No more paper charts - its all e-charts the past 26 yrs

I grew up on paper charts. It was in the Navy and I do love exploring the intricate details printed on charts, especiall old charts in B&W. But as soon as GPS came into the market, I started buying and using them. It did not make sense using paper charts on fast open boats. GPS was a dream come true. Chart plotters were not even created yet. So when the first chartplotter arrived, I eagerly bought them. My first chartplotter was a Garmin 276 portable. That was probably 20 years ago. I have only used electronic charts for navigation and passage planning ever since. Today chartpotters are the rage and are no longer just called chartplotters. The new buzz word is MFDs (Multi Function Displays) since you can connect sonar, AIS, Zoom cameras. CCTV, auto-pilot, engine data and so many other sensors to the MFDs. Chartplotting is just one function amongst many. About 8 yrs ago, a new feature was introduced called Automatic Routing. Planning a route has always been done manually until this feature, familar to car drivers came along for Navigation and its so simple. Simply select your start point and destination and the chartplotter will plan the route for you in a few seconds. It is important to to manually set the perimeters before engaging auto-routing. Basically key in your boat's draught, height clearance, cruising speed. fuel consumption and max fuel capacity and the machine computes your route. It is generally safe, but I would caution that you go thru the route offered and make manual adjustments to ensure the route is safe and does not cut thru prohibited and restricted waters or too near shallow reefs. It's always better to keep a wide berth of shallow waters and danger zones. Whatever the case may be, it is going to be very difficult to go back to paper charts for navigation after having used Chartplotters the last 20yrs.

A BOATING CULTURE WE CAN BE PROUD OF

A BOATING CULTURE WE CAN BE PROUD OF It has been said, “It takes a village to raise a child”. This statement opens our mind to a far larger reality. As parents, we hold our children dearly and try to protect them from elements of society we judge undesirable. Family always comes first, and charity begins at home. That’s an undisputable fact. But we know children have a mind of their own and often the bigger influence may come, not from family and relatives but from interactions with the larger community of classmates & friends who they spend more time with and from the influences of culture & popular practices of the village. As fellow human beings, we share similar character traits and personalities. Putting race aside, it is culture that sets us apart and the differences can be conspicuously distinct. Likewise, it takes a whole boating community to raise a boater. Left alone, he/she will not unconsciously learn the ropes and grow into a proficient seafarer, although there will be exceptions. The journey of acquiring one's sea-legs is a long and arduous one. The burden of "parenting" cannot rest on government authority or PPCDL (Powered Pleasure Craft Driving Licence) Schools. It is not a simple case of issuing a driving license. The PPCDL initiative is a sensible start. The journey continues and the learning and experiences never ends. The task of the village naturally rests on the shoulders of the boating community. In our case Fellow Boaters (both professional & leisure), Marinas, Yacht Clubs, Associations and Sea Activity Centers. If we give credence to this adage, (It takes a village…..) it will raise the tide of our consciousness to this obligation and hopefully trigger a new found courage to take up collective ownership of the local boating culture. Simply put: Let’s undertake the task of building a boating culture that’s promotes the OBSERVANCE OF GOOD SEAMANSHIP & BOATING ETIQUETTE. Let’s take it one day at a time, one boater at a time. Every drop makes an ocean. WF