Planning a superyacht journey to Greenland or remote destinations? Discover how Bluewater Books & Charts supports yacht navigation, compliance, charts, and passage planning worldwide.
Superyacht navigation to Greenland: preparing for remote voyages
Sitting in the galley during crew lunch, the table is abuzz with talk of the yacht’s itinerary.
Where to this year? The South Pacific, the Lesser Antilles, Croatia, or New Zealand? Turns out the yacht owner’s dream trip is to Greenland.Intense preparations are underway, as it is everyone’s first trip to the country’s capital, the port city of Nuuk. Stews and the chef finalize provisioning lists, deck crew and engineers prepare the vessel for an extended journey, and officers head to Bluewater Books and Charts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida—a trusted resource for worldwide yacht navigation and compliance.
Escape from ordinary: navigating the Northwest Passage
Navigating the Northwest Passage requires specialized cartography. Bluewater’s chart specialists recommend Canadian and Danish charts, both electronic and paper, as they are best suited for the region. According to sales associate Russell Kirby, British Admiralty (BA) chart coverage is limited in these remote waters. The yacht’s TimeZero navigation software has been updated to include Icelandic charts, and the Transas software has been checked for coverage.
Essential charts, guides, and yacht compliance materials
Guidebooks are scarce for a trip to Greenland, so BA pilot charts fill in with prevailing winds, currents, air and sea temperatures, wave heights, ice limits, visibility, barometric pressure, and weather. Additional resources include U.S. Coast Guard Light Lists, international courtesy flags, and updated compliance materials covering global maritime regulations for international waters.
Yacht crew are often surprised by the diversity of modern cartography available, including charts from:
- British Admiralty
- NOAA and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
- Canada, Denmark, France, Norway, Iceland, New Zealand, Mexico, Ecuador, and Imray.
Tailored itineraries for superyacht owners
Every superyacht voyage is unique, whether cruising the Caribbean, Europe, the South Pacific, or remote polar regions. Bluewater Books and Charts specializes in custom passage planning and up-to-date international navigation data.
“We are different,” said company president Todd Stricklin. “Our company motto, ‘Escape From Ordinary,’ hits you as you enter our 16,000-square-foot flagship store. We make travel to remote places possible and are proud that for over 40 years we have been the trusted source for worldwide yacht navigation.”
Bluewater recently celebrated its 40th anniversary party, with several team members serving the yacht industry for decades.
Supporting new-build yachts and new captains
Bluewater also plays a critical role before new-build yachts launch. Captains often stock up on compliant materials—paper charts, cruising guides, flags, and digital publications—before taking command, said sales associate Matt Feder. One captain even traveled to a Turkish shipyard, fully equipped with compliant navigation materials, to ensure readiness.
“He was in compliance when he stepped on board the new yacht and unpacked his electronics into the new computer,” Feder said.
He recently helped plan a trip for a navigator to visit remote Pacific Ocean islands, from Hawaii to New Zealand. “There are thousands of small islands and uninhabited islands,” Feder said.
On-site yacht compliance checks worldwide
When a new captain steps onboard and isn’t sure what’s compliant, Bluewater offers on-site yacht compliance checks. These inspections cover:
- Electronic navigation systems
- Paper charts and publications
- Fire plans and safety labels
- Flag state and international requirements
This service reduces downtime, prevents duplicate purchases, and ensures yachts meet legal standards. Whether a yacht is flagged in the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, Jamaica, the Marshall Islands, or elsewhere, Bluewater ensures that crew are aware of the most current requirements.
Chart corrections, digital services, and bridge support
Keeping charts current with Notice to Mariners updates can be time-consuming. Bluewater is one of the few British Admiralty–authorized UKHO license distributors, offering full-time staff to hand-correct BA chart folios for large yachts.
Additional services include:
- Digital and paper logbooks
- Cruising guides and navigation tools
- Marine-themed books
- Bluewater Bridge Advantage and Bluewater Superyacht Bridge Service, offering dedicated specialists, secure chart storage, tech support, and custom voyage planning.
Trusted worldwide yacht navigation experts
Yacht captains and crew have confidence in the staff and products at Bluewater Books and Charts. The Bluewater team has earned the respect of being up to date on what’s going on in yachting, said company president Stricklin.
“We literally have clients in every ocean and bay around the world,” said Large Yacht Coordinator Rhett Gonzalez. Captain Glenn Shephard is one of the captains on that list. For five seasons, he’s been at the helm of Bravo’s hit series, Below Deck Sailing Yacht.
“Hands down, the best navigational supply store in the world,” Captain Shephard said. “I make it a point to stop by every time I am in South Florida.”
Take a moment to explore Bluewaterweb.com or contact their team to see how they support extraordinary journeys.
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