At the 2009 Miami International Boat Show, Jeppesen Marine is hosting a contest to demonstrate the importance of updating electronic nautical charts.
Visitors to the Jeppesen Marine booth (#B96) at the Miami Convention Center will see a side-by-side comparison of the same chart area from one release to the next. “We’re having a contest to see who can identify the most changes,” said Michelle Buckalew, senior marketing manager for Jeppesen Marine. “Each day we’ll award a Club Jeppesen Marine membership to whoever identifies the largest number of updates.”
At least twice per year, Jeppesen Marine makes thousands of changes to their electronic chart database, taking data from U.S. Coast Guard ‘Notices to Mariners,’ U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other sources. Examples of changes include buoys that have been relocated, aids to navigation that have been deployed or removed, and new lane marker positions, to name a few.
“It’s important for boaters to rely on basic navigation tools such as radar or visual cues. But having updated charts helps to reinforce a boater’s situational awareness. That is why we strongly encourage customers to update their electronic charts at least once a year,” added Buckalew.
In addition to critical safety changes, new chart updates include many value-added features, such as aerial photography of inlets and harbors, and information on marina services, fuel docks, pumpout stations and no-fish zones.
Buckalew said the most recent edition of the chart for Charleston, S.C. harbor, which is being used for the boat show contest, is part of a larger chart region and contains thousands of changes from the previous version. “Many boaters don’t realize that things do change, so the contest is a great way to increase awareness of navigation safety issues.”
Buckalew noted that Club Jeppesen Marine members automatically receive a complimentary update for their electronic charts, as well as discounts on marine-related products and services as part of an annual membership fee of $89. Members can also take advantage of chart exchange programs for new or expanded coverage areas, and special rental programs to obtain charts for a one-time cruise. Non-club members can purchase updated charts from their local marine electronics dealers.
Jeppesen Marine is a market-leading provider of vessel operations services and digital navigation solutions, based on worldwide vector chart data type approved to ISO19879, meteorological information and transmission technologies. Jeppesen Marine offers a wide range of navigation and operations products and services to serve markets from inland and coastal navigation to today’s safety-conscious commercial shipping industry. Jeppesen Marine is chartered with the same underlying values that launched Jeppesen in 1934 – improving safety and efficiency through innovative navigation solutions.
Contact Jeppesen Marine at 1-800-424-2627 or outside of North America call +39 0585 79471. Online visit www.jeppesen.com/lightmarine.
Media Contact:
Eric Anderson
Jeppesen Corporate Communications
+1 303 328 4767
Eric.Anderson@jeppesen.com
