypoint handily enough, I'm sure. I loaded it on the device mainly because NW Topos didn't reach quite far enough into the inlets for our purposes.
 
DavidB,

I do not recall exactly what purpose you want these charts/maps to serve. They look pretty low res to me, but perhaps when zoomed in they are Ok?

If I were headed into the Burdwoods or similar island groupings, the existing CHS paper chart would be my preference.
 
Davidb, I followed the link to the topo map but didn't "see" where you got the "opensea" chart. Wow - islands where your camp waypoints are - what a concept. Thinking of taking a hammer to my $150 BlueChart :)

I'll have to investigate it more, maybe there was an upgrade I missed.
 
Designer- I'm assuming ur using a 78sc, right? Are u using the Garmin Homeport software (was $25 one time fee) for planning and setting up routes, waypoints and campsites on your desktop or laptop?

If your not, u should be. It super easy to use and allows u to put tent icons on any island/campsite you want. Infinite settings for how u want everything to look. The device and desktop/laptop links easily to the 78sc to download ur work back to the 78sc.

Also, much of the Garmin BlueChart 'screen clutter' can be minimized using settings on the 78sc if that's what ur using. I can elaborate if u want.

There are issues with setting routes and following them using HomePort, I can elaborate on that too if ur interested.

Good luck!

r32 (a formally very frustrated Garmin user)
 
Also, I forgot to mention above. No matter what Garmin product u own, go to the Garmin website, link ur device, and download the latest firmware and map software updates.

In my case, my 78sc (new 4 years ago) was missing a lot of updates when it was brand new, right out of the box.
 
designer said:
Davidb, I followed the link to the topo map but didn't "see" where you got the "opensea" chart. Wow - islands where your camp waypoints are - what a concept. Thinking of taking a hammer to my $150 BlueChart :) .
Something is goofy here.

Designer, what Garmin GPS are you using? Has the SW and firmware been upgraded? What $150 BlueChart did you purchase? Via D/L or CD or microSD? And which generation of BC did you purchase?

The Large Scale BlueChart should have all the islands correctly located, ditto all the bay openings, lodges, etc. It may not have much shoreline detail, but all the islands, bays, etc., should be spot on. Does your BlueChart have Echo Bay on it, with moorage, floats, etc? Does it show Billy Proctor's dock and float, next bay west of EB? How about the Paddlers Inn on Simoom Sound?
 
I'll look into it. I have the GPS76CSx (now discontinued). I did consider getting the 78, but I recall there wasn't much it added. I'm familiar with Firmware software updates (and I do use BaseCamp) but my experience is, the maps update if they are embedded in the device ROM, not added by inserting an external (micro SD) chip.

The BlueChart is supposed to be MCA001R dated 2001 - 2006 (10 years old but I'm sure those islands didn't just appear in the last 10 years).

"Detailed coverage of Queen Charlotte Strait and the Strait of Georgia from Bull Harbour, BC to Mt. Vernon, WA, including Vancouver, Nanaimo, Powell River, Desolation Sound, the San Juan Islands, and the Fraser River, and Quatsino Sound."

I haven't had success updating the chip while it was inside the GPS76CSx, maybe it will update if I plug it in via MicroSD to USB adaptor.
 
This is a real muddle, designer. Much of it came back when I researched your BlueChart, MCA001R. That is one of the old BlueCharts, distributed by Garmin in at least two formats, likely more. I own several BlueChart "regions", all off a single CD, each region being locked until you surrender the required fee to Garmin. The unlocked regions can be viewed via MapSource on a laptop, and downloaded to a handheld GPS. I believe your GPS gas that capability, but you acquired MCA001R on an SD card, which fits into a (proprietary) slot on your unit, and many other Garmin units, some HH, others chartplotters. While the card is in the slot, you can use any of its content on that GPS. The low end Garmin chartplotter I had on my power boat was like that, and I owned a card which covered "the Inside Passage."

Now comes the rub. IIRC, the Burdwood Group and other areas of the Broughtons distant from the most frequently used route up the Inside Passage (which runs along Johnstone Strait, not through the Broughtons) are only viewable in that useless format you saw on your 76CSx, at small scale, with poor resolution, and with misplaced islands, etc. I searched through the Garmin BlueChart library in 2009 or 2010 and could not find a large scale BlueChart which covered the NE part of the Broughtons. That's why I sprung for a TopoCanada software which at least had the islands placed correctly, and named properly, and was relatively inexpensive.

AFAIK, if my memory is correct, your 76CSx will run the Vision G2 charts which Garmin currently markets. I think the Broughtons are covered in that series.

Basically, Garmin flipped the bird at folks who refused to upgrade their Map60C's etc. to Map78's and higher so they could run the G2 Vision charts, and abandoned the old BlueChart format. I seem to recall some of this was part of a move to vector based charts in lieu of raster based charts, but I could be way off based on that.

I don't know if this helps any, but at least you now know you have plenty of company!
 
Dave,

Thank you for uncovering a bit of the mystery. As someone who made their living with computers for about 50 years, I am completely experienced with buying technology and being left behind - remember when they had fax cards built into printers and if your printer faxed to a number which turned out to be to another printer with a fax card, the printers would send the PostScript information instead of imagining at 180 dpi. So the transfer was way faster and the image would print out at the printer's resolution (300 dpi). That technology was probably dropped two weeks after I bought the printer fax card.

Looks like I will mostly rely on both paper charts, maybe google earth images, and the charting programs on my iPad Mini. I'll still bring the GPS for backup - great battery life - but from now on, instead of just entering waypoints, I'll use the "Map" option to see where it is putting that waypoint ahead of time.

Paul
 
designer said:
Davidb, I followed the link to the topo map but didn't "see" where you got the "opensea" chart.

On this page...
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Open ... rt_plotter
...look for "Pacific Northeast" under "Download," and select either Mac (.img) or MS version.

And, yes, is it very low-res, and I loaded it because NW Topos doesn't cover that area and because even though it's low-res it should get me to a campsite in dense fog.
 
Garmin software is a p.i.t.a. If you're not seeing the full detailed chart it's probably because you haven't loaded that particular map segment to the unit. These days I have a base file with all maps up and down the BC coast that I start with, then add my waypoints. This way my unit always has all the maps I might need.

But I'm ready to just chuck the thing and buy a cheap android phone with gps and load Navionics, which is probably better than Garmin anyway. And a lot cheaper.
 
stevenf said:
But I'm ready to just chuck the thing and buy a cheap android phone with gps and load Navionics, which is probably better than Garmin anyway. And a lot cheaper.

If I could use the touchscreen on my Android phone with the phone in a Loksak bag and with my hands in neoprene gloves, I would never have spent money on the Garmin unit.
 
I am getting in this thread a little late. I have been using an old Samsung Tab 10.1 (WiFi) rooted (super easy to do) running OS 5.1. I use the App "Memory Map" (for Android, IOS and PC).

I put the Tab in tethered waterproof bag. "Memory Map" is a great App and program. One can upload any US chart from their website. Electronic CDN charts need to purchased via a CDN chart seller. One can make routes and it has a great dashboard for following routes and navigating to waypoints.

For charging I use a Lion battery used in radio controlled model cars (S6 22V DC) (Hobby King) I have a Cigarette lighter style charger that is good for 12-24VC. At 22V the Tab only draws 0.35A (max). The charge rate (current) drops as the Tab's battery reaches 100%. And yes I always have paper charts (treated with "Thompson's water seal") and in a waterproof bag (case).

The Tab has a good screen (can be seen in the bright sun), and one can pick one of these up cheep (Ebay $60-150) so if it does get wet or damaged the $ loss is small.
 
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