Electronic Chart Updates

[The Patriot]

Every season we spend a lot of time updating and maintaining gear and equipment, and this should also apply to the electronic charts most of us now use. If you use a laptop-based system with any of the popular software suites you can take advantage of the US government's convenient chart downloads. These are free and in a format that really makes getting the very latest updates quite easy. Bear in mind that the US is the only country that makes these products available free to the public. All other countries charge high fees for access to their electronic charting products. There really is no excuse for not having up-to-the-minute electronic charts these days. Here's the link:

http://www.charts.noaa.gov/

This does not mean we should abandon paper charts. Just the opposite. They are bulky, expensive, fragile, and complicated to update, but they don't stop working when the lights go out. I get a nice warm feeling entering a strange harbor with a new paper chart in one hand and binoculars in the other.

[Joe CD MS 300]

I'm not a laptop navigation type guy. My preference is in the dedicated chartplotter / handheld unit camp basicly because of the waterproof designs and ability to use in the cockpit in all conditions. A downside is the cost of chart upgrades, no free upgrades here. So that is my excuse for not having up to date charts. I'm probably using charts that are 3-4 years old. My last up grade was when Garmin made available impeded photos to their Bluechart series.

I have found that for the area that I sail, frequent upgrades are not really necessary. Sailing primarily between the Boothbay Harbor area and Bar Harbor, my points of reference are more often landmarks, islands, rocks, the shape of harbors along with the aids to navigation. There are typiically plenty. I assume that aids to navigation may have moved although over the years significant changes are few and far between, Renumbering seems to be more prevelant rather than moving markers. The good thing is that rocks and islands don't nove much.

When most of my sailing was on the Chesapeake I found the markers to be more critical, possibly because, at least for me, it was harder to distinguish where I was from visual observation of the coast, possibly because it is more uniform.

I do buy a new chartkit every other year or so. That way, when I do come upon a marker in a new spot I have a more current point of reference. Right now I have no plans to update any electronic charts.

Joe

[Joe CD MS 300]

nm

[The Patriot]

... A downside is the cost of chart upgrades, no free upgrades here. So that is my excuse for not having up to date charts ...

Your point is well taken: if one usually operates in the same or in quite familiar waters, that may affect an individual's choice on updates for expensive proprietary charts. My thinking has always been that new charts cost significantly less than a new boat, no matter how expensive the charts, or how small the boat. As stated, my post concerns free US government charts.

Safe sailing, mate.

[Joe CD MS 300]

If it were free, I'd update every year too. Another factor that I take into account is the infrequency of any changes that affect my area. In 25-30 years of sailing, off hand I can only think of two or three instances where a change may have afftected a course or navigation decision. These were all before the common use of GPS which helps makes descrepancies and changes more apparent.

Now if I were frequently in a busy harbor like Boston, I'd probably either update the electronic charts or get new paper charts each year.

The price I paid for a new Rocna anchor this past winter was a better use of funds (IMHO) than buying a Garmin region update for the same approximate price. Everything you put on a boat is cheaper than the boat but you do need to make decisions on what is worthwhile and what is not.

Joe