* pete wrote, On 6/23/2007 2:09 PM:
I haven't been on a boat in a while but, to celebrate his safe return
from Iraq, my son and I will take a week-long charter (C&C30) this
summer from Boston to the Vineyard. So I naturally went to Bliss
Marine for charts. But there are no charts, not the familiar kind that
get smudgy and wet, and tear at the folds, and become raggedy and
illegible.

How have navigation aids evolved in ten years, and what do you guys
use for charts nowadays? I see that there are downloadable charts, but
I haven't yet been able to dowload them; and besides they'd print as
8-1/2x11 in B&W.

Thanks!

-- Pete

I sail in that area and use charts from Maptech:
http://www.maptech.com/water/index.cfm

Unfortunately, you would need about $80 worth to cover your trip - the
Boston area waterproof kit, and a couple of additional charts for
Buzzards' Bay and the Vineyard. Many modern GPS units have the charts
built in, and you can get all the charts for a PC essentially free,
but nothing replaces the "paper in fist" approach.

All of the Maptech products should be available at Bliss, by which I
assume you mean the West Marine in Woburn. Although pricey, the
waterproof charts won't wear out, tear, or become soggy. You can also
get the large paper Chartkit that is Canadian Border to Block Island,
but I don't like to use that in the cockpit - it generally stays under
my berth.