Notice to Users: 1/12/2003

Announcement Regarding Canadian Hydrographic Service Charts Purchased Between August 2002 and March 2003

The Canadian Hydrographic Service has recently discovered that some CHS charts, purchased between August 2002 and March 2003, have been experiencing unacceptable durability problems. The problem consists of inconsistent ink adherence to the paper which may affect erasing, paper folding and water contact. These charts may be easily identified by a white chalky coating sitting loosely on their surface. Unfortunately, the coating, which rubs off easily onto your hands with normal chart handling, was improperly applied during the manufacturing process of the paper. Testing charts for this condition is best done by scratching a white area of the chart with a fingernail. Until March 31, 2004, the Canadian Hydrographic Service will replace, with the same chart version, any charts purchased between August 2002 and March 2003 that exhibit the above-noted characteristics. You are asked to contact your dealer to arrange for your free replacements. CHS is changing to adapt to new technologies while working diligently to ensure that resources are used effectively to permit the distribution of essential information to our clients. We thank you for your understanding during this transitional period. We are developing solutions to prevent this situation from occurring in the future. Meanwhile we apologize for any inconvenience that it might have caused.