Online consultation of cartographic portolans for Sardinia and Corsica is now available.
Luca Tonghini signs two new volumes of the series: 171 and 122 cartographic tables, standardized pictograms and digital access included in the price
Paper or screen. The question comes up every season, and every season the answer is the same for those working on the bridge on Tyrrhenian routes and in the Sardinian Channel: both are needed. In 2026, Edizioni il Frangente updated two titles in its series of cartographic portolans dedicated to Sardinian and Corsican waters, introducing for the first time online consultation integrated into the volume. This isn't a cosmetic change: for a navigator or captain preparing for a season in the area, or managing a schedule change under pressure, having the same tables available on a device means being able to consult the portolan on a tablet or chart plotter without relying on a paper copy.
The two titles are No. 13, “Sardinia and the Strait of Bonifacio”, and no. 15, “Sardinia and Corsica”, both in their second edition. The structure is identical: five macro-areas that divide the perimeter of Sardinia (east coast from Capo Figari to Porto Corallo; south coast from Capo Ferrato to Capo Altano; west coast from Capo Altano to Capo Mannu; north coast from Punta Furana to Capo Figari), with the fifth area dedicated respectively to the Strait of Bonifacio in issue 13 and the entire Corsican coast in issue 15. The difference between the two volumes is not only geographical scope: issue 15, with 171 plates versus 122 in issue 13, also includes aerial photographs of the main anchorages and roadsteads, which issue 13 does not. For those choosing between the two, the deciding factor is therefore the usefulness of Corsica in one's seasonal routes.
Each macro-area opens with a quick guide summarizing the main marinas and ports along with their services: access depth, fuel, water and electricity at bollards, and technical assistance. The goal is to enable a quick decision on an alternative destination when conditions change, without having to browse through each individual chart. The individual port and bay plans are accompanied by standardized pictograms, including two specific icons indicating crosswinds and length and draft limits for access, allowing for immediate reading even in low light or when the vessel is rolling. Compared to previous editions, the most significant structural innovation is digital access. The paper volume includes credentials to consult the charts online, which solves a practical problem familiar to those sailing on commercial or charter vessels: the paper pilot book doesn't hold up well to heavy use in the cockpit. Having the digital version synchronized with the paper one allows the physical volume to be kept away and the tablet to be used during the operational phases of approach. The Frangente series differs from traditional nautical portolans precisely for this reason: the content is entirely cartographic, the planimetric tables are to scale, and the text is limited to piloting data only, without tourist or narrative descriptions.
PCartographic Gardener No. 13 — Sardinia and the Strait of Bonifacio
by Luca Tonghini
Il Frangente Editions, Verona, 2026
184 pages, 49,00 euros
Also available as an ebook
Cartographic Portolan No. 15 — Sardinia and Corsica
by Luca Tonghini
Il Frangente Editions, Verona, 2026
244 pages, 59,00 euros
Also available as an ebook
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