Chart Users - commercial and recreational

9

OMB Control No. 0648-0342
Expiration Date: 05/31/2015

2015 Chart Users Questionnaire

AT THE START OF BOTH QUESTIONNAIRES

Paperwork Reduction Act Information:

In accordance with Executive Order 12862, the National Performance Review, and good management practices, NOAA offices seek to determine whether their customers are satisfied with the services/products they are receiving and whether they have suggestions as to how the services/products may be improved or made more useful. The information will be used to improve NOAA’s products and services. Responses to this survey are completely voluntary. No confidentiality can be provided for responses, but you need not supply your name and address. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Matt Kroll, CIO-PPA1, Station 9823, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

Recruitment Question

R.1 Which type of mariner best describes your primary role?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Commercial mariner (port operator, pilot, commercial vessel
operator, federal/military vessel operator, commercial fishing, etc.); - please
follow routing for ‘All’ questions and ‘Commercial Mariners’ only;
Recreational mariner (sailboat, powerboat or other non- commercial boat
or vessel.) – please follow routing ‘All’ questions and ‘Recreational Mariners’
only

R.2 Is the ship you sail 1600 tons or more?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Yes, No, Don’t know

R.3. Which types of vessel do you operate, work on or sail?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Container ship, General cargo ship, Tanker, Bulk carrier,
Passenger vessel (passenger or cruise ship), Tugboat, Crewboat, Naval or Coast Guard vessel, Research vessel, Fishing boat, Powerboat (Daytime sailing, Powerboat (Overnight sailing), Sailboat (Daytime sailing), Sailboat (Overnight sailing), Kayak, Runabout, Cruiser (Daytime sailing), Cruiser (Overnight sailing), Houseboat, Personal water craft, Not applicable to my use of charts, None of the above

Commercial Mariners and Recreational Mariners routed to relevant questions

Main Questionnaire

Ask all

Q.1. Which NOAA nautical products and services have you bought
and/or used in the last 12 months? (Please select all that apply).
If you did not buy or use any NOAA products or services in the last 12
months, please check ‘None of the above’ and select ‘Next’ below

Precodes: NOAA electronic navigational charts (NOAA ENC®), NOAA
raster navigational charts (NOAA RNC®), NOAA Certified Paper Charts
(Print-on-demand), BookletCharts, Historical charts, U.S. Coast Pilot, ENC
Direct to GIS, NowCOAST, Tides and currents, Physical Oceanographic Real
Time System (PORTS), Notice to Mariners chart updates, Individual chart
viewer, V-Datum, NOAA hydrographic survey priorities, Interactive chart
catalog, PDF nautical charts, Continuous chart viewer, ENC
Online None of the above

Q.2. How satisfied are you with the services provided by NOAA navigation
services and products (Please select one option only)

Precodes: Very satisfied, Satisfied, Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied,
Dissatisfied, Very dissatisfied, Do not know

Q.3. How likely is it that you would recommend a NOAA chart to another mariner?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Very likely, Likely, Neither likely nor unlikely, Unlikely, Very
unlikely, Do not know

Q.4. Please look at each of the NOAA Coast Survey services
listed below and rate each for how satisfied you have been with the services
provided? (Please select one option only)

Grid: Very Satisfied, Satisfied, Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, Dissatisfied,
Very dissatisfied

Precodes: Quality of products, Quality of services, Timeliness of response to
requests, Cost of the products, Knowledge and helpfulness of the staff in
dealing with your needs, Ease of reaching correct Coast Survey office to
with your request, The format of the data, The description of nautical
products and data \in catalogs and the website, Overall satisfaction compared
with products and services obtained from a commercial publisher, Overall
satisfaction compared with products and services obtained from other U.S.
federal government agencies, Overall satisfaction compared with products and
services obtained from foreign chart publishers

Q.5. Have you had any of the following contact with NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey
in the last 12 months?
(Please select all that apply). If you did not have any contact with NOAA
in the last 12 months, please check ‘Did not have any contact’ and select
‘Next’ below.

