I've paper charts going back to 2020, which I was going through to update/replace, in the hope I might get to some of the places on them later this year.
In the process I've discovered a number of them have been withdrawn without replacement. This reflects an AHO policy of focusing on electronic charts first and minimising the number of paper charts they issue/maintain. The rationale is to still provide coverage such that if someone's electronics fail they can still have a set of paper charts that will enable them to navigate, but as far as I can tell, some of the more detailed ones overlapping a smaller scale chart are no longer issued/maintained.
I use ENC, but I like paper charts, and still look at them at the nav desk when I am contemplating my next days passage. I find they help me familiarise myself with a stretch of coast or a planned mooring location.
The ones I have that have been withdrawn without replacement include
Aus153 - Australia - South Coast - Victoria - Port of Geelong
Aus154 - Port of Melbourne, Williamstown and Yarra River
Aus158 - Port Phillip South and West Channels
Aus170 - Tasmania - Mercury Passage
Aus172 - Port of Hobart - insets of Bowen Bridge and Sullivans Cove
Aus174 - Plans in Tasmania (Sheet 4) which had chartlets for North West Bay, Southport, Port Arthur, Port Huon, Recherche Bay
Aus191 - Plans in New South Wales (Sheet 3) which had chartlets of Batemans Bay, Batemans Bay Marina, Kiama, Ulladulla, Moruya River Entrance. Crookhaven River Entrance, Bermagui, Narooma
Aus197 - Approaches to Port Jackson - Port Hacking to The Skillion
Aus201 - Australia East Coast - New South Wales - Port Jackson (Eastern Sheet)
Aus202 - Port Jackson - (Central Sheet) Sydney Harbour
You cant stop progress...
Yup, I heard a talk where they said the AHO spend something like 80% of their resources on paper charts which are only used by less than 20% of navigators.
Shame to see AUS 158 go, it was a classic chart.
Unfortunately the paper chart will go the way of the dodo. Laminated charts will extend the life of the chart, I will admit I'm not a fan at all of laminated charts. We are just winding up the first leg of this year's Whitsunday charter & wasn't able to bring my non laminated paper chart so had to rely on the provided laminated job. I used a dry wipe white board marker from the supermarket, too thick a line & erasers too easily, but it works, fine point wet wipe or a Chinagraph pencil might be a better option. Of course a permanent marker could be used for corrections/ updates. Chart work is a bit ugly, and the charter company pollution in places borders on deeming the chart unfit. On the other hand the suppled chart is the current edition with up to date corrections.
I don't have an issue with moving away from paper charts other than the nostalgia of leaning over the table with a slide rule and dividers. Most people have several independent nav sources in the event one failed.
But if we are forced into electronic navigation, they need to drop that litigation rubbish when you first boot up.
I suspect a challenge for those who only use ENC, is the assumption that what you see is what you get. For example, not sure how many people using ENC understand zone of confidence, and that some of what they have on their screen may be zone C - ie plus or minus 500m in position and plus or minus (2m + 5% of depth), or even Zone D.
