Where to find a nautical chart?

[nola mike]

looking to find a navigational chart for the lower potomac. i've seen the noaa ones (i'm looking for #12286), but would like something that includes POIs--marinas, restaurants, etc. i saw someone with a "road atlas" type book that looked like it fit the bill, but have been unable to find anything either locally or online.

 

[bekosh]

Re: Where to find a nautical chart?

I think this should be right up your alley.
**Note** I don't know anything about this book. It was just the first thing to come up on a Google search for "cruising guide potomac".

Product Description
This is the most authoritative boating guide on the Potomac River from Washington DC to the Chesapeake Bay. The book has been useful to mega-yachters, kayakers, and vehicle drivers traveling along the roads near the Potomac River. This guide addresses Potomac River marinas, restaurants, museums, and points of interest. The book is enhanced with 88 black and white photographs, 35 NOAA chart extracts, 38 marina dock sketches, 46 useful GPS waypoints, and five shoreside locality sketches. Like all Heron Island Guides, this one is loaded with history and geography making it deeper and more satisfying than many other guidebooks.

About the Author
Captain Rick Rhodes has lived on boats in the Potomac River during most of the 1980's and 1990's. His sailboat was primarily based on the lower Potomac, while his powerboat was usually docked in Washington. This is the third guide written by Captain Rhodes since leaving the Peace Corps in 2000.

Discovering the Tidal Potomac: A Cruising Guide and Boating Reference, Second Edition
http://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Tidal-Potomac-Cruising-Reference/dp/096658662X

 

[nola mike]

Re: Where to find a nautical chart?

hah! that was one of the only things i found on amazon...it was already in my shopping cart. i'm also trying to find just a waterproof chart of the area with all that other info on it as well. went to west marine today and found that the maptech stuff seemed like it would work, but they were sold out. also, weirdly enough, there isn't an option to buy on the maptech website for my area (#22 on their overall map).

 

[arks]

Re: Where to find a nautical chart?

Sounds like you want a "chartbook". They don't make one specifically for the Potomac, so you'd have to get one for the whole Bay. In my opinion ADC makes charts that are easier to read then Maptech.
Here's a link to the ADC Chesapeake chartbook:
http://www.amazon.com/Chesapeake-Bay-VA-Chartbook-8th/dp/0875305849

Of course, you could view and download whatever chart you want for free from NOAA:
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/AtlanticCoastViewerTable.shtml
You can also order a waterproof chart from that site.

 

[nola mike]

Re: Where to find a nautical chart?

yeah, the adc book was the one that i had seen earlier and couldn't remember. it has more info on marinas/etc than the noaa charts. however, i'd really just like my relevant chart (#12286) instead of a big heavy non-waterproof book. guess i'm asking too much?

 

[bekosh]

Re: Where to find a nautical chart?

One thing you could do is print out the chart(s) you need from a free chart viewer and take the print to an office supply store, Office Max would be one, and have them laminate it in plastic. Presto! Waterproof chart.

Here's a good place to start looking for free viewer programs and charts.
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm