U.S. Chart No. 1 Goes Digital

The 65-year-old standard guide for deciphering the symbols, abbreviations and terms used on paper nautical charts has gone digital. The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey’s U.S. Chart No. 1 was first published in 1948. Stepping into the 21st century, the newest guide not only spells out the old-school symbols, but also the symbols specified by the International Hydrographic organization for the display of electronic navigational charts on Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems.

“Navigational charts moved to electronic format more than 15 years ago, and downloads of NOAA ENCs now far outpace sales of paper charts,” says Commander Shep Smith, division chief of Coast Survey’s Marine Chart Division. “Most of the symbology used to display ENCs is intuitive to the experienced mariner, but caution tells us that mariners will be safer when U.S. Chart No. 1 explains the symbols that appear on their electronic displays.”

The 129-page Edition 12 is now available for free from the Coast Survey website. Or, if you’d rather stay true to tradition, the printed variety is for sale through one of the site’s resalers.

For more information: nauticalcharts.noaa.gov

IPS Comes to Sunreef Yachts

Polish builder Sunreef Yachts’ new 60 Sunreef Power LILU-Yacht now sports a Volvo IPS system. The modified 60 Sunreef Power catamaran hull will take advantage of the easy maneuverability that the IPS propulsion provides, including simplified side cruising and easy turning via joystick. Other motoryachts in this size range have integrated this technology, but this is a new trick for a catamaran in this range.

Look for the Volvo IPS system in an entirely new hull, the 90 Sunreef Power, currently in development. Its design was originally plotted out as using a standard shaft line, but Sunreef’s engineers have modified the hull to optimize both the IPS system and the originally planned standard shaft line.

For more information: sunreef-yachts.com

Night Scout VX

For those on night watch comes a new night vision binocular. The Night Scout VX features 5x magnification, simple digital controls, long-range infrared illuminator, water and fog resistance, 60 hours of battery life and a whole lot more. Developed by American Technologies Network—which makes military, law enforcement, security and outdoor night vision and thermal products—the new Night Scout VX gives those on watch a new tool in night-time awareness.

For more information: atncorp.com