C- MapNT

[david_e]

I have to buy my first cartridge for the GPS Plotter, would be interested to know if they change much from one year to the next in respect of updating. Have never used one before so am itching to have a bash but have still got plenty of other things to be doing before next season if it is worth waiting.

Where is to best place to buy them?

 

[Trevor_Smith]

I have one for sale -
Dartmouth to Southampton M-EW-B050.05 Purchased Feb 2001 - little used now in Portugal and heading South!
£60 ono

email tsmith.beacon@virgin.net


1910060902kh

 

[ZEBEDEE]

I have one fitted and would suggest that to find what you want you can go to www.c-map.co.uk and get good idea of coverage. Standard or better still Standard alternative (if there is one for your area) give the best coverage and were all updated earlier this year (Feb) I get mine from www.seachest.co.uk but you should be able to get them at local Chart shop. Unless you need them I would leave purchase until later just in case they do update them.

 

[pandroid]

They are reputed to be updated twice a year. Certainly, in common with many yachtie things, they are updated in the spring, so unless you need it now, its worth waiting until then.

 

[david_e]

Thanks all.

Trevor, sailing is limited to Wales and (hopefully) Ireland. Thanks anyway.

 

[billmacfarlane]

Depending on which area you want covered David , have a look at the super wide ones. They come in 16 MB cartridges and cover a very large area. I'm going to update mine once /year , the obvious time to do it being the start of every season.

 

[david_e]

Agree, the NT+ format in wide+ will give me just about as much info as I should need in the first instance, this is why I was interested in which time to buy. Think that for most of the time the area we usually sail in is fairly quiet in terms of changes but if we manage to do Ireland next year, which is the plan, then having the most up to date will benefit.

Would like to think I had the time to do super wide!

 

[BigLes]

I would wait until Spring to buy a new cartridge, and make sure it is the latest version for 2003. But don't forget that you can send cartridges back to C-Map (or take it to your local C-Map dealer) and for a fee (about 25% of the purchase price I think) they will update you cartridge.

I bought 2 secondhand cartridges that give me coverage of the whole of the channel (both English and French coasts) for £30 each, and even after updating it worked out less than the cost of new cartridges.

 

[tcm]

Re: annual renewal

er , in truth, the catridges don't change very much at all. The coast is the same, and the moderate lack of buoys is the same, and even if the buoys are suposed to be there as with a brand chip or new paper chart, they still might not be there in reality. Useful aspect of gps chart plotter is partly to see "are we nearly there yet" and for skiper to see if vaguley on track. Won't use it for an afternon jolly, imho. Updating every year a bit excessive. Especially for all those (here?)who reckon to do it all in pencil and hardly use the gps, let alone the plotter. 30 quid an awful lot to pay for slightly changed (and still not g'teed 100% correct) buoyage in relatively deep seas for leisure use, imho?

 

[jimi]

Re: annual renewal

I would agree completely with this view on the basis that you will have uptodate paper charts and that or the pilot book will be what you'll use mostly for pilotage anyway.

 

[jfm]

They dont change much. I can sell you a year old Solent, 60% of new price. Also Caribbean, Sydney Harbour Aus, about 2 years old, 40% new price. PM if interested, and I'll look up the exact serial numbers so you can see the coverage

 

[david_e]

Re: annual renewal

Ta, so what I need is a used version for my local area to play with now and get it updated if when ready. off to the wanted ads.

 

[ulava]

try comparing prices with www.online marine.com