Overview

The Garmin BlueChart g3 Vision HD VAF452S is an electronic chart that adds coastal and inland coverage for southeastern Africa to a compatible Garmin chartplotter. Coverage runs from Mossel Bay, South Africa to Angoche Island, Mozambique, including ports such as Knysna, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Maputo, and Beira.

This chart also includes major inland waters like Lakes Kariba and Cahora Bassa, plus the Vanderkloof and Gariep Dams, the Bloemhof Dam and the Vaal River and Vaal Dam system, and the Prince Edward Islands. On-screen tools include Depth Range Shading for up to 10 depth ranges, user-set Shallow Water Shading, and up to 1-foot contours where available for reading bottom structure.

For approach work and harbor confidence, it supports high-resolution satellite imagery overlays and aerial photography in many areas, along with MarinerEye and FishEye 3D views. Auto Guidance can calculate a suggested route using your boat settings, but it is a planning tool and does not replace safe navigation practices.

Key features

• Southeastern Africa coverage from Mossel Bay, SA to Angoche Island, MZ, including Knysna, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Maputo, and Beira
• Includes inland waters such as Lakes Kariba and Cahora Bassa, Vanderkloof and Gariep Dams, Bloemhof Dam, and the Vaal River and Vaal Dam system
• Depth Range Shading for up to 10 depth ranges for faster depth-at-a-glance decisions
• Up to 1-foot contours where available for clearer bottom detail
• User-defined Shallow Water Shading to highlight areas you want to avoid
• MarinerEye and FishEye 3D perspectives for an alternate view of contours and surrounding structure
• High-resolution satellite imagery overlays plus aerial photography in many ports, harbors, and marinas
• Auto Guidance route suggestions based on your boat settings (planning aid)

Variants

This chart is offered in multiple delivery formats.

The coverage area and chart features remain the same, but the way you load the chart onto your plotter changes.

• 010-C0752-00: microSD/SD format. Use the preloaded chart card in a compatible Garmin chartplotter with a chart card slot.
• 010-D0377-00: Download format. Download the chart with Garmin Express and load it onto an SD card for use in a compatible Garmin chartplotter.

Compatibility and setup

This chart is for compatible Garmin chartplotters that support BlueChart g3 Vision mapping and read chart data from a microSD or SD card slot. If your display does not support this cartography family, the card or download will not unlock the chart layer.

For card format, insert the chart card and keep it installed while underway so the plotter can read chart data. For download format, plan on a computer that can run Garmin Express and an SD card used for the chart download, then insert that card into the plotter to access the chart.

Use on board

VAF452S is a good match for coastal cruising along South Africa and Mozambique, for fishing where tight contour detail matters, and for skippers who like having satellite overlays and aerial photos when lining up entrances or working into unfamiliar harbors. Relief shading is included for select dams, which can help when you want quick terrain context on inland waters.

Maintenance and care

Treat chart cards like any other piece of marine electronics media: keep them dry, store them out of direct sun when not in use, and avoid removing the card while the chartplotter is actively reading from it. If you move the card between boats, confirm the target plotter is compatible before heading off the dock.