How often do you update your electronic charts?

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by kendalk

From the Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations, 1995 (Canada), updated to July 3, 2017:

"Maintenance of Charts, Documents and Publications

7 The master of a ship shall ensure that the charts, documents and publications required by these Regulations are, before being used for navigation, correct and up-to-date, based on information that is contained in the Notices to Mariners, Notices to Shipping or radio navigational warnings."

I guess that says it all about the requirement for up-to-date information. NOTMARs are issued on a weekly basis.

If your information is not up to date and you hit something, your insurance might not cover you for any loss or damage.

Do you have any court case references or examples of this occuring with recreational boats?

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by capt jgw

I use Opencpn and downloaded NOAA charts. Before every trip I download the current versions of whatever charts I'll be using. It's free.

US charts from NOAA are free. The OP is asking about Canadian charts, which are not free.

[basssears]

Originally Posted by Paul L

US charts from NOAA are free. The OP is asking about Canadian charts, which are not free.

Correct it is the Canadian charts I'm talking about here... I use PolarView and easy to always have the NOAA charts up to date anytime I have internet... have bought ChartWorld charts in the past for charter destinations but those have (unfortunately) been one off trips and I've never gone back, this is the first time with returning to an area where I bought charts once and now they're out of date.

I guess to sleep well (or stay awake at the helm well, I guess) I'll probably pony up for the updates... they offer a 12 month period but that almost makes less sense as it will then be out of date right before our next fall trip (fall tends to be the time for our bigger trips) so probably just the same 3 month update.

Thanks for everyone's input, I appreciate the thoughts on both sides.

-- Bass

[Pete7]

Electronic charts, once since original purchase in 2008. Paper charts, well we have a dozen on board and buy a couple of replacements each year plus add new ones for areas not already covered.

Pete

[conachair]

Originally Posted by basssears

Thanks for everyone's input, I appreciate the thoughts on both sides.

-- Bass

Another thought....

Full time cruising getting up to date chart data can be tricky if it's even available...

Navionics online is a handy resource to zoom in and look through any planned passages to see if anything dangerous has changed since the charts you might have onboard ->
https://webapp.navionics.com/#boatin...%7C%60Fvoao%40

Also, there's a slightly clunky program called sasplanet which can display navionics with a little fiddling, then you can do a route in opencpn and copy it over to sasplanet and adjust the route to suit any new bits on the more up to date navionics charts.

And.... with a program called GE2kap you can copy navionics data from sasplanet and turn it into raster charts which opencpn can read. Again, bit clunky but it works. And google earth images can be a handy addition as well.

None of which is as good as having up to date charts first hand but in the real universe that isn't always possible..

[rwidman]

I updated my (Garmin) charts this past spring, about eight years after buying the plotters. The guy at WM said that was about normal for chart updates.

The electronic charts are based on the paper charts so if the areas you are interested in haven't been updated on paper, your updates will contain the same charts.

I used preplanned routes created with my original charts and did notice some significant differences with the new charts. Mostly markers that had been moved since the original charts were created.

[Snore]

Whenever I do a delivery, I update my iNavX and or OpenCpn charts. That is because sometimes I may need to enter or leave a port for the first time, also for liability as a USCG Master. Likewise when I do a charter I bring my own election in charts.

On my personal boat? It has been 5 years. But when I travel, I bring my iPad (see above) and navigate inside the COLREGs line using the iPad. No reefs do not move, but they do add bouys, alter their characteristics and replace bridges.

[basssears]

Unfortunately I can't use navionics charts with PolarView and/or OpenCPN so that's not a great option for me. I can update easily enough through ChartWorld just trying to figure out if it's worth the cost every time we go out for a few weeks.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by rwidman

I updated my (Garmin) charts this past spring, about eight years after buying the plotters. The guy at WM said that was about normal for chart updates.

Not to knock WM, their customers or employees, but frankly what some guy at WM says is typical of his customers doesn't define what's best for me.

Originally Posted by rwidman

The electronic charts are based on the paper charts so if the areas you are interested in haven't been updated on paper, your updates will contain the same charts.

Very true. However, as I posted above, just about every coastal area is going to have a significant number of changes weekly. There is a NOAA web site where you can put in your chart number and date, and see all the changes. If you haven't done this, you should. It's an eye-opener.

Originally Posted by rwidman

I used preplanned routes created with my original charts and did notice some significant differences with the new charts. Mostly markers that had been moved since the original charts were created.

If you're just tooling around your home waters, you can indeed go years without a chart update. You'll hear about construction and newly "reported" rocks, notice changes to buoys and bridges, and learn about shoaling or landmark changes just through local knowledge. If you want to really be safe, you can review the weekly Local Notice to Mariners. It's easy to remember a few changes to familiar features every week.

It's when you're planning to travel to less familiar waters that you'll want the latest information.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by hogHunter

When I'm going out in areas that have a lot of changes, like the sands around the Florida Keys, I update my chart each time I go out or about once a week. Navionics charts have about 2000 updates a day due to constant data collection. Navionics charts come with a one year subscription that allows you to update your charts as often as you want for a year. At the end of the year you can resubscribe for a reduced rate. It's worth the investment to have the latest data! More info on updates here: https://www.navionics.com/usa/charts/navionics-updates

The system is called "Freshest Data", and I use it also.

It's great practice to update your charts every time you go out! However, don't make the mistake of thinking that the hydrography -- or anything else -- is continuously updated.

A lot of areas -- especially those too shallow for commercial shipping -- are not surveyed very often. In fact, some of the survey data goes back to the 19th century.

And there are also a lot of mistakes. The Navionics charts for Netherlands waters are particularly awful -- datum is off by 20 meters or so in the IJsselmeer, for example, some of the buoyage is backwards or missing altogether, etc., etc., etc.

You have to take it all with a grain of salt, cross check with other cartography when you can, and use other navigational means. Especially the depth sounder.

[RodtheRebel]

Charts should be updated weekly. If you're not using them, then there's no point in maintaining updates but, things change all the time. I highly recommend updating charts prior to use. I trained some of the cruise lines in navigation and I'm well aware of all kinds of issues concerning groundings and uncorrected charts.

[rgleason]

Depending on your area, you can update Noaa charts quite easily using OpenCPN chartdownloader. It would be wonderful if other countries would. follow the same example.

[River Cruiser]

Being a inland rivers and occasional Great Lakes boater I'am still using 2012 C-Map charts. Staying in the channel and using Active Captain on my iPad with Garmin BlueChart Mobile to plan anchorages or marina stops has worked very well. I have 3 of the chart cards and will update 1 of them for a cruise up the Ohio river next year. I will use the up dated chart in the plotter that I zoom in close on, the other is zoomed way out.

[NevisDog]

Originally Posted by rgleason

Depending on your area, you can update Noaa charts quite easily using OpenCPN chartdownloader. It would be wonderful if other countries would follow the same example.

Of course! Hadn't thought of just taking the free charts on OpenCPN and simply downloading them again just prior to a trip. (All the NZ charts are available free, so I guess between us we have the whole Pacific covered.)

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by NevisDog

Of course! Hadn't thought of just taking the free charts on OpenCPN and simply downloading them again just prior to a trip. (All the NZ charts are available free, so I guess between us we have the whole Pacific covered.)

Except for 5 or 6 thousand miles in the middle.