I should add a standard comment -- that you look at charts other than
NOAA/NIMA and BA. Most seafaring countries have charting agencies --
the major ones chart the whole world, the minor ones only their own
waters.


Good comment! FWIW, I think you'll want French charts for FP and New
Caledonia, New Zealand charts for NZ and Tonga (also "Western" Samoa
and the Cooks). You'll need to mix Fijian and BA charts for Fiji.
Most NOAA/NIMA/DMA charts may be copied legally and copies are okay,
but outside of the American territories are often very, very out of
date. For places like Vanuatu and the Solomons that's no big deal as
there aren't any nav aids or any better charts available, for FP and
even Tonga and Fiji the US charts do not show the current nav aids.
Also, get the sailing instructions (US pubs 120, 125 & 127 I think,
but look it up). They too are out of date, but a lot of the cruising
guides are based on them anyway and they are full of great
information. Most of the charts you will be using are not corrected
(and may not be correctable) to wgs84. Avoid gps assisted groundings
by using good light and eyeball piloting! Any good chart agent will
be able to get any of these charts for you (I use Pacific Map Center
in Honolulu). BA charts are the same price the world around
(expensive!), NZ and Fijian charts are about $16 us bucks depending on
exchange rates in NZ or Fiji (more here). It is generally hard to get
charts in the islands, so buy them before you make landfall. US
planning charts are a bargin. Pilot charts are of pretty limited use
in this age of weather fax and e-mail. For parts of Tonga and FP the
Moorings charter company prints very good cruising guides and charts.

Cheers,

-- Tom.

I found the USA weather fax from Pt Reyes useful for a few hundred miles.
Then Honolulu until I got to Papette
see. It was not always easy to receive faxes but I relied on the twice daily
verbal weather broadcast from WWV time at Honolulu
http://www.blackcatsystems.com/radio/fax.html#SCHEDULES
After that I got faxes from Australia


IMO, from the Cooks to Fiji to New Zealand the New Zealand met service
faxes are the best. The Honolulu faxes are very bad, but the only
game untill you get to about 15S. I do like the cloud picture they
draw and the sat picture for the North Eastern South Pacific, other
wise they are trash. The AVN based grib files should also be treated
with a good deal of caution in the south pacific. English voice
weather can be had from NOAA, Fiji, and New Zealand (maritime radio)
on HF, but faxes are better.

Cheers,

-- Tom.

For a long voyage like Use to Australia.
The number of charts needed is enormous. and if originals are purchased the
total cost is in the $1000s.
I used Bellingham reproductions supplied in portfolios for each area. and
had no trouble.
see Bellingham at http://www.tidesend.com/index.htm

Barry
"Jim Woodward" wrote in message
om...
I should add a standard comment -- that you look at charts other than
NOAA/NIMA and BA. Most seafaring countries have charting agencies --
the major ones chart the whole world, the minor ones only their own
waters.

In particular here, the SHOM (French) charts of French Polynesia are
much more recent and offer much more comprehensive coverage than
either NIMA or BA. AFAIK the only USA stocking agent is Captains
Nautical, in Seattle
http://www.captainsnautical.com/

You will also want to look at Fiji and New Zealand charts.

Jim Woodward
www.mvFintry.com

"Geoffrey W. Schultz" wrote in message
04.17...
This winter I'll be headed through the Canal and off to French Polynesia
and then to New Zealand for hurricane season. I'm not sure what sources
I'll have for radio weather faxes. Who transmits what and on what
frequencies/times/etc? Are their web sites that I can preview what I
can
see what they're transmitting?

Thanks, Geoff