Precodes: Visited the NOAA Coast Survey website, Submitted an inquiry or
comment via the web, Called/emailed Coast Survey customer services for
information, Bought a product from a NOAA chart agent outside the U.S.,
Downloaded a NOAA ENC®, Downloaded a NOAA RNC®, Downloaded a
U.S. Coast Pilot™, Downloaded a PDF chart,(added comma) Bought a
product from a NOAA chart agent in the US, Placed an order after looking at
the online chart catalog, Called/emailed a NOAA regional navigation manager,
Did not have any contact

Q.6 Which of the following marine magazines and websites do you regularly
read? (Please select all that apply).

Precodes: Professional Mariner, Boating, Cruising World, Yachting, Ocean
Navigator, Motorboating, Powerboat, Sail, Power and Motor Yacht,
Ocean Voyager, Sailing World, BoatUS Magazine, Boating Life, Ship Shape
TV, Soundings, PassageMaker Magazine, Active Captain website, Practical
Sailor, BoatUS website, gCaptain, Panbo, Other, None of the above

(2015 questions inserted here)

Q.7. How long have you been an active mariner? (Please select one option only)

Precodes: Less than 2 years, 2 to 5 years, 6 to 10 years, 11 to 15 years, 16 to
20 years, 21 to 25 years, Over 25 years

Q.8. Please indicate in which age group you fall: (Please select one option only)

Precodes: Under 25 years old, 25 – 29 years old, 30 – 39 years old, 40 – 49
years old, 50 – 59 years old, 60 -69 years old, 70 years or above

Q.9. How far do you usually sail using charts?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Under 10 miles, 10-25 miles, 26-50 miles, 51-100 miles, 101- 500
miles, 501 -1,000 miles, Over 1,000 miles

Q.10. Which of the following describes your role as a mariner?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Captain, Mate, Chief officer, Master mariner, Chief mate, Ship
manager, Technical manager, Engineer, Fleet manager, Pilot, Watch, Office
chart buyer, Boat owner

Q.11 Which of the following applies to you? (Please select one option only)

Precodes: I am the only one who decides which charts to buy for sailing, I am
involved in the decision-making process to buy charts, I am not involved in the
decision to buy charts I use for sailing

Q.12. Are you interested in taking part in future research carried out by Coast
Survey?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Yes, No

Thank you for filling out the survey.

The Office of Coast Survey will publish a summary of these survey results on its website in October 2015.

2015 Questions – V4.1 for sign-off

ASK COMMERCIAL MARINERS ONLY:

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) made an amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations that require large commercial vessels to have an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) by July 1, 2018.

This regulation already applies to most new SOLAS class vessels. For SOLAS vessels existing prior to July 2012, the table below shows the retrofit deadlines.

Timetable for ECDIS Carriage Requirements
Ship Type	Size	Existing ship
Passenger	Over 500 gross tons	No later than 1st survey after July 1, 2014
Tanker	Over 3,000 gross tons	No later than 1st survey after July 1, 2015
Dry Cargo	Over 50,000 gross tons	No later than 1st survey after July 1, 2016
	20-50,000 gross tones	No later than 1st survey after July 1, 2017
	10-20,000 gross tons	No later than 1st survey after July 1, 2018
	Under 10,000 gross tons	No retrofit requirements

Q.15.1 Are you prepared for mandatory ECDIS carriage?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Yes, No – hardware issues, No – software issues, No – unaware
of upcoming regulation, Don’t know, Does not apply, Other (Please write in)

Q.15.2 Do you use British Admiralty charts (produced by United Kingdom
Hydrographic Office) of U.S. waters rather than NOAA charts?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Yes, - Go to Q.15.3 No – Go to Q.15.4, Not sure – Go to Q.15.4

Q.15.3 Why do you use British Admiralty Charts of US waters rather than NOAA
charts? (Please write in)

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Q.15.4 If you use British Admiralty Charts in U.S. Waters where are you using them?
(Please select all that apply)
Precodes: North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf of
Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Other (Write in), Not applicable

ASK ALL

Q.15.5 Looking at the list below please indicate what you like or dislike about
NOAA’s current NOAA Certified Paper Charts (Print-on-demand)?
(Please select one option per row)

Grid: Like a lot, Like, Neither like nor dislike, Dislike, Dislike a lot

Precodes: Size, Color, Price, Paper quality, Availability, Up-to-date with
Notice to Mariners

