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The Royal Institute of Navigation Small Craft Group has released Version 2 of a free navigation guide for small and leisure craft.
“Electronic Navigation Systems: Guidance for safe use on leisure vessels” is offered as a free digital download and as a hard copy for purchase from Bookharbour. The RIN website is asking those who want to download a copy to answer a single survey question.
Updates in the new version reflect developments in GNSS, electronic charts and their display systems, as well as feedback from readers, including a new sub-section on Astronavigation (Chapter 5).
Guidance includes
- safe use of electronic navigation and associated systems on leisure vessels
- “keys to safety” in many operational situations
- advantages and drawbacks of different systems and approaches.
Version 1 of the “Electronic Navigation Systems” booklet is still available as a free download.
Feedback for Manufacturers
As a result of work on the first edition, published in 2020, the small craft group has compiled commendations for improvements to electronic navigation systems for leisure vessels. The improvements could be made by manufacturers and official bodies to assist the safety of leisure vessels through better design or regulation. “These recommendations did not sit comfortably in the booklet so can be viewed here,” the Small Craft Group announced.
As a result, the Pleasure Vessel Navigation Systems Working Group (PVNSWG) was set up, reporting to the UK Safety of Navigation Committee (UKSON). The Working Group’s remit is to
- Propose minimum standards of functionality expected from electronic leisure charts and display systems.
- Explore and consider if a means by which electronic charts and systems displaying them, which meet these standards, could be recognized by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) for use on pleasure vessels.
- Discuss with electronic chart and display system equipment manufacturers the most efficient approach to deliver proposed minimum standards and achieve recognition.
The report can be downloaded from the Small Craft Group’s webpage when available.
