Up-to-date navigation charts can prevent accidents. While probably not a mind-blowing discovery, a newly published white paper titled “Boat Smart, Update Your Charts” by the Alliance for Safe Navigation (ASN) proves what many of us already know: Out-of-date charts are likely contributors to a significant percentage of grounding accidents and other incidents that take place in US waters.
The white paper, which incorporates the latest published boating accident statistics and contributing factors from the US Coast Guard, indicates that many boaters continue to sail with outdated navigation charts (both electronic and paper) — or worse yet, none at all.
“Up-to-date charts are readily available and affordable, and they empower navigators with accurate data that includes the latest Coast Guard Notice to Mariner (NTM) changes and corrections,” said Ken Cirillo, the white paper’s lead author and Jeppesen senior business development executive. “Still, for a variety of reasons, too many boaters elect to ‘roll the dice’ by navigating with old charts. One of the primary missions of the ASN is to educate boaters on the benefits of keeping their charts updated, which can include significant savings on boat insurance.”
Some eye-opening facts from the “Boat Smart” white paper:
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Twenty-five percent of boaters surveyed by ASN reported running around in the past five years. -
Collisions with fixed objects were the third- highest cause of boating accidents in 2011. -
Twenty-nine percent of ASN survey respondents reported they never update their electronic charts.
You can download white paper by clicking the embedded link here: “Boat Smart, Update Your Charts.”
