# CG Approves use of Electronic Charts
**URL:** https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877
**Category:** Press Releases
**Created:** [February 9, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877 "2016-02-09T16:52:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Quimby](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Quimby)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/1 "2016-02-09T16:52:06Z")
[http://www.workboat.com/news-feed/2016/coast-guard-approves-use-of-electronic-charts?utm\_source=Informz&utm\_medium=Email&utm\_campaign=eNewsletter](http://www.workboat.com/news-feed/2016/coast-guard-approves-use-of-electronic-charts?utm_source=Informz&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=eNewsletter)
Hooray!!!
---
### Author:  [@PaddyWest2012](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/PaddyWest2012)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/2 "2016-02-09T17:14:24Z")
> [@"Quimby"](#):
>
> [http://www.workboat.com/news-feed/2016/coast-guard-approves-use-of-electronic-charts?utm\_source=Informz&utm\_medium=Email&utm\_campaign=eNewsletter](http://www.workboat.com/news-feed/2016/coast-guard-approves-use-of-electronic-charts?utm_source=Informz&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=eNewsletter) Hooray!!!
Seems to me it’ll take companies a while to go along with this though. How many boats out there are actually going to stop keeping their paper charts up to date? Some I’m sure, but not many at first. I don’t doubt that eventually we will all be paperless but even with this NVIC it’s still going to take a while before that becomes reality.
---
### Author:  [@ollie](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ollie)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/3 "2016-02-09T17:32:13Z")
Anybody have any idea what ECS’s are RTCM-A compliant?
(According to the NVIC, it looks like that is the only type that can be used instead of paper charts.)
---
### Author:  [@Quimby](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Quimby)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/4 "2016-02-09T17:38:44Z")
I think It would be a bit weird not to have a chart laid out while you’re navigating. You can only see so much on a small computer monitor. However, I can see some pencil pushers trying to save a buck putting a kibosh on any spending of paper charts if it isn’t required. Even if it is a minuscule amount.
---
### Author:  [@Kraken](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kraken)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/5 "2016-02-09T17:51:47Z")
Welcome to the 21st century
---
### Author:  [@seamanstan](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/seamanstan)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/6 "2016-02-09T18:28:00Z")
If you have ecdis paper charts are a waste of time, effort and money.
The argument that “Paper charts are used less frequently due to a loss of traditional skills among seafarers.” is garbage, they are used less frequently because they are a pain in the ass compared to ECDIS. Same reason why almost all car users use a GPS rather than a road atalas, it’s far easier and convenient.
-
-
- Updated - - -
[QUOTE=Quimby;178821]You can only see so much on a small computer monitor.[/QUOTE]
Get a bigger monitor.
---
### Author:  [@captbbrucato](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/captbbrucato)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 4:40am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/7 "2016-02-10T04:40:59Z")
I would be interested to see a list from the USCG of which ECS vendors will be meeting the standards. I expect/hope that Rosepoint’s ECS will be among them, but I haven’t seen anything that refutes the redundancy issue related to a fully electronic system.
---
### Author:  [@Quimby](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Quimby)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 5:26am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/8 "2016-02-10T05:26:09Z")
> [@"seamanstan"](#):
>
> Get a bigger monitor.
It’s hard enough to get an A/C repairman down let alone a new monitor since the boat was taken off contract and warm stacked. Might be easy for you to get shit. Not me, sir.
---
### Author:  [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 6:01am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/9 "2016-02-10T06:01:23Z")
[QUOTE=captbbrucato;178858]I would be interested to see a list from the USCG of which ECS vendors will be meeting the standards. I expect/hope that Rosepoint’s ECS will be among them, but I haven’t seen anything that refutes the redundancy issue related to a fully electronic system. [/QUOTE]
West of England P&I Club issued this Guidance for their members: [http://www.westpandi.com/Publications/News/Archive/SOLAS---Mandatory-Requirements-for-ECDIS-and-BNWAS/](http://www.westpandi.com/Publications/News/Archive/SOLAS---Mandatory-Requirements-for-ECDIS-and-BNWAS/)
Don’t know if this is relevant for USCG requirements though. (They seams to try to be different on most things)
---
### Author:  [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 6:55am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/10 "2016-02-10T06:55:22Z")
Is this the fix for the issue that was disscused in this thread [ECDIS and Paper Charts](http://gcaptain.com/forum/professional-mariner-forum/17634-ecdis-paper-charts.html)?
---
### Author:  [@PaddyWest2012](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/PaddyWest2012)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 7:58am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/11 "2016-02-10T07:58:43Z")
So having now read through the NVIC I can see that all it really does is reference what the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) has to say about electronic navigation software. You actually have to pay for the RTCM standard guidelines on their website but with a bit of googling I found a “cliff-notes” of sorts. The NVIC says that paper charts can be replaced by RTCM class A, B, and C systems. Class A is a regular ECDIS. B and C have to be able to interface with AIS and radar, have collision avoidance functions and must comply with IMO standards for S-VDR. That’s where I get a bit confused. Your average ECS like Coastal Explorer can do AIS and radar, but is it an S-VDR? I was not able to hunt down the S-VDR standards referenced by RTCM. Does anyone know if ECS systems like Coastal Explorer meet S-VDR standards?
