You can draw a line from
where you are to where you want to go on a nautical chart and have
essentially plotted your route on a nautical chart. But what
if there is an island in your way? How do you get around
that? You need some basic plotting tools for marine navigation.
First you need a current and up to date marine chart. Charts can be found at any marine store, marina offices have them or you can order them on line. There is no reason for you to be without a chart for the area where you are, for the area you want to go to and all areas in between. If the trip you want to take is very long you will need several charts. Chart books are available and you go from page to page as you travel. Once you get use to using the charts it is as easy to navigate through the chart books as it is to navigate the waterways. West Marine - the largest boating supply company in the world has charts for all areas. One of our favorite areas is the Florida Keys.
Another basic marine plotting tool you will need is a compass. A compass tells you where you are or another way of saying that is “what heading you are on” or the direction the boat is pointing. The compass is also a sighting tool for marine navigation because it can tell you where you are in relation to a marker on shore or a bouy. The sailor or boatman should always make sure his compass is calibrated and accurate. Always handle the compass with care.
The tachometer tells you how fast the engine is running. The speedometer on the boat tells you how fast the boat is going. Speed is variable and is affected by the current and the wind. The placement of the speedometer on the hull can affect the speed it tells you that you are going. Wear and tear on the instrument can make it not work affectively also. Check this instrument for accuracy from time to time. This best way to do this is to measure with a stopwatch a known distance and then divide the time into the distance to get the speed. A known mile is the easiest to calculate and about 90 mile markers have been established at convenient locations on US waterways. Wherever you are cruising, being accurate and knowing where you are is very important.
A set of parallel rules lets the navigator draw a line precisely by the compass rose. It is very important to know the exact magnetic direction of any course to be drawn on the chart. To get that information a compass rose is included on every chart. But since the chart segment will rarely intersect with the middle of the compass rose a set of parallel rules allows the navigator to move the line in order to determine the right compass heading.This transfer of information can
be
done with the parallel rules or a
Chart Protractor.
It is the
navigators’
choice which basic marine navigation tool he will use for this
calculation.
Dividers help translate speed into distance on the chart. To measure short distances on a chart, a navigator opens the dividers to span a given distance then compares the span to one of the scales included on the chart to get the distance. Another scale he can use is the latitude marks that appear along a charts edge. One minute of latitude equals one nautical mile. One nautical mile equals about 2,000 yards.
By manipulating all these numbers of distance, speed, time and direction with these basic navigation tools, a captain or navigator can know where he is at all times in route and determine when he will get there. Each step is recorded on the chart, creating a basis for computing the next step.The navigator then has an overview of the journey.
Today we have red-filtered night lights so we can read instruments or a chart at night without reducing the helmsman’s night vision. Binoculars are a great asset that help the navigator pick out markers and objects far away which can help him with his calculations. A pair of 7x50 binoculars are hefty enough to be steady when being handled and are about all any boater will need.
All these basic navigation tools need to be stowed close to the pilot of the vessel and a space is usually provided on all boats even as small as 24ft where the captain or pilot can use these tools. On a sailboat they are usually below deck next to the companionway. On a power boat they will be next to the wheel. If your boat is not as equipped, opening a chart and laying it on an ice chest lid will do.Just keep them readily available. My daughter made us a chart bag that has one side clear vinyl so our charts stay dry and we can read the current page. We can even write on it with an erasable marker. It is very helpful and we love it!
Before taking your boat out, especially in unfamiliar waters, always set aside time to plot your course, estimate your arrival time, think about how the currents and tides will affect your trip, and have the necessary charts readily available. Navigating foresight is as important to sound boating as checking out your engine or having proper safety gear. Leave a float plan with someone on shore and call them when you arrive. Safety is always first on the water, always.
First you need a current and up to date marine chart. Charts can be found at any marine store, marina offices have them or you can order them on line. There is no reason for you to be without a chart for the area where you are, for the area you want to go to and all areas in between. If the trip you want to take is very long you will need several charts. Chart books are available and you go from page to page as you travel. Once you get use to using the charts it is as easy to navigate through the chart books as it is to navigate the waterways. West Marine - the largest boating supply company in the world has charts for all areas. One of our favorite areas is the Florida Keys.
Another basic marine plotting tool you will need is a compass. A compass tells you where you are or another way of saying that is “what heading you are on” or the direction the boat is pointing. The compass is also a sighting tool for marine navigation because it can tell you where you are in relation to a marker on shore or a bouy. The sailor or boatman should always make sure his compass is calibrated and accurate. Always handle the compass with care.
The tachometer tells you how fast the engine is running. The speedometer on the boat tells you how fast the boat is going. Speed is variable and is affected by the current and the wind. The placement of the speedometer on the hull can affect the speed it tells you that you are going. Wear and tear on the instrument can make it not work affectively also. Check this instrument for accuracy from time to time. This best way to do this is to measure with a stopwatch a known distance and then divide the time into the distance to get the speed. A known mile is the easiest to calculate and about 90 mile markers have been established at convenient locations on US waterways. Wherever you are cruising, being accurate and knowing where you are is very important.
A set of parallel rules lets the navigator draw a line precisely by the compass rose. It is very important to know the exact magnetic direction of any course to be drawn on the chart. To get that information a compass rose is included on every chart. But since the chart segment will rarely intersect with the middle of the compass rose a set of parallel rules allows the navigator to move the line in order to determine the right compass heading.This transfer of information can
be
done with the parallel rules or a
Chart Protractor.
Dividers help translate speed into distance on the chart. To measure short distances on a chart, a navigator opens the dividers to span a given distance then compares the span to one of the scales included on the chart to get the distance. Another scale he can use is the latitude marks that appear along a charts edge. One minute of latitude equals one nautical mile. One nautical mile equals about 2,000 yards.
By manipulating all these numbers of distance, speed, time and direction with these basic navigation tools, a captain or navigator can know where he is at all times in route and determine when he will get there. Each step is recorded on the chart, creating a basis for computing the next step.The navigator then has an overview of the journey.
Today we have red-filtered night lights so we can read instruments or a chart at night without reducing the helmsman’s night vision. Binoculars are a great asset that help the navigator pick out markers and objects far away which can help him with his calculations. A pair of 7x50 binoculars are hefty enough to be steady when being handled and are about all any boater will need.
All these basic navigation tools need to be stowed close to the pilot of the vessel and a space is usually provided on all boats even as small as 24ft where the captain or pilot can use these tools. On a sailboat they are usually below deck next to the companionway. On a power boat they will be next to the wheel. If your boat is not as equipped, opening a chart and laying it on an ice chest lid will do.Just keep them readily available. My daughter made us a chart bag that has one side clear vinyl so our charts stay dry and we can read the current page. We can even write on it with an erasable marker. It is very helpful and we love it!
Before taking your boat out, especially in unfamiliar waters, always set aside time to plot your course, estimate your arrival time, think about how the currents and tides will affect your trip, and have the necessary charts readily available. Navigating foresight is as important to sound boating as checking out your engine or having proper safety gear. Leave a float plan with someone on shore and call them when you arrive. Safety is always first on the water, always.
