Where to Buy Current NOAA Charts?

[hotajax]

Now that NOAA is no longer supplying their charts via USPS, where can you get them? Can't beat their detail. Thanks

 

[Salinity Now]

Not sure where you are in MD, but on the ship here in Norfolk we use these guys alot for navigation supplies (granted we get most of our charts from the DLA office here with the Navy but thats just b/c we're military.)

WT' Brownley's has everything you need or can atleast recommend someone in your area.

 

[hotajax]

Note for Mr. Salinity

Are you a navigator? Here's true story. I was a Norfolk sailor, too. Back in the old days before GPS, we were halfway across the Atlantic in a terrible storm. It was impossible to shoot stars. And we were waaaaayy too far from any LORAN stations. The only way to navigate was by dead reckoning until the storm passed and we could see stars. The skipper came up on the bridge and and asked the navigaor where we were. Lt(jg) Bonehead's response? "I don't have a clue, captain". The skipper sent him to his stateroom for the duration of the watch. The next time we put into port he was gone. I think the skipper dragged him down the brow himself. The moral of this story: If you're a dumb jock who played basketball for LSU, stay on shore. Yep, absolutely true story.

 

[Salinity Now]

Used to be a nav, im a chief mate now, but have always loved voyage planning and busy sea watches. I work for Military Sealift Command, currently on a Norfolk ship, just got back from 6th Fleet.

Ive seen some dumb ones out here, sad thing is, the technology is getting so much better now its letting young guys get licenses and run watches that have ZERO business making decisions onthe bridge of a ship.

Check with West Marine too, some of them can print on demand, although I dont like the paper, doesnt erase well and has a different texture than the typical DLA/NOAA charts.

I use a free web program "sea clear II" (google it) and have downloaded tons of charts up and down the east coast from the NOAA free boating charts download, theyre the same as NOAA's printed charts but uncorrected, still very handy for general (or even moderately specific) piloting and planning.