Plotter only, no paper charts? How do you do this......?

[LadyInBed]

I have more or less given up on paper charts.
I have an encapsulated home drawn A4 graph paper chart that cover Poole to Ald, Cher and Barfleur, and another that covers Cher to St Malo and Paimlop area.
Everything else is done either on the chart plotter or the charts in 'Bloc Marine' or Reeds.

 

[Nick_Pam]

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I imagine (maybe wrongly) that you and the OP are talking about very different kinds of sailing.

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Not so....same (almost) cruising waters.......you make a fair point that only so much can be carried on board and only so much planning can be done....at the end of the day, the skipper's decision in a particular scenario is the best one.

My point was purely that the more information carried and the more planning done, the lower the risk of danger.....the comment on printing a passage plan was very tongue in cheek!!!

 

[westhinder]

Re: Plotter only, no paper charts? How do you do this......?

I am also planning a cruise in a new and fairly large area. I am in the process of deciding which nav program/electronic charts to buy to run on a mini-pc. I am lucky in that I will be able to borrow older but corrected paper charts to keep on the chart table at all times. Pilot books for the relevant area have been bought new.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Plotter only, no paper charts? How do you do this......?

Thanks, everyone, for the input. We are overwhelmingly of the same opinion that paper is still highly desirable if not essential. Personally, I only ever use the laptop with C-Map cartridges in harbour when passage planning and these days I seldom do that - I find it quicker to draw pencil lines on planning charts and then get some sensible waypoints onto the plotter. I never, ever, use waypoints from reference books or buoys, cos you hit something if you do. At sea I use a purpose built plotter - with paper on the table.

Thanks everyone for great input.