At the beginning of this year I wrote the greatest good I thought of the Digital Almanac, the digitized version of Reed’s Nautical Almanac. The Figaro group, Publisher of the website www.figaronautisme.fr, owner of Météo-Consult / The Weather Channel and Logbook – Marine Block, Published since the end 2014 "Stopover Guides", the digitized version of the Marine Block on the iBook Store.
Presented in the form of modules by coastal zones, must 17 modules to cover the Atlantic coast from Pas-de-Calais to Biarritz, and 13 Modules for the Mediterranean coast, dont 6 just for Corsica.
The content
Each module offers maritime regulations (COLREGS), SHOM tide tables and current atlas, as well as the light book of the area in question.
A general map of the area and map legends allow you to locate yourself and have an overview of the different ports of call.
Follows the list of ports, each illustrated by a superb aerial photo. All the useful information from the Marine Block is included : Map of the port, Approach Navigation Aids, Operation of the port, Amenities and amenities, Nothing is missing.
Some ports are even lucky enough (or else have negotiated) to have a special "Nautical Stopover" section with a long and detailed editorial on the charms and tourist attraction of the place, selling the interest of making a stopover there.
The shape
The layout only allows reading in landscape mode, but not in portrait mode, which requires a hold of the tablet which may not seem practical for some.
The very fragmented division of these Stopover Guides seems exaggerated. Even if the goal is to target local coastal navigation, Surprisingly, some modules only have three or four ports, while others have nearly a dozen.
Groupings are necessary, Especially since each module is sold 5 €, This represents a total of 85 € for the Atlantic and 65 € for the Mediterranean. Compared to 30 € the price of the same guides in paper format, The significantly higher margin that digital distribution allows should more than compensate for the lack of advertising content, I leave it to you to draw your conclusions. Too bad, because the initiative was expected, The neat content, The model is rather classy, but the marketing aspect is a little too conspicuous.
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