The Royal Yachting Association has invited recreational navigators to contribute to the debate over future paper-chart provision as the UK Hydrographic Office changes its production approach. Its consultation is particularly relevant to small-boat owners who combine a chartplotter or phone with a separately usable navigation backup.
A changing supply model
The UK Hydrographic Office announced plans in 2022 to withdraw its traditional Admiralty standard and thematic chart portfolios. In 2026 it began releasing a more automated paper-chart format, a change the RYA says may extend viable provision.
The distinction matters: a plan to modernise production is not the same as an immediate disappearance of all paper charts. Owners should confirm the edition, geographic coverage and update status for the exact area they intend to navigate.
Small-boat concerns differ from bridge systems
A compact trailer boat or sailing dinghy may rely on a phone, handheld device or standalone plotter rather than an approved shipboard ECDIS. The RYA notes that there is no approved electronic system suitable for most leisure craft to replace official paper source material in every context.
Digital products offer useful situational awareness but rely on power, display functionality, position input and accurate underlying data. A waterproofed backup and a skipper able to interpret it are practical considerations, not just a choice of format.
What the RYA is developing
The association is reviewing how electronic techniques should be embedded within Day Skipper and Yachtmaster shorebased teaching while retaining traditional navigation skills. The objective is for concepts learned ashore to carry into practical courses and real passage planning.
Owners of under-12-metre craft should also assess the complexity of their waterways rather than buy the same navigation equipment as a larger vessel. A short coastal run still requires tides, weather and a return plan.
Applying the discussion aboard
An owner can start by identifying where essential route information comes from, when it was updated and what would happen after a screen failure. Crew should know how to retrieve the backup and use it rather than leave a chart untouched in a locker.
The consultation context comes from the RYA’s official July invitation and its current eNavigation guidance. This is independently written Leisure Boat Guide coverage, not a claim that a new national rule has already come into force.
Official sources: RYA paper-chart consultation and RYA eNavigation guidance. Original LBG reporting.