Overview

The Garmin BlueChart g3 Vision HD VCA501L is an electronic chart for compatible Garmin chartplotters, covering the coast from the Strait of Juan de Fuca up to Dixon Entrance, with detailed Inside and Outside Passage coverage around Vancouver Island.

It includes 3D viewing with MarinerEye and FishEye perspectives, plus high-resolution satellite imagery overlays and aerial photography that help when entering unfamiliar ports. Depth tools include depth range shading for up to 10 ranges, shallow water shading at a user-set depth, and contour detail shown at up to 1 foot in supported areas.

Key features

• VCA501L coverage from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Dixon Entrance, including the Inside and Outside Passages around Vancouver Island, Port Hardy, the Queen Charlotte Islands, and Everett, Washington
• Integrated Garmin and Navionics content for coastal navigation detail
• Auto Guidance route suggestions based on your chartplotter settings
• Depth range shading for up to 10 depth ranges, plus shallow water shading at a user-defined depth
• Up to 1-foot contour detail in supported areas for better bottom-structure awareness when cruising or fishing
• MarinerEye and FishEye 3D views for an above-and-below-water perspective
• Satellite imagery overlay and aerial photography for many ports, harbors, and marinas
• Offered as removable microSD/SD media or as a digital download

Variants

This chart is offered in two delivery formats. The chart content covers the same region, and the difference is how you receive and load it on your Garmin system.

The microSD/SD option is supplied on removable media for chartplotters that read charts from a card slot. The download option is delivered digitally so you can transfer the chart data using a supported Garmin chart loading method.

• 010-C0701-00: Format microSD/SD. Supplied on removable media so the chartplotter reads the chart directly from the card slot.
• 010-D0394-00: Format Download. Delivered digitally for transfer to a compatible chartplotter or to a card used in that chartplotter.

Compatibility and fit

Confirm your Garmin chartplotter supports BlueChart g3 Vision HD charts and matches the format you are purchasing. Some units take microSD, others take full-size SD, and some use an external card reader or chart drawer.

For the download format, make sure you have available storage (or a suitable card, if your device uses one) before starting the transfer, since chart files can be large and marina connections can be unpredictable.

Using it on board

Depth range shading and contour detail are helpful when you are working along shelf edges, banks, and reef lines around Vancouver Island. The 3D views and imagery layers add extra context when you are lining up harbor entrances or picking out landmarks while approaching an anchorage.

This chart is a good match for skippers running Inside Passage routes, anglers looking for structure, and crews cruising between ports in British Columbia and up into the Dixon Entrance area.

Navigation notes

Auto Guidance produces a suggested route based on your settings and chart data. Always cross-check the route and depths against local conditions and safe-navigation practices.