TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Do you need both Cruising and Anchorage Guides?

Hi all, Fairly new community member here. I Have been stalking posts for the last 6 months. I have responded to a few posts but this is my first ask to the community. I know you will treat me well. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Looking to pick up some guides and was wondering if both the VI Cruising Guide and Anchorage Guide are required?

Is there a lot of overlap between the two? If you could pick only one, which would you pick?

We plan on mooring for the most part being novice sailors so not sure if the anchorage guide is needed?

Thanks. I will be posting my draft itinerary "intensions" plan in the next couple of weeks. Looking forward to your advice and comments.

Cheers!

I got both and I'd go with the Cruising Guide if I had to pick one. More info on each destination and pics basically provide the same info you'd want for choosing and entering an anchorage, just smaller. The other one is more like a calendar. Still nice to have just not quite as useful.

The cruising guide along with a chart is all you need.

Agreed ... the cruising guide has all of what you will need.

Agree that if only going for one, the Cruising Guide is really all you need. We did buy both for our first trip down and liked having the aerial views from the anchorage guide. It was easier to visualize the different areas on our first trip down.

The cruising guide always gives good info but having an aerial view of the anchorages gives a great perspective that is very useful and a huge visual input for a new visitor to that particular spot.

The cruising guide in excellent. The Anchorage Guide makes a very nice coffee table book. The Anchorage Guide is not about anchoring, but beautiful visuals of the BVI anchorages.

Awesome thanks for the advice. Since I am in Canada, I may just pick up the cruising guide here to assist with planning. I can pick up the anchorage guide when I get there and hopefully save the shipping, brockerage costs.

How are the charts that Mooring provides? are they adequate or is it better to invest in a set of my own? If so, Can anyone recommend a good chart set for the BVIs?

Thanks again.

I got "Waterproof Chart #32B" also an Ocean Graphics #25641. I sit in my living room most nights and go over them. By the time we go on our trip I am pretty well familiarized with everything on them. I don't take them on the trip with me the charts on the boats are usually pretty good. The cruising guide should be all that you need. The Virgin Anchorages isn't necessary it has the same pictures and descriptions as the Cruising Guide.

I am such a visual person I loved the Anchorage Guide, i know it's no gauge of depth but it certainly is nice to see where the sandy bottom is!!!

Hi fellow Canuck <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/canada.gif" alt="" />

Welcome to the board and never hesitate to ask questions here. great resource.

We have Garmin GPS and lots of paper charts but Ward likes his navionics on the iPad also. The cruising guide is very helpful when first exploring the many amazing anchorages. we used ours faithfully . Can't comment on the other one but we used Google .earth to check out lots of spots to get the lay of the land sometimes.

Have fun planning..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks Eh! Agreed great resource. We will be sailing with some New Brunswickers. Too bad that our trips won't overlap!

Question on the Navionics app. for the iPad. Does it need data to run? As a Canadian you know how bad our cell plan and roaming charges are.

thx!

I just bought an ipad Air 2 and loaded the Navionics app on it. All it needs is the GPS chip which means you have to have cellular capable ipad. But you don't need to activate it.

So this will work without a separate roaming plan?? So far I just rely on the boat cell and Internet when at spots with wifi. Love not being 'connected' but miss easy weather details. Also Canadians suffering from cell plan...
(J from NS,D from NB).

Cellular service is not required to use the Navionics app. It would be nice to be able to have a data plan for using the ipad to access weather information but it is not required by the Navionics app.

Can you purchase the cruising guide once you get there? If so, where?

I would strongly suggest purchasing the Cruising Guide prior to your trip. It contains a great deal of information that will help with your planning. You can read it at a leisurely pace and make notes as you go along. Frank, a TTOL sponsor, offers the guide at a generous discount.

So for the Navionics app just need a newer ipad with cell capabilities and then purchase the app? Or do you need anything else? Sounds like a good option for back up GPS/ charts.

We have a cellular iPad so can't comment on ability of non cellular but assume it would work with gps ... . Purchase the app then the charts separately . We used it to sail in Greece also and very accurate . We have a ram mount and a water proof protector too

You might find this a good resource prior to your trip. It's a large file.

http://www.visailing.com/about_us/virgin-islands-eguides-low-res.pdf

The Moorings chart is the standard one all companies use. It's all you need. When you book the boat the Moorings was sending a cruising guide. I understand they now give to access to download a online version.
G

The Moorings stopped sending the cruising guide about 3 or 4 years ago You would think with what they charge for a charter a $35.00 book wouldn't break the bank. Even raise the cost of the charter enough to cover the book and it wouldn't be noticed on a $7000.00 the $35.00 cost of a book is a drop in the bucket. They are supposed to send a link to the online version but I chartered this year and the link was no place to be found, the book from last year hasn't changed so it was no big deal.

Wifi only iPads do not have an internal GPS. Cellular capable models do and it functions whether or not you are using the cellular feature.

So, you need either a cellular capable iPad or a WIFI only IPad with an external GPS like bad elf.

In November they were running a 7 day free trial on the charts which worked out great. I liked it enough that I'll purchase the charts before our next trip.

FYI. The latest version of Google Maps on the IOS supports offline maps. I downloaded the Bvi area before I left the states. I used this 3 weeks ago while I was in the BVI. We had a center console and no navigation. I know the waters there and did not rely on it but it did work. This would give you the satellite view of your anchorage.

I was awesome. I thought I had a screen shot but I don't see it.