Which paper charts for the Baltic?

Rivers & creeks

Rivers & creeks

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We're going to the western Baltic next year via the Frisians and Kiel canal. We've got a full suite of electronic charts but want the paper ones to study the areas we're visiting. Chart choice is sometimes down to the aesthetics of the use of colour, I personally find Imray the best with its use of strong colours. What options are available for the Baltic and which have you found best?
 
You want the Dutch Koninklijke Marine / Dienst der Hydrographie 1811 and 1812 for the Dutch Frisian Islands.

I can't remember what we used for the German Frisians -Reeds is OK for the canal

For the Baltic (western end) the Danish N V Sportschiffahrtskarten series 1-4 according to where you want to go.

I think you can get all these in the UK

Got some of them in front of me now but as we are going back in 2017, I don't want to loose them - where are you? Could do a loan!
 
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There are one or two brands of chart pack available. They seem to be much the same and are not very different to my old packs, some of which are 25 years old. If you can't get them before you go, they are widely available in chandlers, and even some harbour offices such as Norderney. As well as charts, there are handy harbour guides available for free at harbour offices, called something like Sejlerens. They are not a substitute for a good local pilot but have useful information.
 
There are 2 sets of folios published by dielius Klasing and NV (nauttische verofffentlichung) which come with booklets giving details of the harbours, in Danish and German. I would recommend looking at just one of those publishers, both of which cover lots of the southern Baltic, otherwise you get a lot of duplicates. Also there are some by Bundesamt fur seeschifffahrt undHydrgrafie (bush.de) without the booklet (and I am not sure if they look outside Germany).
For the Netherlands, get Koninklije Marine 1800 series covering the Dutch frisians, or NV do a bound set. Get up to date ones, though, the Frisian channels move every winter, if not more frequently.
In Sweden, there are some excellent booklets "Batsportkort"
 
Thanks all. I looked up that bookharbour link and they all come with a CD but couldn't find the paper only ones?

Frisians is a problem as we're doing that bit at Easter so it'll be before the new charts are out? Thankfully we've got Navionics on the iPads so we get the latest updates. We won't be going behind the islands so it's a question of keeping to the buoyed channels.

Thanks for the dielius Klasing and NV names, I'll track them down via Google. Is there a graphic anywhere that shows a map with the Admiralty charts? I think they do Baltic ones but on a large scale. Useful for passage planning.
 
I would echo the Danish portfolios. There is also a set for the German Frisians I think.

When you say that you will not be going behind the islands - does this mean that you intend to use the seegats, or stay outside the Frisians all together? If outside, there used to be warnings of fines for yachts who unnecessarily stayed in the buoyed channel when entering the Elbe. No idea what it is like nowadays If you intend using the seegat to get out to sea from the mainland, then it may well be worth checking latest information for places like Terschelling if the latest charts aren't out.

It could be that you plan for either eventuality - if the weather is poor it makes sense to go through some of the canals to make progress, but round the outside if you want to gobble up some miles.
 
When in doubt, the buoyed channels will usually be your best guide. Note that many charts, such as the Dutch series, don't change the depth contours with each edition but the buoys will be correctly placed. Thus, you may find yourself crossing what appears to be drying ground without enough water from the tide.

Generally, coming from the UK, you will be arriving in Frisian entrances at high water, so navigation is not too hard, though the tidal range is quite small. If the weather is against you, you may want to go inside at some stage in order to make progress. Delfzjl to Norderney is a commonly needed short cut of sorts and is passable with a draft of 1.8m or so.
 
Colvic Watson said:
Thanks all. I looked up that bookharbour link and they all come with a CD but couldn't find the paper only ones?
Click to expand...

If you look at the contents the NV packs have a folio of paper charts (if like the French ones neatly spiral bound). They also include other stuff, including the CD. But can just ignore the CD like we did, if already have electronic charts
 
Last year we asked in the regular chandler in IJmuiden for the Dutch 1800 series charts and were told that they are no longer issued every year - lack of cash, apparently! You should be ok with the NV folio if you are on the outside route, but ask at the harbours for any local problems, and if the buoys differ from the charts, follow the buoys - you frequently find yourself sailing over drying, or even dry, areas as the channels change.
In the Elbe approach, just keep to the channel between the huge green posts and the large green buoys - the big ships are between the large buoys, and you really don't want to mix with them -maybe there are fines, but they are the least of your problems. You have to cross the ship channel near Cuxhaven or Brunsbuttel, but it is reasonably easy to pick a gap because the channel is narrow. However, it tends to be rough and the tide is very fast. There are usually loads of yachts doing the same route.

You may want to consider the Standing mast route through the NL, if the weather is not too good. Thre is an invaluable booklet (in Dutch) which tells you all you need to know. Staande Mastroute published by ANWB.

On the charts, you will get a better choice if you buy them in NL or Germany, and they may well be cheaper, and you get a chance to look at them to see which you prefer. There are not that many chandlers on your route though. For planning, use your electronic charts.

If you are somewhere near us (Essex) then Send a PM to find a time to have a look at our varied collection of charts. We will be going back to the Baltic again this year, though.
 
Crossing the Elbe shouldn't create a problem with the authorities. As far as i have been told, a yacht motoring or sailing free should proceed directly across, though not necessarily exactly at right angles as one would in a TSS. A boat tacking can use the shipping channel so long as it stays well clear of shipping.

I have seen chart packs for the Baltic for sale at Laboe and Heiligenhafen, and I think in the HM's office on Norderney, as well as other places further east.
 
You can use the standing mast route round to Defzjl. The section from Harlingen to Lauersoog is very attractive and worth doing for its own sake. The next bit through Groningen is less so and can be slow through the town. There is a decent marina in Delfzjl. The timing for the next bit is fairly critical if you are going to Norderney but usually there are other boats doing the same trip. It can be as quick going inland Texel-Lauersoog as outside. Texel has its own brewery.
 
The standing mast route gets you to Delfzijl in the very east of the NL. There are canals through the German bit to the Elbe, but you have to take your mast down.
We usually go IJmuiden, North Sea canal through Amsterdam into Markermeer and IJsselmeer, but it can be a bit quicker to go outside to Den Helder or Texel. Then we do Harlingen to Leeuwarden and Lauwersoog on the canals if nasty, or via islands (and watt passages) if nice. Lauwersoog - Groningen and Defzijl on canals if nasty, or Lauwersoog straight to Borkum if fine. Then consider going inside Juist to Norderney (we go inside Borkum as well, but that is very shallow!). Then wait for good weather and get the tides right for the long jump to Cuxhaven.
Coming back is more of a problem, since the prevailing wind is against you and the favourable tides are shorter. We almost always duck behind the German Frisian islands - which are lovely, but the watts are not for everyone.
 
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