This page offers a brief description of each type of digital chart that we supply, together with an introduction to digital charts.  There is a link under each chart type to the relevant selection maps.  Once you have selected the chart, please make a note of the reference number and follow the link back to the relevant page in the shop.

   Admiralty / RYA Electronic Chart Plotter

A very simple system, making it an ideal introduction to electronic navigation.  Each CD comes with around 15 ARCS charts and the necessary navigational software, all on one CD.  No other running software is necessary. For use on a PC or laptop.  New editions released each calendar year.

Imray Digital Charts     

 A very simple system using digital versions of standard Imray charts with integrated GPS plotter software.  This provides all the essential tools for using Imray charts on a PC.  They can be corrected by downloading and text details are then anchored to each chart.  New editions are released every two years.  They are available on CDs for use in a PC  or laptop and are high quality images of about 8 Imray charts integrated with GPS software for use on PCs or laptops.  They combine the full range of electronic navigation functions whilst retaining the familiarity of Imray charts.

   C-Map Charts          

C-Map NT+ and C-Map MAX are vector charts available on either cartridge for use in GPS plotters or on CD for PC applications.  The chart area is seamless and is available as an area of coverage rather than a folio of discrete charts.  In the area purchased, there is complete cartographic data and it is possible to zoom out for an overview, or in for maximum detail.  There are three size areas: Local, Wide Megawide. 

The MAX has additional features such as multi media objects such as aerial photos of marinas and approaches, tide and currents animated with arrows, dynamic depth contors with 32 levels of blue, land contours, dynamic NavAids which can be animated to show the flashing light sequence.

   Garmin Blue Charts

BlueChart is Garmin's exclusive marine cartography, designed to compliment Garmin's range of hand held mapping products and marine chartplotters.  It provides interactive viewing of detailed nautical chart data and looks just like paper charts when displayed on a Garmin chartplotter. It provides interactive viewing with descriptive details viewed by a key press, cursor movements provide contour depths, chart number, etc.  There are two sizes: Small and Regular.

  Maptech

The coverage maps for Maptech Charts are shown at the link above.

   ARCS

ARCS Skipper is the small boat electronic chart product from the UK Hydrographic office.  They are raster scan format, using British Admiralty charts.  The charts are dongle protected (a small security device that plugs into a PC parallel port).  A minimum initial purchase of one folio of 10 charts is necessary and a dongle, permit number and pin number will be issued.  These numbers will be necessary for subsequent ARCS chart purchases and the charts will only be licensed to work with those numbers.  ARCS charts have the same name and number as their Admiralty paper chart equivalent and can be purchased in set folios of 10 charts, user defined folios of 10 charts or individually.

DIGITAL CHARTS - THE BASICS;

All digital charts fall into two categories; Raster or Vector.
Raster Charts - these are a scan of paper charts, for example the standard Admiralty paper charts are printed from the raster ARCS charts. Raster charts are similar to paper charts.. Some software will 'quilt' the charts together (otherwise when navigating, it is possible to sail off the edge of one sheet and on to the next - although the software may automatically open up and display the next chart. When zooming in on a raster chart, no extra detail is added - the image simply gets larger. For more detail, it would be necessary to purchase a larger scale chart for that area. Examples of Raster charts are ARCS and Maptech.
Vector charts are re-digitised charts whose data is built up from layers of information such as depth contours, buoyage and bottom detail. The data is seamless and it is normal to buy the complete chart data for a particular area. Within the area purchased, the user has complete cartographic coverage and can zoom out for an overview or zoom right in for full harbour details. As the user zooms in, the plotter or software, displays more and more detail from the chart data. With Vector charts, there is interaction with the host system and it is possible for the user to interrogate chart symbols (eg buoys) and see their flash signals etc. It is also possible to choose not to display various chart layers in order to improve clarity and usability of the plotter. Examples of Vector charts are C-Map, Livecharts, BlueCharts, Euronav Livecharts and Nobeltec Passport charts.
 

For most systems, it is necessary to purchase chart plotting software.  There are two systems that allow you to get started easily as they have integrated software - so you only purchase the CD chart folio that you require - these are the Imray digital charts and the RYA/Admiralty chart plotter.  Both use CDs and are designed for use with a PC or laptop.