Q.15.6 Which of the following paper chart enhancements would be useful?
(Please select one option per row)

Grid: Very interested, Interested, Neither interested nor not interested, Not
interested, Not very interested

Precodes: Coast Pilot information, Tide and current information, U.S. Coast
Guard safety information, NOAA links, Promotional information for other
NOAA products, Colors similar to historic NOAA paper nautical charts,
Colors similar to British Admiralty charts, Thicker paper, Thinner paper, More
water resistant paper, Paper you can more easily write on and erase,
Customize with my information, Cheaper, Newspaper-like chart subscription,
Other (Please write in)

Q.15.7 Do you view nautical charts on a personal mobile device?
(Please select one option per row)

Grid: Frequently, Sometimes, Never

Precodes: On a cell phone, On a tablet

Q.15.8 How do you use nautical charts on a personal mobile device when
navigating?
(Please select all that apply)

Precodes: Primary source of navigation, Backup source of navigation,
Planning, General information/ overview, Non-navigation uses, Prefer not to
use them on a mobile device, Other (Write in)

Q.15.9 How often do you update the nautical charts on your mobile device?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: At least once a month, Every few months, Less than twice a
year, Never, Software automatically does it, Do not know

Q.15.10 Which apps or software packages do you use for navigation?
(Please write in)

Q.15.11 How satisfied are you with the NOAA Office of Coast Survey website?
(http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov) (Please select one option only)

Precodes: Very satisfied, Satisfied, Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied,
Dissatisfied, Very dissatisfied, Unfamiliar with this site, Never use

Q.15.12a. How easy is it to navigate the NOAA Office of Coast Survey website
(http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov) to obtain the product you require?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Very easy, Easy, Neither easy nor difficult, Difficult, Very
difficult, No opinion

Q.15.12b If NOAA were to change the format of their website, which features would
be most important to you”
(Please select all that apply)

Precodes: More focused on products, It should have fewer links, Links
should be hidden, Add drop down menus, Add more links, Recent changes
have improved the website, Make it mobile friendly, Fewer clicks to obtain
products, Easier to navigate, It is easy to navigate so keep as it is, Other
(Write in),

Q.15.13 An overlay is a layer of additional information that is placed over an existing
nautical chart. What information would you like to see available as an
overlay on the following navigational products?
(Please select all that apply per row)

Grid: Apps, ENC, paper chart, RNC, PDF

Precodes: Mineral and wind farm lease blocks, Tides and currents, Historic
wind data, Weather, Marine protected areas, Ice, Coast Pilot information,
Fish habitats, Custom information

Q.15.14a Do you use U.S. charts or cruising guides produced by private
manufacturers?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Yes, No, Not sure

Q.15.14b Why do you/don’t you use them? (Please write in)

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Q.15.15a Do you get your NOAA ENCs from a source other than the NOAA Coast
Survey website?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Yes, No, Not sure

Q.15.15b How easy is it to access NOAA ENCs in international waters?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Very easy, Easy, Neither easy nor difficult, Difficult, Very difficult,
No opinion; Not applicable to me – Go to Q.15.17

Q.15.16 Are there any additional products and services that NOAA can provide for
those sailing in international waters?
(Please write in)

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Commercial Mariners only

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is responsible for creating, maintaining and surveying the federal channels in the United States. USACE is also responsible for providing channel limit and survey data to NOAA. The channel limit data is used to show the location and internal divisions of the channel. The survey data comes to NOAA via digital survey drawings and channel condition reports. NOAA is then responsible for portraying this survey data on its navigation products. NOAA portrays the data via hydrography updates including soundings and depth contours. In addition the controlling depths are depicted via channel legends and channel tabulations.

Q.15.17a Do you use U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) survey and channel
data on NOAA Charts?

