Printing Notices to Mariners

It is important that tracings and blocks are printed at the correct size so they fit the corresponding chart and are also the correct colour. To make sure you get the right fit and colour, note the following:

• Some printer settings may distort the size of the tracing or block being printed. Tracings and blocks should be printed at 100% size. Don't choose any printer settings that might change the size or scale of the image (such as ‘fit to’, ‘reduce to’, ‘shrink’ or ‘expand’).
• New Zealand Editions of Notices to Mariners are PDF files that are best viewed with at least version (10.0) of Adobe Acrobat Reader .
• When printing blocks and tracings using Adobe Acrobat Reader 10.0, make sure that the ‘Page Scaling’ setting is changed to ‘None’.
   

• Blocks published in New Zealand Notices to Mariners Editions have block dimensions written on them. This means you can check the printed size of these blocks with a ruler.
• You can check how accurately blocks or tracings have printed by looking at how well they fit the corresponding chart. For tracings this means checking how well the static information and graticule lines drawn on the tracing matches the corresponding underlying chart. For blocks it means checking  how well the information at the edges of the block match up with the corresponding underlying chart, for example, do the contours meet?
• Variations in size of up to 1 mm can be expected. Tracings should only be used as a guide when applying Notices to Mariners updates.
• Minimum paper specification for printing Colour NM Blocks is International paper size A4, thickness/weight 80 gsm.
• Printed colour copies should be compared with the screen image to make sure they have been reproduced correctly; printer resolution and ink density may need to be adjusted to get the right results.
• If you are having trouble printing blocks and tracings at the correct size you can contact us at hydro@linz.govt.nz or 0800 665 463. Please write Printing Notices to Mariners in the subject line.