So I have been making a detailed study of the charts of the New York City waters while looking for a new home for Silver Maiden.
I have been spending LOADS of time looking at NOAA charts on line at the NOAA site in PDF format, and some in ENC format on an android app I have.
I find they have outdated information on them. I thought the whole thing about electronic chart publication was that NOAA could keep the charts updated and we no longer had to do chart corrections, but could instead just grab a new electronic chart and go!
One key example is the Mill Basin bridge, which I will have to pass under if I move the boat to Mill Basin is still listed as a lift bridge with 35 foot clearance, yet that bridge has been gone for several years and is replaced with a fixed bridge. The contractor that built the bridge claims it is at 60 feet, but I can find no mention of the new bridge in any official government publication.
Interestingly enough the NYC Department of Transportation still lists that bridge on their list of movable bridges, but I have driven over the new bridge hundreds of times. It is indeed a fixed bridge.
Another example is the Kosciuszko bridge over Newtown creek. Everything I find on charts seems to reference the OLD bridge. The old bridge is gone, replaced with 2 new bridges.
If NOAA is not producing accurate charts what is a sailor to do?
I have been spending LOADS of time looking at NOAA charts on line at the NOAA site in PDF format, and some in ENC format on an android app I have.
I find they have outdated information on them. I thought the whole thing about electronic chart publication was that NOAA could keep the charts updated and we no longer had to do chart corrections, but could instead just grab a new electronic chart and go!
One key example is the Mill Basin bridge, which I will have to pass under if I move the boat to Mill Basin is still listed as a lift bridge with 35 foot clearance, yet that bridge has been gone for several years and is replaced with a fixed bridge. The contractor that built the bridge claims it is at 60 feet, but I can find no mention of the new bridge in any official government publication.
Interestingly enough the NYC Department of Transportation still lists that bridge on their list of movable bridges, but I have driven over the new bridge hundreds of times. It is indeed a fixed bridge.
Another example is the Kosciuszko bridge over Newtown creek. Everything I find on charts seems to reference the OLD bridge. The old bridge is gone, replaced with 2 new bridges.
If NOAA is not producing accurate charts what is a sailor to do?