Paper Nautical Charts Catalogue – Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop

Introduction

The paper nautical charts catalogue of Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop brings together the main series of printed charts used for coastal, offshore and ocean navigation. A paper nautical chart represents the coastline, depths, soundings, hazards, wrecks, navigational marks, lights, channels, regulated areas and harbour infrastructure in a precise and standardized way.

Paper charts continue to play an important role in voyage planning and navigation. They make it possible to work directly on the route, measure distances, plot bearings, prepare waypoints and maintain an overall view of a maritime area. They also provide a navigation medium that is independent of electronic systems and their power supply.

Choosing a nautical chart does not depend solely on the destination. The scale, area covered, level of detail, type of chart and chart producer must also be considered. A chart for an Atlantic crossing does not serve the same purpose as an approach chart for Brest or a detailed harbour plan of Marseille.

What is a paper nautical chart?

A paper nautical chart is a printed cartographic representation of a maritime area designed to support navigation. It brings together information derived in particular from hydrographic surveys, bathymetric data, navigational aids, port infrastructure and regulatory information.

A nautical chart can be used to identify:

• depth contours and soundings;

• isolated dangers and shoals;

• wrecks and underwater obstructions;

• buoys and other navigational marks;

• lights and their characteristics;

• channels and traffic separation schemes;

• submarine cables and pipelines;

• regulated or prohibited areas;

• ports, approaches and anchorages;

• landmarks and other useful navigation references.

Paper nautical charts are available at different scales. This makes it possible to use appropriate chart coverage for everything from an ocean passage to a detailed approach to a harbour.

Different nautical chart scales

Scale is one of the first criteria to consider when selecting a nautical chart.

Ocean and passage charts cover large areas and are intended for offshore navigation. They can be used to plan a route between distant regions, such as a passage from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean.

General charts provide an intermediate representation suitable for planning routes across large maritime areas.

Coastal charts provide greater detail and are particularly suited to navigation along the coast.

Approach charts are designed to assist navigation towards a harbour or a coastline where more precise navigation is required.

Harbour and anchorage plans use a large scale to show basins, channels, berths, entrances, obstructions and depths in greater detail.

The Shom paper chart catalogue is notably organized into general charts, ocean and passage charts, coastal charts, and ports and anchorages. This classification provides a useful framework for understanding how to select a nautical chart.

Shom paper nautical charts

Shom – Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine is a major reference for French maritime cartography.

Its chart portfolio covers the English Channel, North Sea areas, Iroise Sea, Atlantic coast, Bay of Biscay and Mediterranean Sea, as well as French overseas territories and maritime areas.

Shom charts can be used to plan navigation around Dunkirk, Calais, Dieppe, Le Havre, Cherbourg, Saint-Malo, Brest, Lorient, La Rochelle, Royan, Arcachon, Bayonne, Marseille, Toulon, Ajaccio and Bastia.

The conventional C series represents an important family of printed nautical charts. Different formats and scales are available. Shom also produces L charts, including folded formats that are particularly convenient for recreational navigation.

For example, different Shom chart numbers cover the areas around the Cotentin peninsula and Bay of Seine, Marseille and Toulon, or the island of Corsica. These examples illustrate why the chart number and scale should always be checked before selecting a particular chart.

Admiralty paper nautical charts

Admiralty charts, produced by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, are widely used for international navigation.

They cover the British coast, English Channel, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Caribbean, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and many other regions worldwide.

They can therefore be used for navigation around Portsmouth, Southampton, Dover, Rotterdam, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Madeira, the Canary Islands and throughout the Caribbean.

For international navigation, Admiralty charts can complement charts produced by national hydrographic offices. The appropriate choice always depends on the geographical area, required scale and type of navigation.

Paper nautical charts for the Atlantic and English Channel

The English Channel and Atlantic coast are particularly important navigation areas for French recreational boating.

The English Channel includes areas around Dunkirk, Calais, Dieppe, Le Havre, Cherbourg, Granville and Saint-Malo. The Iroise Sea, around Brest, requires detailed chart coverage because of its islands, channels, currents and numerous coastal hazards.

Along the Atlantic coast, charts may cover Lorient, Concarneau, Belle-Île, La Rochelle, Île de Ré, Royan, Arcachon, the Arcachon Basin, Bayonne and Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

The Bay of Biscay also requires suitable chart coverage when navigation moves offshore. For a voyage towards Spain or Portugal, charting requirements gradually change from coastal navigation to offshore navigation.

Specialist publishers such as NV Charts also provide paper chart series covering the French coastline, including areas from Dunkirk to Cherbourg and from Brest southwards towards the Spanish border.

Paper nautical charts for the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean Sea is another major navigation area covered by paper nautical charts.

In France, important cruising areas include Marseille, Toulon, Saint-Tropez, Cannes and Nice, as well as Corsica with Ajaccio, Bastia, Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio.

Beyond French waters, chart coverage may include Sardinia, Sicily, Italy, Croatia, the Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea, Greece and the Aegean Sea.

For a Mediterranean cruise, several levels of chart coverage may be required: a general chart of the Western Mediterranean, a coastal chart for a particular region, followed by approach charts and harbour plans.

Shom, Admiralty and NV Charts can therefore meet different requirements depending on the geographical area and type of navigation.

Paper nautical charts for the Caribbean

The Caribbean Sea is particularly well suited to the use of paper charts for navigation between islands, reefs and anchorages.

Charts may cover Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, Antigua, the Virgin Islands, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Cuba.

NV Charts provides chart series covering areas including the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Leeward Islands and Windward Islands. Caribbean charting must take into account reefs, shallow water, passes and sometimes narrow channels.

