Changed my mind about using old school paper charts for depth readings

I always thought the paper charts were more reliable than the digital sonar on the new dredges. Then I worked a job on the Columbia River last fall where the silt was shifting daily. The digital system from Simrad showed real-time changes that the week-old chart just didn't have. We avoided a major suction head clog because of it. Anyone else run into a situation where going digital saved a big headache?

2 comments

2 Comments

kim3733d agoMost Upvoted

Tbh I would've been the guy swearing by the paper charts right up until the silt swallowed my gear. Guess even us old dogs need to learn new tricks sometimes.

thomas2753d ago

Yeah, and I bet the paper chart would have just said "surprise" right where the new silt bank was. It's like trusting a weather report from last week to dress for today. You can love the old ways but sometimes the new tech is just showing you what's actually there. Glad you didn't have to learn that lesson the hard way with a clog.