---
### Author:  [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 10:41am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/12 "2016-02-10T10:41:23Z")
[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;178870]Is this the fix for the issue that was disscused in this thread [ECDIS and Paper Charts](http://gcaptain.com/forum/professional-mariner-forum/17634-ecdis-paper-charts.html)?[/QUOTE]
Yes, this NVIC appears to fix that issue.
---
### Author:  [@z-drive](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/z-drive)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 3:53pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/13 "2016-02-10T15:53:32Z")
Oh it (rose point etc) works great until the old man installs some gambling game or the engineer gets a porn virus on it.
Paper charts aren’t really that expensive are they though? We Maybe replace a dozen a year at $25 a piece?
---
### Author:  [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/14 "2016-02-10T18:14:19Z")
[QUOTE=z-drive;178903]Oh it (rose point etc) works great until the old man installs some gambling game or the engineer gets a porn virus on it.
Paper charts aren’t really that expensive are they though? We Maybe replace a dozen a year at $25 a piece?[/QUOTE]
For a GOM workboat no. If you are on a bulker, tanker, heavy lift ship, or whatever in world wide trade it can be substantial. Either keep a full suite of charts up to date, or buy new charts when heading to a place/part of the world the ship hasn’t been to for a long time.
---
### Author:  [@Bayrunner](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Bayrunner)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 9:11pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/15 "2016-02-10T21:11:02Z")
> [@"z-drive"](#):
>
> Oh it (rose point etc) works great until the old man installs some gambling game or the engineer gets a porn virus on it. Paper charts aren’t really that expensive are they though? We Maybe replace a dozen a year at $25 a piece?
```
I have coastal charts on my boat from Maine to Brownsville, NY harbor charts, Chesapeake Bay charts, Jax, Charleston, and a few other ports we frequent in the chart drawer, all of which my relief and I keep up to date. The only time they come out of the drawer is for correcting them and if we want to see a view larger than our Rose Point computer. We also have a furuno chartplotter with raster charts on it. So we are good there.
```
Honestly I would be more excited to have an electronic version of the light list. That’s a pain to keep corrected and how many of us actually pull it out and use it?
And those who use the chart plotter for non navigational uses are heckled, shamed, and made to feel bad.
---
### Author:  [@z-drive](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/z-drive)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 10:17pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/16 "2016-02-10T22:17:48Z")
I do my coast pilot and light list electronically. There’s a CG policy Letter on how to do it.
---
### Author:  [@Bayrunner](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Bayrunner)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/17 "2016-02-10T22:32:37Z")
> [@"z-drive"](#):
>
> I do my coast pilot and light list electronically. There’s a CG policy Letter on how to do it.
For real? Where can I find that info?
---
### Author:  [@NYBoatman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/NYBoatman)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 10:58pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/18 "2016-02-10T22:58:16Z")
> [@"Bayrunner"](#):
>
> For real? Where can I find that info?
I keep them electronically also. I download the entire book at the beginning of the year, then download the corrections weekly. So much easier then correcting the books.
---
### Author:  [@z-drive](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/z-drive)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2016, 11:41pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/19 "2016-02-10T23:41:38Z")
> **[1005\_Policy\_LTR\_Electronic\_Nav\_Pubs.pdf](https://www.americanwaterways.com/sites/default/files/legacy/index/1005_Policy_LTR_Electronic_Nav_Pubs.pdf)**
>
> 68.21 KB
> On November 26, the U.S. Coast
> Guard issued a policy letter (CG-543
> Policy Letter 10-05) establishing
> guidance on the carriage of required
> navigation publications aboard all U.S.
> vessels. U.S. vessels, including towing
> vessels, may now carry required
> navigation publications in an electronic
> format, rather than in a paper format, if
> the electronic format is readily
> accessible on the vessel by the vessel’s
> crew. Nautical charts must still be
> carried in paper form.
> Current federal regulations require
> vessels to have on board a current
> edition of the following publications:
> U.S. Coast Guard Light List, Local
> Notice to Mariners, Tide-current or
> River-current tables, U.S. Coast Pilot,
> VTS Rules,
> referenced
> regulations, and up
> to date nautical publications necessary
> for intended voyages. While the Coast
> Guard will permit vessels to carry
> these publications aboard in an
> electronic format, a back-up copy must
> also be kept in case the primary
> electronic copy becomes inaccessible.
> The back-up may be stored on a
> second computer, CD, portable mass
> storage device, paper copies, etc. If
> the back-up copy is in digital format,
> there must be a means of displaying it
> on board the vessel.
---
### Author:  [@Tugted](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Tugted)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877/20 "2016-02-11T05:35:13Z")
> [@"z-drive"](#):
>
> I do my coast pilot and light list electronically. There’s a CG policy Letter on how to do it.
Keep them on a flash drive so I can take them to the upper house computer.
[Next page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cg-approves-use-of-electronic-charts/15877.md?page=2)