depth chart of Lake Michigan

[buster107]

Im looking for a good depth chart of Lake Michigan!!

[N II Deep]

Look above

Link at top of page

[Leafybug]

I don't want to seem offensive but, if somebody doesn't know where to get ahold of a good chart for their particular body of water, maybe one should take a boaters safety coarse. It would probably benefit you for both safety and knowledge. Again, I don't want this to be taken offensively, I'm just an advocate for marine knowledge and safety. The big lake can be VERY unforgiving. Best of luck to you. P.s. NOAA offers great marine charts and can be purchased in waterproof form or downloaded for free.

[GLF]

I don't want to seem offensive but, if somebody doesn't know where to get ahold of a good chart for their particular body of water, maybe one should take a boaters safety coarse. It would probably benefit you for both safety and knowledge. Again, I don't want this to be taken offensively, I'm just an advocate for marine knowledge and safety. The big lake can be VERY unforgiving. Best of luck to you. P.s. NOAA offers great marine charts and can be purchased in waterproof form or downloaded for free.

I dont want to seem offensive either, but just because he is looking for a depth contour map does not mean he does not know what he is doing and should take a boaters safety coarse.

He might be looking for one for viewing online so he can study it and form a game plan for this coming year. There are several places on the internet where you can find FREE depth charts of the Great Lakes. There is a link in the upper navbar(Nautical Charts) for people to click on to view the depth charts of all of the Great Lakes.

This forum is here for people to ask these questions.

[danthebuilder]

I don't want to seem offensive but, if somebody doesn't know where to get ahold of a good chart for their particular body of water, maybe one should take a boaters safety coarse. It would probably benefit you for both safety and knowledge. Again, I don't want this to be taken offensively, I'm just an advocate for marine knowledge and safety. The big lake can be VERY unforgiving. Best of luck to you. P.s. NOAA offers great marine charts and can be purchased in waterproof form or downloaded for free.

I am so guilty. When are they?

[Leafybug]

Not sure of dates in your area, united states power squadron and the coast guard auxiliary usually put on a good informative class.

Mike, I don't recall accusing anyone of not knowing what they are doing, just trying to offer a little helpand knowledge. I did also mention noaa charts both for free online and for purchase, correct?

[danthebuilder]

http://www.cgaux.org/boatinged/class_finder/index.php

Found it.

[buster107]

Jason I'm not offended at all. I have taken a boating safety course!!! I was looking for drop offs holes to get a game plan. I have looked at the one at the top of the page and was asking for a little better one if someone knows of one!!! Thank you Buster!!

[Reel Screwd]

[Priority1]

You can download the Raster (Scanned Paper Charts), and Vector (ECN Charts) charts from the NOAA site and run them on your PC with free software like SeaClear for Raster Charts, and Open CPN for the ECNs. I have the programs on my PC. I also run them on a laptop (Toughbook) chart Plotter on my boat with a inexpensive GPS receiver ($37). On a PC it's a very useful planning tool that you can pickup coordinates. Lots of stuff on the www . Holler if you need any help with it. You don't need the GPS reciever to use it as a planning tool. I hope this helps you.

NOAA Link

http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/OnLineViewer.html

Screen shot of a ECN chart running on Open CPN software. This one has GPS installed but it's not necessary. Notice the boat location in real time.

Screen Shot of Vector Chart running on SeaClear.

[buster107]

Thank you it will help!!

[Priority1]

I have been playing with these programs for a couple of years now. My PCs desktop is a screen shot of one of my favorite fishing areas. I am also well satisfied with the durability and performance of the 13.3 inch Toughbook Laptop being used as a chartplotter on Priority1. You do need a big dashboard to accommodate it. These programs have a fantastic zoom also. Even with my old eyes I can read depth numbers from the back of the boat. It's not for everyone but it works well for me.

[Priority1]

Here's a screen shot of Open CPN running a chart off South Haven. I know Reel Screwd can relate to this one. The charts are free paid for by the US taxpayers and the Open CPN software is also free.

Here is one of South Haven a Raster Chart running in SeaClear

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

Very good points both Mike and Frank. I was an avid boater for many years, before one year wanting to go to Mackinac Island. Being that I wasn't familiar with the upper portion and many other parts of Lake Michigan, I bought a chartbook for about $35 of the great lakes. It helped in many vacation and tournament trips. This was way before the internet that we have now that can give us all kinds of free information at our fingertips 24/7. I would definitely have one aboard when you are going into unfamiliar waters, irregardless of your experience.

