NOAA's End to Paper Charts and What Nautical Walls is doing about it
Whether or not you subscribe to Sail Magazine, you must read an important article by Bob Sweet and the coming end to paper charts. You can read Bob’s article here.
The point Bob makes concerns NOAA’s decision to opt for electronic charts instead of paper charts.
While Bob’s focus in his article is the importance of paper charts over electronic charts in navigation, especially for the recreational sailor, for us at Nautical Chart Wallpaper, our concern is aesthetics.
Simply put, the old paper charts just look better when made into murals. The illustration Bob includes in his article and reproduced here shows what we are saying. Which chart would you think looks better as a mural on your wall?
By the way, the above Illustration is courtesy of SAIL Magazine, June/July 2020 issue, p 25.
So what are we doing about it? Well, even as we speak, my wife Linda is busy downloading every single chart NOAA publishes — more than 1,000 charts of all scales! We are downloading all these charts on a 5-terabyte external drive in anticipation of the day when they will not be available anymore.
In addition to that, there are several “stitched” charts of important sailing areas that our graphic specialist Kathryn has put together for us over the years. Nobody, except us, has these charts. For example, did you know that Long Island NY in 1:80,000 scale is not available in a NOAA single chart? But years ago a client wanted it, and Kathryn put it together. There are other stitched charts we have created over the years, New Orleans, Mt Desert Island, the southern coast of Cape Cod are some others that NOAA did not include in one chart with a sufficient scale.
This project is going to take some time, but we should have it completed before 2021 rolls around.
Regardless of what NOAA does, we will have your chart area downloaded and ready to create a magnificent mural.
Just another reason Nautical Chart Wallpaper is the best in the business of Nautical Chart Murals. How about we create one for you? Call or text us at 801-989-8083 and let’s talk about your project.