Planning
Voyage Planning 875 Pre-Departure Checklist 896
Seamanship and Navigation Glossary 878 Float Plan 897
Marine Lexicon 884 Medical Assistance Incident Report 898
Vessel Safety Checks 895 Cruising Guides 899
Voyage Planning
The information that follows is intended tailed and accurate. GPS mapping functions
as a starting point for outfitting a medium- available on many handheld and inexpensive
sized recreational cruising vessel, and fixed units maintain waypoints of lights and
preparing for coastal voyages. Commercial buoys, but are not a substitute for accurate
vessels are held to stricter legal standards charts. A number of private firms publish
for equipment and preparation, and should compilations of paper charts in atlas or book
consult the appropriate regulations. For both form. These are often more affordable and
recreational and commercial mariners, good convenient than buying individual charts.
navigation begins long before a vessel leaves In addition, the books often offer additional
the dock. A good voyage plan begins with information superimposed on the chart,
safety and flexibility. Be sure to provide more such as waypoints, routes, etc.
than enough time when estimating distances
Raster vs. Vector
to be traveled, and choosing ports of call.
There are two primary types of digital
Charts
charts and several different ways to display
A proper selection of up-to-date charts is them. Raster charts are simply computer
critical to safe navigation. These should in- scans of paper charts. They are referenced to
clude large-scale charts of planned departure a geographic grid, allowing a computer or
and destination ports as well as possible stops GPS receiver to pinpoint latitude and lon-
along the way. Use REED’s to review the har- gitude. However, none of the items on the
bors and ports that could be entered for both chart are interactive; it is only a picture of a
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emergency and planned visits. For offshore chart. Vector charts, on the other hand, are
sailing, include a small-scale chart of all wa- interactive. You can click on the elements of
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ters that may be transited over the course of the chart to obtain more information about ag
the voyage. Do not, under any circumstances, them, or zoom in and out to maximize clar-
enter a harbor with only a small-scale coastal ity. Depending on your requirements, you
V
o
y
chart. Many significant hazards to navigation, can also add or subtract layers of information
which are critical to a safe passage may not be from the chart. For more information about
shown on a small-scale coastal chart, but are the differences and display methods, see the
critical to safe passage. section on Electronic Charts on p. XXX.
Paper vs. Digital Scheduling
A proper selection of available charts Creating a workable, flexible schedule
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should be roughly the same, regardless of is one of the most important elements in
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whether they are on paper or in a digital formulating a safe, successful voyage plan.
format. If relying on digital, ensure that the Many novice cruisers plan overly ambitious
available chart selection is appropriately de- itineraries that fail to allow the necessary
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