[btw, I do have a mac, so thanks for the tip. Note the ENC charts are
free to download, so the cd you are geting is more of a convenience
bundle.]


The problem is that there are so MANY different locations to get
updated. If you are actively cruising, it is difficult (or at least
it is for me) to keep up with all of the different areas.

I agree with this. It's not hard to deal with, but it requires a lot
of due dilligence. I am not a full-time cruiser--I go on trips once a
year. I would have to either:
1) get all charts early on, and update constantly for evey possible
location where I might cruise as NM and LNM come out, or
2) update the charts needed for my cruise with all information since
the last update.

For me, either option is too much. I just came back froma trip down to
St. Mary's River, in fact (was there in June), and I admit that having
an up-to-date chat would have been helpful. But I was able to get by
quite nicely with the existing charts, a copy of Reed's, a local
cruising guide, a pair of eyes and some common sense. So this is my
option 3.

Next year I'll try the ENC charts; those apparently are updated on-line
with NM/LNM.



Like in the Alligator River where they've added buoys around a shoal.
I'm not very sympathetic to the power boat that waked me that goes
charging down the river without noticing the new buoys and goes hard
aground.

You ran into that guy too? The irony in this is that, when I passed
the powerboat hard aground (he also had a towboat next to him, but they
weren't doing much yet), the _powerboat_ asked _me_ to slow down so I
wouldn't wake him and damage his stern gear!

Cheers
Y