(Please select one option only)
Precodes: Yes - Go to Q.15.17b, No – Go to Q.15.18

Q.15.17b How satisfied are you with the depiction of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
survey and channel limit data on NOAA charts?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Very satisfied, Satisfied, Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied,
Dissatisfied, Very dissatisfied, Never use

Q.15.17c How could NOAA make the display this U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) channel data on charts more useful?
(Please write in)

Precodes: List to be agreed

Q.15.18 Which of the following federal channel resources do you use while
navigating in federally-maintained channels?
(Please select all that apply)

Precodes: USACE surveys, USACE Channel Condition Reports, NOAA
Charts, None of these, Not applicable

ASK COMMERCIAL MARINERS ONLY

Many Pilots take Personal Piloting Units (PPU) on board vessels which are computer-based systems to use as a decision-support tool for navigating in confined waters. A PPU improves safety and efficiency of the pilotage passage and ship handling process.

Q.15.19a Do you use a personal piloting unit (PPU)?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Yes – Go to Q.19b, No, - Go to Q.20, Not applicable to me – Go
to Q.20

Q.15.19b What nautical data do you most commonly use on your PPU?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: NOAA data, USACE data, Neither of these

ASK ALL

Q.15.20 Do you monitor the Federal Register for proposed rules, e.g., anchorage
areas, restricted areas, etc., that may affect navigation in their area of
interest?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Yes – Go to Q.21, No – Go to Q.22, Don’t know – Go to Q.22

Q.15.21 If Yes at Q.15.20: Do you submit comments during comment periods?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Yes, No

Q.15.22a Which is your primary means of navigation:

Precodes: Recreational chart plotter, smart phone, laptop, NOAA paper
chart, non-NOAA paper charts, Electronic Chart Display Information
System (ECDIS), Electronic Chart System (ECS), None of the above.

Q.15.22b If you use an electronic system for navigation, which
hardware/manufacturer do you primarily use?” (Please write in)

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Q.15.22c If you use an electronic system for navigation, which
software/chart package do you primarily use?” (Please write in)

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Q.15.22d If you use NOAA products for navigation, what are the primary product
you rely on?
(Please select all that apply)

Precodes: Traditional nautical paper charts, NOAA electronic navigational
charts (NOAA ENC®), NOAA raster navigational charts (NOAA RNC®),
NOAA Certified Paper Charts (Print-on-demand), BookletCharts, Historical
charts, U.S. Coast Pilot, ENC Direct to GIS, NowCOAST, Tides and
currents, Physical Oceanographic Real Time System (PORTS),
Notice to Mariners chart updates, Individual chart viewer, V-Datum,
NOAA hydrographic survey priorities, Interactive chart catalog, PDF
nautical charts, Continuous chart viewer, ENC Online, None of the above

Q.15.22e Answer the following for anything at Q.15.22d other than an ENC – all
others go to Q.25:
How likely is it that you would use ENCs as your primary source for
navigation in the next five years?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Very likely, Likely, Neither likely nor unlikely, Unlikely, Very
unlikely, Do not know

Q.15.23. Answer the following for anything at Q.15.22d other than an ENC:
How satisfied are you with the NOAA ENC?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Very satisfied, Satisfied, Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied,
Dissatisfied, Very dissatisfied, Never use

Q.15.24. If dissatisfied at Q.15.23 why are you dissatisfied? All others go to
Q.15.25a
(Please write in)

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Q. 15.25a Do you download PDF nautical charts?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Yes – Go to Q.25b, No – Go to Q.27, Not applicable to me – Go
to Q.26

Q.15.25b If YES at Q.15.25a how many PDF nautical charts do you download per
month?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: 1, 2-5, 6-10, Over 10

Q.15.26.What do you use the PDF nautical charts for?
(Please select all that apply)

Precodes: Primary source of navigation, Back up source of navigation,
Planning, Non-navigation

Q.15.27a. Does NOAA have adequate, inadequate or redundant chart coverage?
(Please select one option only)

Precodes: Adequate – Go to Q.28, Inadequate – Go to Q27b, Redundant
chart coverage – Go to Q.28

Q.15.27b IF INADEQUATE at Q15.27a: Why is it inadequate?
(Please write in)

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Q.15.28 In your opinion, does the accuracy of charts play a role in maritime
accidents?

Precodes: To a great extent, to some extent, not at all

Grid: Allusion, Grounding Accidents

Q.15.29 In your opinion, does non-use or unskilled use of nautical chart products
play a role in maritime accidents?

Precodes: To a great extent, to some extent, not at all.