The End of Paper Nautical Charts

[petter5]

See link:

The End of Paper Nautical Charts | Motherboard

[mcerdos]

I think paper charts are mostly useless. If people do have them on board, they are most likely outdated. With today's technology and electronic gizmos, it is possible to have redundancies of electronic navigation systems (and power) with minimal investment.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by mcerdos

I think paper charts are mostly useless. If people do have them on board, they are most likely outdated. With today's technology and electronic gizmos, it is possible to have redundancies of electronic navigation systems (and power) with minimal investment.

I think you're completely wrong. I'm a professional software developer with a specialty in spatial data and an offshore sailor.

NOAA got out of the printing business.

[mcerdos]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I think you're completely wrong. I'm a professional software developer with a specialty in spatial data and an offshore sailor.

NOAA got out of the printing business.

So what part am I wrong about? If paper charts were invaluable, NOAA would still be printing them.

[AfterHoursNLCT]

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today that the analog maps will be phased out in favor of more up-to-date efficient electronic charts, in order to save money.

It's all about the money...

[Stu Jackson]

It would be helpful for those of us still interested in paper to make use of the PDF format now available. If we don't use it, they'll stop even that service.

[mcerdos]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

It would be helpful for those of us still interested in paper to make use of the PDF format now available. If we don't use it, they'll stop even that service.

Why do you feel the need to go to NOAA for a pdf file? You can just print screen from your computer (assuming you have downloaded the most recent charts).

So long as NOAA continues to do the surveying for the charts and provide electronic updates. I do not see a problem.

[MBLittle]

This seems to be a new thread every 3 days. Even the most simplest search would turn up a dozen threads with damn near the same title.

Want paper charts? You can still buy them from countless printing companies.

Want free NOAA charts? Downloads the PDFs.

Want electronic charts? I won't say pay because CM93s abound if you know where to look.

At this point I'm not in the mood for yet another debate about paper V electronic so I'll bow out.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by mcerdos

So what part am I wrong about? If paper charts were invaluable, NOAA would still be printing them.

Nothing in NOAA's charter mentions "printing". Physical base security is a tad important on a nuclear submarine base but that's often farmed out to private security because it's cheaper and a better use of resources.

Digital charts are no-doubt popular but the folks I meet, on the water (as opposed to on the Internet) who are going to far flung places uses paper and pencil.

The cost of disseminating hydrography data to chart providers (like navionics) is pennies to the dollar compared to running physical printing presses. In the effort of smaller government via efficiency, let the private sector take over printing.

For offshore routes they largely already have: http://www.tidesend.com/index.lasso

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by MBLittle

This seems to be a new thread every 3 days. Even the most simplest search would turn up a dozen threads with damn near the same title.

Want paper charts? You can still buy them from countless printing companies.

Want free NOAA charts? Downloads the PDFs.

Want electronic charts? I won't say pay because CM93s abound if you know where to look.

At this point I'm not in the mood for yet another debate about paper V electronic so I'll bow out.

I'll follow you out the virtual door.

[mcerdos]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Nothing in NOAA's charter mentions "printing". Physical base security is a tad important on a nuclear submarine base but that's often farmed out to private security because it's cheaper and a better use of resources.

Digital charts are no-doubt popular but the folks I meet, on the water (as opposed to on the Internet) who are going to far flung places uses paper and pencil.

The cost of disseminating hydrography data to chart providers (like navionics) is pennies to the dollar compared to running physical printing presses. In the effort of smaller government via efficiency, let the private sector take over printing.

For offshore routes they largely already have: Bellingham Chart Printers

So I am still not sure how you make the leap from my opinion that I personally think paper charts are an outdated form of navigation (for me - aboard my vessel) to homeland security and nuclear submarines.

You started out by stating I was wrong to believe this but still haven't offered any substance to support your argument.

[zboss]

NOAA shouldn't be in the business of printing charts or anything else at all except governance and policy making. This is the prime reason our government keeps growing and why our government is a dysfunctional bureaucracy.

FYI - I used to work for the National Science Foundation [Arlington] in the Research and Development directorate, so I have a well founded opinion on these issues.

Everything... surveys, print charts, predicting weather, ocean research, ET AL should be FUNDED by NOAA and farmed out to private (maybe non-profit) companies.

If we did this across the spectrum of government services, the national parks would not have shut down, and we wouldn't have vets, and our government would shrink by 90%.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by zboss

NOAA shouldn't be in the business of printing charts or anything else at all except governance and policy making. This is the prime reason our government keeps growing and why our government is a dysfunctional bureaucracy.

FYI - I used to work for the National Science Foundation [Arlington] in the Research and Development directorate, so I have a well founded opinion on these issues.

Everything... surveys, print charts, predicting weather, ocean research, ET AL should be FUNDED by NOAA and farmed out to private (maybe non-profit) companies.

If we did this across the spectrum of government services, the national parks would not have shut down, and we wouldn't have vets, and our government would shrink by 90%.

NOAA is a fabulous institution , hands off

Dave

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Nothing in NOAA's charter mentions "printing". Physical base security is a tad important on a nuclear submarine base but that's often farmed out to private security because it's cheaper and a better use of resources.

Digital charts are no-doubt popular but the folks I meet, on the water (as opposed to on the Internet) who are going to far flung places uses paper and pencil.

The cost of disseminating hydrography data to chart providers (like navionics) is pennies to the dollar compared to running physical printing presses. In the effort of smaller government via efficiency, let the private sector take over printing.

For offshore routes they largely already have: http://www.tidesend.com/index.lasso

Nope most cruisers to " far flung places " use digital charts with a small scale paper chart as backup. It's often very difficult to get local paper charts in any detail

NOAA is getting out of paper charts because its major customer base , mandated shipping, has switched to IMO ECDIS digital chart displays. Paper charts are going the way of buggy whips


Dave

[mcerdos]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

NOAA is a fabulous institution , hands off

Dave

AGREED!