The Chart Locker

for MBTiles

A free resource for cruising sailors
The files listed below are chart files in mbTile format.
They can be used with OpenCPN 5.x and other charting programs.

free html templates

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It only costs about $50/year to host these files -- that's not much. But it doesn't matter if we have good charts to navigate a world that is uninhabitable. All donations are sent to The Story of Stuff Project who are working hard to change the behaviors and systems that create our dependency on plastic (and other stuff).

$200 donated as of August 2020... thanks!

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What are MBTile Files?

MBTile is a file format for storing tilesets. It's designed to allow many chart files to be packaged into a single tileset.

A tileset is a collection of raster or vector data broken up into a uniform grid of square tiles at 22 preset zoom levels.

MBTiles have many advantages over KAP files. They support more colors, are smaller than KAP files, and many tiles can be contained in a single file. 

PLEASE DON'T SHARE
THE LINKS IN THE TABLE BELOW

Only share a link to this page that you are  now reading. That way others who want to download the files will do so knowing everything they need to know. And it will give them a chance to donate.

Thanks for helping out.

READ THIS VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE!

It’s up to you -- not these files or the people who made them -- to keep you, your crew, and your boat safe. We did our best with these files, but we make no promises.

Always use multiple sources when navigating -- including your eyes looking at the real world, not just a chartplotter.
‘Nuff said.

What's New?

*Tonga, Niue and Minerva & Beveridge Reefs: January 2021 - New complete set of charts added in the South Pacific section. 
*Mexico - Sea of Cortez: August 2020 - Updated all files for improved performance. Download these - you'll like them better! 
*Mexico - Islas Marias: August 2020 - Added an additional file to Mainland - Pacific Coast which includes Google Satellite images of Islas Marias.
*French Polynesia: Dec 2019 - All island groups added.
*Pitcairn Group: added Dec 2019.
*Rapa Nui: added October 2019.

The MBTile Locker

Click on the Area link below to download a ZIP file containing the MBTile charts for that area.
All ZIP files contain MBTiles for both satellite and nautical charts for the selected area.

Read HOW TO USE THESE FILES below.

 Download only what you need. 
Please do not share file links... only share a link to this page.

Country/RegionArea# of ChartsZip File Size (bytes)Date CreatedDescription
MEXICO
Overview - Mexico25,773,444
(5.5 MB)		October 2019San Diego to Golfo de Fonseca
including Islas Revillagigedo.
Z8 Z10 Nautical & Bing Satellite.
MEXICOOverview - Baja & Sea of Cortez226,786,325
(26 MB)		October 2019San Diego to Mazatlán.
Z8 Z10 Z12 Nautical & Bing Satellite.
MEXICOMainland - Pacific Coast
115,212,262,599
(4.85 GB)		October 2019
Z8, Z10 Overviews, Nautical & Bing Satellite.
Z12, Z15, Z18 Nautical & Bing Satellite of
North: Mazatlán to Zihuatanejo.
South: Zihuatanejo to Golfo de Fonseca.
Other: Isla Isabella & Islas Marias.
(Includes August 2020 Google Satellite
images of Islas Marias)
MEXICOBaja - Pacific Coast45,354,864,185 
(5.0 GB)		October 2019San Diego to Cabo San Lucas &
Isla Guadalupe.
Z12, Z15, Z18 Nautical & Bing Satellite.
MEXICOSea of Cortez1010,582,430,663
(9.9 GB)		August
2020		All of Sea of Cortez.
Dividing line between North and South is Bahia Concepción/Guaymas. Z15, Z18 
Includes Overview at Z10, Z12. 
Nautical & Bing Satellite.

MEXICO

Islas Revillagigedo9241,616,551
(230 MB)		October 2019Z10, Z12 Nautical & Bing Satellite Overview.
Z12, Z15, Z18 Bing Satellite (No image of Roca Partida).
Z15, Z18, Z19 Nautical - 4 Islands.

 Download only what you need.
Please do not share file links... only share a link to this page.