For an Atlantic crossing from the Canary Islands or Cape Verde to the West Indies, ocean and general charts can be used for route planning, while coastal and approach charts become important near the islands.

Paper charts for offshore and ocean navigation

Paper nautical charts are not limited to coastal navigation. They also play an important role in the preparation of major ocean passages.

An Atlantic crossing, a voyage towards the Azores, Madeira or the Canary Islands, a route to Cape Verde or a round-the-world voyage require a different charting strategy from local coastal navigation.

For an ocean passage, the navigator will generally begin with charts covering the overall route and then supplement them with more detailed coastal and approach charts when nearing land.

A round-the-world voyage may therefore combine several chart producers: Shom for certain French areas, Admiralty or NGA for international regions, national hydrographic offices and specialist publishers for particular cruising areas.

Why use a paper nautical chart?

Paper charts offer several advantages for voyage planning and navigation:

• Overall view: a large maritime area can be viewed at the same time.

• Route planning: courses, distances and bearings can be plotted directly.

• Energy independence: the chart does not depend on a battery, display or electrical system.

• Complement to electronic navigation: it provides an independent cartographic reference.

• Crew work: several people can consult the same chart simultaneously.

• Traditional navigation: it supports position fixing, bearings and graphical plotting.

• Shore-based planning: an entire route can be studied before departure.

Paper charts are therefore particularly useful when integrated into an overall navigation method combining route planning, positioning, nautical publications and verification of available information.

How to choose a paper nautical chart

Several criteria should be checked when selecting a paper nautical chart:

• the exact geographical area;

• the chart number;

• the title;

• the scale;

• the level of detail;

• the intended type of navigation;

• the format;

• any available variants;

• the edition and applicable corrections.

It is also important to distinguish a chart intended for an ocean passage from one intended for harbour approach. A general chart should not automatically be considered a substitute for a large-scale chart when the situation requires more detail.

Chart users should also check the currency of their paper charts and the applicable corrections before navigation. Official hydrographic offices provide mechanisms for keeping charts up to date through navigational information and notices to mariners.

Paper cartography for every type of navigation

The Nautic Way paper nautical charts catalogue is intended for a wide range of users: recreational sailors, offshore navigators, fishermen, racing sailors, professional mariners, yacht delivery crews, sailing schools and long-distance cruisers.

The same voyage may require several chart series. A voyage from Brest to La Rochelle requires coastal chart coverage for Brittany and the French Atlantic coast. A Marseille–Corsica–Sardinia route requires several Mediterranean charts. An Atlantic crossing from the Canary Islands to Martinique requires a combination of ocean, general, coastal and approach charts.

Paper nautical charts therefore remain a versatile navigation tool, from short coastal passages to major ocean crossings.

Conclusion

The paper nautical charts catalogue of Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop brings together the different chart families required for maritime navigation: ocean charts, general charts, coastal charts, approach charts, harbour plans and anchorage charts.

From Shom for French waters to Admiralty charts covering many international regions, together with specialist publishers such as NV Charts, paper cartography provides coverage for a wide range of seas and oceans.

The selection of a nautical chart is primarily based on four criteria: the navigation area, the scale, the chart producer and the level of detail required. This approach makes it possible to build coherent chart coverage suitable for both coastal navigation and ocean passages.

FAQ – Paper Nautical Charts

What is a paper nautical chart used for?

A paper nautical chart is used to plan and monitor navigation by showing depths, hazards, soundings, navigational marks, lights, channels, wrecks, coastlines, ports and anchorages.

Which paper nautical chart should I use for navigation in France?

For French coastal waters, Shom charts are a major reference. The appropriate chart should then be selected according to the exact area, scale and type of navigation.

What is the difference between a general nautical chart and a coastal chart?

A general chart covers a larger area with less detail. A coastal chart covers a more restricted area and provides more information for navigation close to the coastline.

Which chart should I use when approaching a harbour?

Harbour approaches generally require a larger-scale chart showing channels, depths, dangers, navigational marks and port infrastructure in greater detail.

Is a paper nautical chart useful when using a GPS or chartplotter?

Yes. It provides an independent reference that complements electronic navigation and allows the navigator to maintain an overall view of the area and cross-check the electronic information.

Which paper nautical charts should I use for an Atlantic crossing?

An Atlantic crossing generally requires charts covering the ocean route, complemented by coastal and approach charts for the departure, arrival and any intermediate ports of call.

Which publishers produce paper nautical charts?

Major producers and publishers include Shom, Admiralty and NGA, as well as specialist publishers such as NV Charts and various national hydrographic offices depending on the region.

Are paper nautical charts available for the Mediterranean?

Yes. The Mediterranean is covered by numerous paper chart series covering France, Corsica, Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, Croatia, Greece and Turkey.

Are paper nautical charts available for the Caribbean?

Yes. Major Caribbean areas have chart coverage for the West Indies, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Virgin Islands. Specialist series such as NV Charts cover several of these regions.

How do I know which nautical chart scale to choose?

The larger the scale, the smaller the area represented and the greater the level of detail. Ocean charts are used for long-distance routes, while coastal, approach and harbour charts are used when more precise navigation is required.

Do paper nautical charts need to be kept up to date?

Yes. Charted information can change as a result of new hydrographic surveys, changes to navigational marks, port infrastructure or regulations. The currency of the chart and applicable corrections should therefore be checked before use.

Which paper charts should I use for a round-the-world voyage?

A circumnavigation generally requires several charts and chart producers selected according to the seas and oceans crossed, including the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific, and potentially northern or southern high-latitude waters.