How to create dive site map? Best software/methods etc.?

[Andyhandypandy]

Hey all,

I would like to create some new dive site maps for work. In the end the maps should be colored and look more or less like the one attached.
I know that a previous worker drew them first by hand and than used whatever software to make a vector graphic out of the drawing.
My colleagues can draw all the maps by hand if necessary (see second attachment). I tried to transform one of their drawings into a vector using the software Inkscape. I am able to get an almost 1:1 copy of the drawing but had problems with coloring the path. I also tried to color the map in a normal graphic editor but couldn't fill all the areas without gaps close to the lines...

What software would you use to create such a map? Is it best to create a vector from the original drawing like I did or is there a good software to create such a map from scratch?

Thanks a lot in advance

[Hai-Etlik]

Learning to use vector graphics software effectively requires learning to think in a somewhat intuitive way. You might need to think in terms of breaking things into components and then re-combining them in a different way.

Also that compass rose is just wrong. That map is not bearing preserving so it should not have a compass rose. A simple north arrow would work, but having a compass rose says something that isn't true of those maps.