Country/RegionArea# of ChartsSize (bytes)Date CreatedDescription
FRENCH POLYNESIAOverview35,920,787
(6 MB)		Dec 2019Z8 & Z10 Nautical, Bing Satellite ,
& Google Satellite.
FRENCH POLYNESIAMarquesas6449,474,567
(450 MB)		Dec 2019Z8, Z10, Z12 Overview.
Z12, Z15, Z18 Nautical, Bing Satellite
& Google Satellite.
FRENCH POLYNESIATuamotus (incl Gambiers)123,696,409,159
(3.7 GB)		Dec 2019Z8, Z10, Z12 Overview.
Z15, 18 Nautical, Bing Satellite
& Google Satellite divided into
North, Middle, & South sections.
NOTE: Some atolls are only partially
displayed at Bing Satellite Z15/18
FRENCH POLYNESIASocieties61,149,110,561
(1.2 GB)		Dec 2019Z8, Z10, Z12 Overview.
Z15 & Z18 Nautical & Google Satellite.
Z14, Z15, Z18 Bing Satellite (Z14 is best
available for some islands).
FRENCH POLYNESIAAustrals696,999,954
(97 MB)		Dec 2019Z8, Z10, Z12 Overview.
Z15 & Z18 Nautical & Google Satellite.
Z14 Bing Satellite.
Country/RegionArea# of ChartsSize (bytes)Date CreatedDescription
SOUTH PACIFICRapa Nui (Easter Island)6233,307,725
(233 MB)		Oct 2019Z8, Z10, Z12, Z15, Z18 Nautical,
Bing Satellite, & Google Satellite
SOUTH PACIFICPitcairn Islands688,762,048
(89 MB)		Nov 2019Z8, Z10, Z12 Overview.
Z15, Z18 All 4 islands  Nautical,
Bing Satellite, & Google Satellite
SOUTH PACIFICCook Islands<coming soon>
SOUTH PACIFICTonga, Niue, and Minerva
& Beveridge Reefs
62,202,525,471
(2.05 GB)		Nov 2019Z8, Z10 Overview.
Z12, Z15, Z18 Nautical,
Bing Satellite, & Google Satellite
NOTE: There are no satellite charts
available for South Minerva
or Beveridge Reefs

HOW TO USE THESE FILES

  • OpenCPN Version  ::  OpenCPN 5.x is required to use MBTiles. They will not work in OpenCPN 4.x.
  • Folder Structure  ::  Create an organized folder structure  on your computer. Unzip, and copy files into folders. For example:
    C:/charts
    C:/charts/mbtiles
    C:/charts/mbtiles /Mexico
    C:/charts/mbtiles /Mexico/Overview_Mexico
    C:/charts/mbtiles /Mexico/Sea_Of_Cortez
    etc.
  • Folder Contents  ::  Each folder in the zip file contains 2 or 3 subfolders: one or two for the satellite images and one for the marine chart files.
  • Overviews  ::  Large area overviews are sometimes in separate folders.
  • Zoom levels  ::
    Overviews are Z8 & Z10, and sometimes Z12
    Coastal and island charts are Z15 & Z18, and sometimes include Z12. Some locations may not have all zoom levels. If that is the case, charts usually include the best zoom level available. For example, some Society Islands only have Z14 with Bing Satellite.
  • Type of Charts  ::  Each zip file contains separate folders containing mbtiles based on Bing or Google Satellite imagery and vector nautical charts. Remember, the mbtiles based on vector nautical charts ARE NO LONGER TRUE VECTOR CHARTS; they are raster mbtiles at various zoom levels. 
  • Load What You Need  ::  When "installing" charts in OpenCPN, you will find OpenCPN much more responsive if you only choose those folders with the charts you  currently need to use. For example, if you are sailing in Mexico, don't include charts for French Polynesia. 
  • Chart Groups  ::  We highly recommend reviewing OpenCPN's Chart Group documentation and using chart groups with MBTiles. For example, if you are sailing in the Sea of Cortez, create SoC-Nav & SoC-Sat chart groups with the Sea of Cortez nautical charts in one group and the Sea of Cortez satellite charts in another. Then you can easily switch back and forth between the type of chart you want to view. To switch chart groups,use the 1, 2, 3, etc. keys, or right-click and select Chart Groups. Again, read OpenCPN's Chart Group documentation. It's a cool feature (another proof that OpenCPN is the best charting program out there). Thanks OpenCPN Developers!
  • Folder Organization  ::  Feel free to reorganize your folder structure to allow easier and more logical creation of chart groups. 
  • Quilting  ::  Sometimes using these charts in OpenCPN works best with  Quilting turned off (Presss the 'Q' key).  This is especially true if you are not limiting the active charts by using chart groups. Experiment to see what works best for you. This is really important: Clicking on a chart in the OpenCPN chartbar at the bottom of the screen excludes the chart when quilting is off, and selects the chart when quilting is on.
  • OpenCPN 5.0 Release Notes about MBTiles   ::  