[Plugs]

I cannot remembere where I got the info, but loaded a free app for my phone called "Earth NC Lite" I have not tried it out yet, but has charts for Lake Michigan & looks like something that might be a good tool on the boat along with the graph/plotter.

Good luck.

[Leafybug]

Frank- that is an awesome looking program, do you trust its accuracy as much as standard marine gps units?

[Priority1]

Frank- that is an awesome looking program, do you trust its accuracy as much as standard marine gps units?

The NOAA charts even on a Laptop meet the CG requirements for commercial vessels including charter boats. I sure do trust them. I have been running them for a couple of years. Most of the chip makers use these charts and maybe modify them and add them to their proprietary software. There are disclaimers that come with any chart or chartplotter. I have a refurbished Panasonic Toughbook on my boat. We had an extensive thread on this a couple of years ago. I'll dig up the link.

Edited February 13, 2012 by Priority1

[Priority1]

Some former threads on the subject.

http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16411&highlight=SeaClear

http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24898&highlight=Smart+Phone

[Priority1]

I can run two programs on my toughbook one with SeaClear and the Raster Charts and one with open CPN and Vector Charts. I can toggle between them if I want. I seldom run both programs at the same time. I can do the same on my PC.

You can do far more with a toughbook chartplotter than you can with the popular ones. You do need a large dashboard to accommodate it. You could type several paragraphs for each waypoint. The only limitation would be the size of the hard drive. There are several hot keys that make it easy to do things. Example; Man Overboard is Control Spacebar, Zoom in is Control Z, Zoom Out is Control X, Find Boat is Control B and that will center your position on the screen no mater where you are looking even if it's a different chart. It's not for everyone but it works for me. The programs take some getting used to but if you have them on your PC you'll pick it up fast. The Zoom on these programs will amaze you. If you need a demonstration I sure could do it.

This link shows my usb GPS receiver. It's no bigger than a pocket watch and can pick up signal in a steel building. It's signal receiving capabilities is far better than any I have seen. I took my set up to AuGres Marine and used it inside the building. His units would not lock on.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Global-Satellite-Bu353-Waterproof-Usb-Gps-Receiver-/330627601058?pt=GPS_Devices&hash=item4cfaf0d2a2

I have loaded inland lakes that I have manually calibrated with Map Cal into SeaClear also.

Here is one of Houghton Lake that I calibrated for use.

Edited February 13, 2012 by Priority1

[Leafybug]

Wow, thanks Frank. That's some really cool software. Once spring gets closer, and if your in the augres or bay area, I'd love to take a look at it. I was considering buying a new chartplotter for my boat but if I already have an extra laptop it seems smarter to use that and spend the money on something else for fishing. Thanks again, you've been a ton of help getting the brain rolling!

[Priority1]

Wow, thanks Frank. That's some really cool software. Once spring gets closer, and if your in the augres or bay area, I'd love to take a look at it. I was considering buying a new chartplotter for my boat but if I already have an extra laptop it seems smarter to use that and spend the money on something else for fishing. Thanks again, you've been a ton of help getting the brain rolling!

The extra laptop may not hold up and is probably not sunlight viewable. The Toughbook I'm referring to is sunlight viewable and can take a pounding and a splash. Your average laptop would probably be toast in a trip or two. A friend of mine does use a regular laptop, on an open boat, but he is very careful. He absolutely needs a visor for his. I do believe that the Toughbook is the key to durability. Our military uses them. I have an older refurbished one. It doesn't take a powerful laptop to run the programs. I do have a hardtop boat and I use visors on my Laptop, Garmin Sonar, and ancient Lowrance 350 combo. It's nice to have the charts on a 13.3 inch screen. The refurbished Toughbook can be used off the boat as well. I live 8 or 9 miles N. of AuGres. You are welcome anytime.

[RONDAYVOO]

Frank,

I was wondering what model toughbook do you have? after reading this thread Im thinking of doing the same set up but there are so many tough books to choose from.

[Priority1]

My Toughbook is a CF-29 Touch Screen. It came with 1/2 gig of Ram and I added another 1/2 gig. The drives are small. I use mine for business purposes also. The touch screen is not required. Tiger Direct has them as well as eBay. I'd recommend downloading the programs on your PC and trying it before shelling out the bucks for the Toughbook. If it's not for you there is no harm done. I had mine running on my PC a couple of months before buying the Toughbook.

[RONDAYVOO]

Thanks for the imput and great Iidea about trying it first.