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The Navionics app
A must-have for cruising, fishing and all other activities on your Hydrus offering a boatload of features on your Apple or Android mobile device, so they’re on hand wherever you go.
Up-to-date, detailed charts you can use offline.
Nautical Chart is the all essential cartographic reference for SIB owners worldwide. If you’re looking for an accurate and thorough map of lakes and inshore areas, Nautical Chart is the resource you’ll want by your side.
Use the map to study sea beds and safety depth contours, identify tides & currents, and locate wrecks, rocks and reef wherever you take your SIB.
The Navionics App
Navionics constantly enhances their charts with new and amended content from official hydrographic sources, public and private surveys, and millions of contributions from boaters.
Making up to 5,000 updates every day affecting all our chart layers.
See their worldwide updates instantly, and locate them on the heatmap.
View the latest charts on the Chart Viewer.
Download the app
You can download the Navionics Boating App from the usual sources.
Relief Shading
Understanding Relief Shading
Relief shading is a cartographic technique used to enhance the visual representation of terrain on maps. By simulating light and shadow, relief shading creates a three-dimensional effect that makes it easier to understand the topography of a landscape. This technique is particularly useful in various applications, including outdoor activities, scientific research, and navigational aids for boating and fishing.
How Relief Shading Works
Relief shading involves applying gradients and shading to the contours of a map to mimic the way sunlight illuminates the terrain. Typically, light is simulated as coming from a specific direction, often from the northwest. The areas that face the light source are highlighted, while those facing away are shaded. This contrast between light and dark areas gives the terrain a sense of depth and dimension.
Benefits of Relief Shading
Enhanced Terrain Visualization: Relief shading provides a more intuitive understanding of the terrain by highlighting features such as hills, valleys, ridges, and depressions. This three-dimensional effect makes it easier to grasp the shape and elevation of the land.
Improved Navigation: For outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and boaters, relief shading enhances map readability, helping users to better navigate through complex terrains. It allows for more accurate assessment of routes and potential obstacles.
Educational Value: Relief shading is a valuable tool in education and geography. It helps students and researchers visualize and understand topographic features, geological formations, and landscape changes over time.
Aesthetic Appeal: Maps with relief shading are visually appealing and often used in publications, presentations, and digital media. The artistic quality of shaded relief maps can make them both functional and decorative.
Applications in Boating and Fishing
For boating and fishing, relief shading is especially beneficial in nautical charts and mapping applications like Navionics. Here’s how it enhances the experience:
Identifying Underwater Features: Relief shading can be applied to underwater terrain, highlighting features such as reefs, sandbanks, and drop-offs. This helps boaters and anglers identify potential fishing spots and navigate safely around hazards.
Depth Perception: By visualizing the contours of the seabed, users can better understand depth variations and underwater topography. This is crucial for safe anchoring, avoiding shallow areas, and finding fish habitats.
Route Planning: Boaters can plan more efficient and safer routes by understanding the topography of the sea floor. Relief shading provides a clearer picture of areas to avoid and optimal paths to take.
