San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Forums > Topical Forums > San Carlos Sailing Forum > Electronic chart accuracy sea of Cortez
San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Forums > Topical Forums > San Carlos Sailing Forum > Electronic chart accuracy sea of Cortez |
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Blue Moon Member
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I'm looking to buy a GPS chart plotter with future radar capability for my 30 ft sailboat "on the hard" in San Carlos Marina Seca. The question is ?... which brand of electronic cartography and chart plotter? -Navionics Gold or platinum: Ray Marine C80/Lowrance HD-8// -Garmin Blue Chart G2 or vision: model??// -C-Map: Northstar/ Navico M84// Who's electronics charts are the most accurate in the Sea of Cortez, Baja west side and Mexican west Coast to PV and south. Any recommendations and personal experience(s) would be welcome. |
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Duetto Member
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I have found that none of the chartplotters, raymarine or garmin or others I can think of are accurate in the sea of cortez. Mainly because there just isn't good cartography for the area. This seems to be the consenses among sailors I have talked with as well. Last edited on Sun Feb 8th, 2009 10:48 pm by Duetto |
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bartmanaz Administrator 
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There have been several threads on this issue in the fishing forum. To read those, go to the fishing forum and then do a search using the box at the top of the page for garmin, raymarine, etc. Check the box that says search this forum only. General concensus is that the electronic charts are based on really dated paper charts and are not as accurate as we'd wish. Bart |
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Hook Member
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While they are ALL inaccurate, you might want to search for a unit that allows you to correct the error on a temporary basis, based on visual references on land and on the chart itself. Some Furunos do this; it is called "offset". You move a crosshair to the visual position on the chart that you appear to be, press a button and it "offsets" the entire chart by that amount. Better accuracy but still not something you'd want to be anchoring in in a fog or at night. When you shut the power off on the unit, it does not memorize the offset. |
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Blue Moon Member
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I realize that all are inaccurate in the sea of Cortez and Mx in general & I have the Gerry's charts..... I,ll be using the e-charts south to Acapulco. Once I head North of the line and up into BC then they are all good. Are the Navionics equal , better or worse than the C-map Max. Ill get whichever Chart platter has the least error in the San Carlos La Paz area. thanks  |
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glitter Member
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Forget the electronic navigation. There are no good electronic charts for the SEA. But there are good paper ones. Learn how to use them! This will come in handy when your GPS dies. This will give you something to do between fetching beers below! |
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Vince Radice Moderator 
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I agree trust no electronics they will fail on you eventually, learn coastal piloting, it is pretty easy actually!! |
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Blue Moon Member
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Thanks for your input- I think the point has been missed. I agree with you totally ... Coastal Piloting?? Have been practicing it since the 70's up and down the west coast of North America. Outside of site of land sextants and compasses are the rule & yes my sailboat would never be without the proven tools and good charts. Was only interested if someone had used the updated Navioncs based chart plotters or the C-Max type. |
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Coloradosailer Member
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Just read your post after returning from SC. I just installed a Raymarine C70 Chartplotter and the Navionics charts for the area ($199 version). While none of the chart software is 100% accurate, I must admit that it was pretty good. I only used it within 15 miles of San Carlos. The true test will be when I take it a bit further, of course. To me, it is just another tool to use when coastal cruising, although an expensive one. What steered me to Raymarine is that it can easily be networked to other Raymarine devices that you have, such as radar, autopilot, etc, which I have. You need to be a bit careful though, as my radar is older and will not network (to my suprise) through their proprietary "sea talk" networking. If it wasn't for that, I would have certainly considered the Garmin, just because it is a bit less expensive and might be able to use the same chart software with one of their handhelds (good backup system) Just my 2 pesos having just gone through the same process that you are. |
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Vince Radice Moderator
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When you are in San Carlos does the Chart show you as being on land or on Water. As you guys are aware the west coast of sonora is charted a little west of its true location. On both my raymarine and humminbird the boat through a electronic miracle becomes amphibious and allows me to travel on land. |
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Hook Member
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My Cmap-nt chart shows me on land often. Raymarine is not the only mfgr that offers networking, i.e., connnecting with your radar, fishfinder, etc. Pretty much all of them do; Simrad, Furuno, Garmin. Not sure about Sitex (actually, not sure if they are even still around). Raymarine was, unfortunately, one of the mfgrs that decided to CHANGE their communication protocol AFTER they introduced their first networkable units. That pissed alot of guys off. |
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jonjen Member
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The new Navonics chip 2008 actually puts you right on...older ones put you on land...I know talking with Navonics they are updating constantly because they are only in the mapping business unlike others who rely on the paper map inputs and data...if you want when you are here I will demo the two chips for you on our Lowrance and you can see..thanks jon |
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Aaron Member
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Jon, glad you posted this. My Navionics chip must be the older one, because it puts us about 1/8 east of where the boat actually is...I'm going to contact Navionics and see about an upgrade, because otherwise, the mapping is actually pretty good. |
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fitz Member
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What is the number of your navionics gold chart. I notice that there are two out there for the area the 17xg and the 17xg-2 |
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jonjen Member
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The new chip is WM #10225639 and the navionics #is SD/12XG-2 hope that helps jon and jen |
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fitz Member
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Thanks for the info on the chart. It sounds like you have the west coast U.S. chart. I am actually buying the Central America Carribean chart 17xg-2. I think the dash 2 is the important update. |
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Aaron Member
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Yeah, don't think mine has the "-2", but it is the 17...sounds like I many need to get the new one...I sent a note to Navionics, but they never replied. |
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