    OpenCPN treats the MBTile format different from normal raster and vector charts. MBtiles are NOT fully capable and quiltable charts. They are used as switchable overlays. This is seen as the best compromise considering the unknowable zoom composition and accuracy of tilesets loaded from unknown sources. 

    MBTiles are shown as switchable overlays to whatever base chart sets are loaded. In the picture below, the background map is the base-map and the MBTiles is a satpic overlay. There are four charts in the chart-bar. All are MBTiles. Three are of a darker shade with a red "X". One is a lighter shade of violet and represents the visible satpic. Left click on a MBTiles piano key is a visibility toggle shortcut. Same effect as Right-click->"hide" on a piano key. Clicking on one of the darker shade buttons makes that MBTile chart visible. The button changes to a lighter shade and the red "X" disappears.

    With MBTiles it's advisable to show the charts outline - use the "O" shortcut key. If a chart is not visible, and there is no red "X" on the piano key, zoom in until it's visible. 

    MBTiles use the Web Mercator projection, with possible quite large errors in geo referencing. In real life these large errors are hard to find.
OpenCPN MBTile example

Website Change Log

  • 04 January 2021: Added new set of South Pacific charts for Tonga which also includes Niue, Minerva Reefs, and Beveridge Reef
  • 12 August 2020: Newly-created Mexico - Sea of Cortez files added. Reduced number of files and changed structure. These work better with quilting. When used with OpenCPN Chart Groups they allow easy switching between satellite and marine chart images. Read OpenCPN manual about Chart Groups.
  • 12 August 2020: Mexico - Mainland - Pacific Coast now includes Google Satellite images for Islas Marias. This was added because the Marias will soon be open to cruising. There are many dangers around these islands and they are not well charted. But be careful: there are still dangers which do not show up on the satellite images.
  • 12 August 2020: Added information about using Chart Groups to How To Use These Files section.
  • 1 March 2020: OpenCPN 5.0 Release notes on MBTiles added to the How To Use These Files section.
  • 22 December 2019: Additional information added in notes section for each download. Exact bytes for each file listed to provide check in case of download errors.
  • 22 December 2019: French Polynesia added.
  • 22 December 2019: Mexico, Sea of Cortez divided in North & South downloads for smaller file size. Sea of Cortez Overview removed as it is redundant with Baja Overview.
  • 22 December 2019: Pitcairn Group added.
  • 22 December 2019: Change Log added.
  • October 2019:  Rapa Nui added .
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Why No Social Media? No Patreon?

Because social media is harming society and cruising. The incessant monetizing of the cruising life detracts from its beauty and community. We appreciate the hundreds of people who helped us learn by simply giving freely of their time and experience.

Vloggers, stop trying to be famous and just sail already. And those who support them, there are so many more worthwhile causes. Really.

Migration anchored in North Minerva Reef
Credits

Charts and website created by Bruce Balan & Alene D. Rice on s/v Migration

Support

Sorry, no OpenCPN support offered. However, if you find a problem with any of the charts (missed area, mislabeled file, etc.), or incorrect information on this website, we really want to know as we strive for accuracy.

Contact

flemishbaker at gmail

migrations.brucebalan.com

(We may be at sea and away from an internet connection so replies may be delayed.)