Downloading Canadian Charts

Does anyone know how to download free Canadian charts? i.e. 1000 Islands

Unfortunately Canada sells its chart through a third party, what type of digital device are you wanting them to run on? You may however find 1000 Islands on the the US charts from NOAA.

Canadian Charts

Hi Mike:

American sources seem to treat Canadian waters like they don't exist. I'm trying to view the charts on open source software on a tablet.

Thanks, Bob

Hi Bob
What software and tablet type, i find it funny that they are free for download in the US and not in Canada. I guess it is because of the deal the struck with NDI many years ago.

boblizj said:

Does anyone know how to download free Canadian charts? i.e. 1000 Islands

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There is no such thing as a free Canadian chart.

Canadian Charts

I'm running OpenCPN software on a Windows 8 tablet.

Northern Spy said:

There is no such thing as a free Canadian chart.

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Northern Spy, I have used OpenCPN for about 5 years but I recently did something that deleted my Canadian chart. I understand that I will have to buy a new one but I can't determine which one I need. I have a raster chart that basically shows from the border up to Ballenes but nothing in the Trincomali Channel, etc. I want a chart or charts that will show from Vancouver Island to the mainland coast from the border up to the Broughtons.
Can you recommend the charts I need or a suitable package?

KDA said:

Northern Spy, I have used OpenCPN for about 5 years but I recently did something that deleted my Canadian chart. I understand that I will have to buy a new one but I can't determine which one I need. I have a raster chart that basically shows from the border up to Ballenes but nothing in the Trincomali Channel, etc. I want a chart or charts that will show from Vancouver Island to the mainland coast from the border up to the Broughtons.
Can you recommend the charts I need or a suitable package?

Click to expand...

Canadian charts for OpenCPN are purchased from o-charts. All they have is Vector. CHS is quickly moving away from raster. You might be able to find the last available raster charts from CHS here. As stated above, there are no free Canadian charts.

Not factual, but memory, dock talk etc. NOAA and CHS charts used to overlap considerably. Then NOAA and CHS got into a pissing match and decided not to do that any more. Dock talk told me it was CHS. NOAA charts are free because some people / groups fought for it, more dock talk.

And now a rant. If I want current raster-ish charts for US and Canada I'd go Navionics. The tablet app is affordable at about $50 / yr. I say raster-ish because Navionics charts are not true raster but they more resemble raster in appearance. To see if you might be happy with Navioncs mobile device charts go to Navionics Online Chart Viewer. Not as robust and functional as the mobile app but you will get to see what the charts look like.

For me, that's saying something. I'm not a fan of Navionics. But the future is clear. NOAA and CHS are dropping raster. Their vector charts in my opinion are not what I want, not enough visual detail. Takes more time and effort than I like to find the info I want / need.

I don't like that I'm being pused the propritary chart products. But that's the way it is.

I believe you can sign up for a free trial of Navionics, that's what I did when we bought our boat and I wanted to try it out for when we had to move our boat.