[JonEisberg]

As Alex notes, NOAA charts are now available to download for free, but few folks are likely to have the ability to print them in a full size format... But if you have a source that can do that for you at reasonable cost, that could be one way to go.

For the East coast, the Maptech chartbooks represent the best bang for the buck... Pretty easy to find outdated editions on eBay, or places like Bacon's or Newport Nautical. As you're using them largely for backup, your personal comfort level with using outdated charts will be the ultimate determinant, but I sail with a fair number of outdated paper charts, and I'm comfortable with that. With the possibility nowadays to download current NOAA charts to devices like an iPad, it greatly increases the ability to compare older paper charts with the latest, and make updates/corrections... The SSCA Chart Exchange can be another good source for used charts:

SSCA Forum ? View forum - Chart Exchange

For the Bahamas, you definitely want the Explorer Chartbooks, don't try to scrimp there, those are the only way to go...

 

[JonEisberg]

You can get chart books for the ICW, the Bahamas and parts of the Caribbean, so the cost savings with them is huge. For the trip you are considering you would need far more than 10 to 15 charts. Without checking, I would guess you are looking at 50+.

Also look at these guys as they offer tray-scale chart reproductions much cheaper than the original. They are on good quality paper and up to date. You can often buy used charts as well, but they would likely not be up to date
https://tidesend.com

Bellingham portfolios can be a good option for many parts of the world, but I don't think they offer particularly good value for the US East coast, especially for anyone planning to run the ICW... For example, look at Bellingams' portfolio #188 for Norfolk to Charleston, which for $150 includes NO charts for the ICW, but includes a number of charts - Core Sound, for example - which no southbound cruiser is ever likely to use... for $25 less at many retailers, the Maptech Region 6 covers the ICW beyond Charleston to the FL line, and includes places like Pamlico Sound and all the coastal waters and entrances one is likely to use, in a far superior format to the grey-scale monochromatic Bellingham portfolio... Plus, lots of additional information, pages of aerial photos of harbors and inlets, bridge schedules, and so on...

If the OP is just gonna run the inside all the way, I like the Waterway Chartbook that John Kettlewell does... Nice small notebook format, easy to use in the cockpit, takes you all the way from Mile 0 to Miami, including most inlets, for under $50... Doesn't include coastal/offshore charts, however...

If he's planning to do any hops outside, Steve Dodge's SE Inlet Chartbook can also be very nice to have...

 

[JonEisberg]

Jon, I mentioned chart books for the ICW, the Bellingham packages would be for places east and south of the Bahamas. Perhaps I was not clear enough.

Nah, you were certainly clear enough, I should have realized that's what you meant...

Still, it's a bit surprising the Bellingham portfolios aren't a bit more competitive, pricewise, for this region. We tend to forget that chartbooks are now available for the entire passage to the islands via the Thorny Path...

Until fairly recently, there was a gap between the Bahamas and PR and the Virgins, that could really only be filled by DMA charts, which weren't all that great for yachts... But years ago, CYC which morphed into N.V. got into the game and filled that gap with a series of charts more user-friendly to cruisers. The price for this region is about $65:

Bellingham's portfolio for the same area - which does not include Puerto Rico - is $95: