Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) charts

[YVRguy]

Originally Posted by Shawanaga

But I'm wondering: how do we know how often a particular vendor updates the app data based on CHS updates? I've not seen any assurances about this.

When Fugawi was distributing CHS charts they provided frequent updates that seemed to be in line with the actual CHS updates. In fact, I STILL get e-mails from Fugawi advising me of CHS updates that I can download, even though they no longer officially sell the charts. Only hook is your subscription has to be up to date and I let mine lapse. Here's a sample of the actual mail from this month:

CHS RM-PAC01 Vancouver Island West - Queen Charlotte Islands has been updated with valuable revisions of navigation charts such as changes to markers, buoys, soundings, magnetic north corrections, marina info, light beacons, etc. Updates help make boating safer and the passage more efficient, so we recommend you update as soon as you have several minutes of Internet access. Chart updating has no effect on any of your existing waypoints, routes, or tracks. Whatever charts download are the most current updated version of the charts available on the Fugawi web server.



Assuming your subscription for updates / downloading is current, follow these chart update instructions for your software app, below...

[Shawanaga]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

I'd still prefer raster, too. Not only because I'm a curmudgeon who doesn't like change, but also when these things are digitized, a LOT of information is lost. Shoreside structure and, more importantly, many place names, are simply not transferred over.

Good points. If at all possible, I'd prefer to have a complete set of both raster and vector charts. Some Canadian waters are covered in detail on raster, like the North Channel of Lake Huron, that just don't have ENC equivalents from CHS.

Using the Chart Groups feature of openCPN, I've setup all my devices the same way, so that I can select only given type(s) of charts. I currently have 4 different chart sources for some areas. Flipping back and forth is very fast and each different source can be useful in different situations, at any given scale.

[Shawanaga]

Originally Posted by YVRguy

When Fugawi was distributing CHS charts they provided frequent updates that seemed to be in line with the actual CHS updates. In fact, I STILL get e-mails from Fugawi advising me of CHS updates that I can download, even though they no longer officially sell the charts.

Well that's excellent work by Fugawi. Too bad they closed up shop on CHS chart distribution. I'm still hoping to find an equivalent, affordable source of official Canadian Hydrographic data that I can use with OpenCPN. Not giving up yet!

[emilecantin]

While I understand the reasons why, it still weirds me out that something the gov does is free in the US, but horrendously expensive in Canada. The profit from digital chart sales surely can't be that much in the total federal budget? Do they even get a million from it?

I wonder if we could get a political movement going around that. It wouldn't be too hard (legally) to mandate the publication of free electronic charts from CHS; il could be positioned as a maritime safety issue. If the PCOC passed, we can probably pass that too.

[Gary Mc]

If memory serves and that is a big question mark any more, the Canadian Government sold the charts to a private company about 20 years ago, and that is why they are so pricey.
Not sure how the updating works now but next time I am at a boat show I will ask the Hydrographic guys there.

[emilecantin]

Originally Posted by Gary Mc

If memory serves and that is a big question mark any more, the Canadian Government sold the charts to a private company about 20 years ago, and that is why they are so pricey.
Not sure how the updating works now but next time I am at a boat show I will ask the Hydrographic guys there.

I didn't know that! But looking here:

Copyright and licensing

Looks like they took it back in 2007.

[bgallinger]

Originally Posted by Shawanaga

Now that the ice is melting, Canadians can dream of summer...

I'm planning to sail from Georgian Bay to the Atlantic provinces. For safety, I want redundant Nav systems with accurate Chart data. But to acquire a two year license for all CHS RNC and ENC charts covering the Great Lakes to Maritimes will cost roughly C$5000. Yikes! That's more than the entire trip budget for Charts alone; it's not a viable option.

As an OpenCPN enthusiast, o-charts.org offers reasonable license fees for official Hydrographic agency data for a growing number of countries around the world, but not Canada (yet).

Questions:

- does anyone else care about current CHS pricing?

- anyone interested in CHS data being available via o-charts.org?

cheers!

I care about CHS chart costs as I sail the great lakes. I know CHS charts are insanely expensive, but it would appear that you may own a boat. Therefore, you are rich and according to Canadian custom, you must share your wealth. Personally, I use C-map. Works great.

[Capt Phil]

Boy, have times and prices changed!
We would buy a bundle of charts for Canadian West Coast waters which took us from the Straits of Juan de Fuca to the Queen Charlottes for about $10! They were brand new and one of my jobs as a decky was to transfer all the notes made by the skipper from the old charts which weRe WW2 vintage to the brand new charts. This info was invaluable, things like the times to haul in the tow line on a multi section log booms before entering Dent or the Yucatá rapids co-ordinated with the tide change. I learned a lot from just transferring the info!
Phil

[peter loveridge]

I use c-Map in one plotter, the thing you stick in (?Max wide)goes from Hudson Bay to Venezuela) updates yearly for less than $100. You'll never have completely updated buoyage, no matter what, but the rocks don't move around much

[kendalk]

Be aware that CHS is, regrettably, V E R Y slow at updating chart information on their PAPER (thus, electronic) charts. On the St. Lawrence River (Chart 1435), at the Town of Ogdensburg, the complete shoreline information West of the Oswegatachie River for ~1 mile is devoid of all the structures shown on the chart - these were all demolished 25 years ago !!! and there is no resemblance to what it currently looks like. That for over-priced, out of date "CURRENT" charts from CHS.

By the way in Canada, the Canadian regulations require "paper" charts be on board the vessel.

[01kiwijohn]

i have both Navionics and use openCPN with charts from an undisclosed source.
Prior experience with CHS? They're competent, but have that arrogance typical of most government operations. In the not to distant past, I saw notations that some areas had not been materially updated since Capt. J Cook? Hmmm.
I'm also keeping an eye on promising developments based on Google Earth.

[Scaramanga F25]

If you want real knowledge by a real cruiser who has done the trip a dozen times in A Pearson 26 as well as around the world in A Dufour 36 the guide to get...that tells you about the tides and when to leave if you want to get there at 6 knots, the Guide de Navigation is titled: " En suivant le St Laurent ", de Montreal a la Baie des Chaleurs, second edition by Jean-Leon Girard et Michel Cote.
order from: pgosselin2001@yahoo.ca

[Scaramanga F25]

Currents are strong. One can sail for hours in front of Quebec City and not make any distance over the ground. Sometimes it is necessary to leave in the middle of the night to go with the tide/ current.
You will need: Le Guide. pgosselin2001@yahoo.ca

[George DuBose]

Does anyone consider the fact that taxpayers pay to have the charts made. Why do taxpayers have to pay again to have the charts.

NOAA provides updated charts as .pdfs for free? No?

[Mike OReilly]

Following with interest. For our sail down the St. Lawrence (to Newfoundland) I managed to borrow most of the paper charts needed. Some were old, and a few had big white areas listed as Uncharted or poorly charted. I also used chart books like Richardson’s in the Great Lakes.

I also have three full sets of digital Canadian charts; two Garmin-issued and one Navionics (via Inavx). In the case of the Navionics set, I think the cost was something like $70 for charts covering all of Canada and USA, which seems like a heck of a good deal.

New Canadian paper charts are ridiculously expensive. I simply can’t afford them most of the time. And it burns my britches that Canadians have to pay twice for them: once as taxpayers, and then as boaters. Our American friends are far more enlightened in this regard.