"in your footsteps" Irish wiki pilotage

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by Nick.K, Jul 14, 2014.

  1. Nick.K
    Joined: May 2011
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    Location: Ireland

    Nick.K Senior Member

    This site is brilliant, it is a wiki pilotage primarily for Ireland but it includes free viewing of (as far as I have browsed) all European Navionics charts in full detail. For me, this is a first, till now I haven't seen for example Irish or UK chart info freely available on the web.
    http://www.inyourfootsteps.com/
     
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  2. Yobarnacle
    Joined: Nov 2011
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    Downloadable charts have been available for many years. Having them saved on your hard drive, means you don't have to be online to use them.

    This site seems more information for novice boaters than a detailed "local knowledge" resource.


    http://www.inyourfootsteps.com/sailing/top30/
     
  3. Nick.K
    Joined: May 2011
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    Location: Ireland

    Nick.K Senior Member

    In some parts of the world there are freely available charts for download, but not as far as I have ever seen in Ireland or the UK; can you show me where? In any case, not everyone sails with a computer or chartplotter.

    What kind of detailed local knowlege would you like to see? Here there is all the tide and current data necessary for planning a trip anywhere around the coast. I checked out comments and directions for the area where I live (West Cork) and thought they were pretty good.
     
  4. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    When I enter a port I don't know very well, long absent, or first time, I call on radio requesting "local knowledge". Information as to location of docks, availability of fuel, fresh water, vessel repair, whatever the specific info I seek.

    I'll do a search for downloadable Admiralty Charts.

    Here is an excellent free electronic chart program and resources for free charts.

    http://opencpn.org/ocpn/

    Even with the most complete and expensive electronics available on board, you should still have aboard, and USE, paper charts.
    You have to buy them. Sorry.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2014
  5. Yobarnacle
    Joined: Nov 2011
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    Location: Mexico, Florida

    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

  6. Nick.K
    Joined: May 2011
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    Location: Ireland

    Nick.K Senior Member

    Thanks for your efforts but perhaps I'm being thick, but I can't get a free to view chart for my area (Baltimore harbour for example) out of any of those links.

    The Seazone site says that the charts are free to view, but it didn't work for me except for an overview.
    The open sea map doesn't show any charts for Ireland or the UK except for the south coast of the UK.
    The sail world article is about converting Google Earth images in to charts which is interesting but won't show rocks or underwater hazards
    I looked at the Admiralty site but (no surprise) I didn't find any free to view or download charts there.

    You didn't paste in the link for this..
    "Here is an excellent free electronic chart program and resources for free charts."

    But for me as an inveterate dreamer and planner (and occasional doer too) of extended small boat trips, the "in you footsteps" site is great because it gives all the detail necessary to investigate or plan. It's also really easy to share planning with someone else when anyone can go to the site and use it.
     
  7. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    Fixed.

    http://opencpn.org/ocpn/
     
  8. Nick.K
    Joined: May 2011
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    Location: Ireland

    Nick.K Senior Member

    Agreed, the open chart project is a great initiative, but it is a work in progress, the charts for Ireland have almost no hydrographic detail. Pasted below is a clip from the Footsteps navionics chart next to the open chart. (Anchored there for lunch on Sunday, a truly beautiful place, a horseshoe of rocks with a clean sandy bottom, flat water but the Atlantic surf breaking on the western side. Nesting gulls on the rocks and often full of basking seals. Note the symbol inserted by the Footsteps web)
     

    Attached Files:


  9. Yobarnacle
    Joined: Nov 2011
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    Seems my first assessment was in error. A valuable resource after all. :)
     
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