Good Bye Raster Charts

Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
The time has come to move on from raster charts. Beginning next year, NOAA will no longer produce raster charts, all charts will be ENCs.

Raster charts are so much more attractive than ENCs, but so much more expensive and difficult to produce and keep current. Buy your favorite chart now and frame it, they will soon be gone.

 
Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I will miss the Raster Chart.
In years of use I have come to appreciate the way the chart gives me a better sense of awareness of coastal shapes than the ENC charts.
Granted we get use to what we use. I guess the years of using Flight charts, and Topographic charts in examining stream flows, valleys to climb out of, and coastal headlands to avoid have influenced my feelings.
The when in doubt 'Is that the entrance to the passage or another false bay?' I can look at the raster chart and get a situational update much more rapidly than looking at an ENC chart.

I guess I'm getting old. Perhaps they will improve the land based representation on the ENC charts. I still think the Studebaker was a cool looking car.

1573919179788.png

1573919127497.png
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
I agree, John.. I will miss the raster charts and I like Studebakers.. I have a friend whose wife collects Studes..
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Are the charts I download from the NOAA site with .KAP or .BSA raster or ENC?
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
I'm not sure about the file extensions. Visually they are very different and easily recognized.

This is a raster chart.

RNC Long Island.png


This is an ENC chart for the same area.

ENC Long Island.png
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
This one issue may cause me to abandon my software based computer charting. I love the free NOAA raster chart tools. Bummer
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Raster Chart of Orcas Island in the San Juan's
Raster OrcasIls.JPG
And a Vector Chart using the ENC data
Vector OcrasIsl.JPG

I find the Raster chart image richer and more detailed.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Based on those images I’m pretty certain the charts I downloaded are rasters. And I do like them better. Would it be correct to say vector or enc’s is what my chartplotter uses?
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Maybe. Some chart plotters do have an option to display raster charts if the raster charts are available to the plotter.

While RNCs are easier on the eye, ENCs can have a lot more information available and filters can be set to add or subtract some data. They can also be updated easily and quickly if buoys are moved with shoaling.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Well, I spent a good part of Sunday AM downloading charts of the Sailish Sea so that when the PNW sailors talk about their cruises I can follow them. If anyone knows I missed the section of Puget Sound North of Bainbridge Island to roughly Bush Point. If anyone can give me the chart number for that I'll go back and get it.
I may do the same for the Cheesepeake.
As for ENC's I don't know if I have any software to display them. Does Open CPN? This is for home use so I'm not buying anything.
 
May 17, 2004
5,028
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
As for ENC's I don't know if I have any software to display them. Does Open CPN? This is for home use so I'm not buying anything.
Yes, OpenCPN will work with the NOAA ENC’s. You can download and view them the same way, and switch between that and raster using the chart selector at the bottom of the screen.