Bathymetry describes the shape of the ground beneath water. In a layered wooden map, separate sheets represent bands of depth: stacked openings reveal deeper water beneath the shoreline. 3D Nautical Maps helps turn available geographic data into this kind of physical design.
From water depths to five water layers
Select a region and set the board proportions in the browser designer. The app uses GMRT topo-bathymetry data to build depth contours and combines them with mapped shoreline geometry. The output consists of one land layer and five aligned water layers.
Preferred water-depth breaks are entered in feet. The generator can fit these preferences to the available depths in the selected area, so the resulting bands are useful at the chosen scale. Review the generated layers rather than treating your input values as a guarantee of the final contours.
What “3D depth map files” means here
The depth effect comes from stacking two-dimensional cut layers. Downloads are SVG, DXF, EPS, PNG, or JPG files, not a volumetric model or an STL for a 3D printer. The material thickness you choose determines the physical separation between layers.
Can every lake or harbor show detailed depths?
No. The underlying data has different coverage and resolution in different places. Finding an inland lake on the basemap does not mean detailed bathymetry exists for it. Increasing contour working detail may smooth the data, but it cannot create new measured depths.
Review the map at its fabrication size
Inspect the assembled color view and the individual layers. Check small islands, narrow land connections, and openings that may be difficult to cut. Adjust the board size, minimum island size, and geometry settings as needed, then apply map changes and review again. These maps are for decorative fabrication, not navigation or surveying.