Using Charts

[yippeekayay]

Hello,

I am new to sailing correctly. I haven't even bought a boat yet but I am researching it and when I do, I want to be extremely prepared. Right now I would like to know how to use charts and how to plug numbers into my hand held garmen to get to a specific location. Any good advice or good sites to teach me Ocean map reading 101. I am located off the southern coast of texas near Port Lavaca TX. Thank you.

[jephotog]

You've got a GPS already, then you don't need to understand charts, you actually won't need charts with a GPS.

Learning to read and understand charts is not easy to do, not impossible, I just don't think you are going to learn it online.

Time to hit the library and check out every book you can find on sailing. Find out which ones make sense to you and go out and buy them. My sailing library overflows from 2 shelves. Two quick references for you to start out with is Annapolis book of Seamanship or Chapman Piloting, also Don Caseys inspecting the aging sailboat or "complete sailboat maintenance manual". Go buy a chart of your cruising area as well to help study and start daydreaming with. Its a great way to learn and get you excited about your home waters.

[HerbDB]

Take a USCG Power Squadron course on boating. The basic has an introduction to boating, safety, rules of the road and basic navigation.
They also offer advanced navigation courses, some conducted on the water.


USPS Educational Department

[sck5]

get Nigel Calder's book "How to Read Nautical Charts". And the post above that if you have a GPS you dont need to know this is wrong. First, GPS maps are based on nautical charts and use many of the same symbols. Second, GPS's sometimes break and you need to have a chart handy when they do.

[jackdale]

I am not sure about US requirements.

In Canada, the Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations, 1995 requires that charts and other publications are required. There are exceptions for vessels under 100 tons on which the master or owner has sufficient local knowledge.

GPS should supplement paper charts, not vice-versa. The charts in chartplotters and GPS cannot be updated. And some of them are simply incorrect; as an example, the military area Whiskey Kilo (WK) south of Victoria, BC is show as a wreck.

Take a navigation course. There are certain chart symbols that should be committed to memory: rocks (3 kinds), kelp, submarine cables, etc.. The buoyage system should also be learned; you should eb able to recognize aids to navigation by sight, by the chart symbol and the light characteristics.

Learn to use your eyes rather than a GPS.

Jack

[ottos]

Originally Posted by jephotog

You've got a GPS already, then you don't need to understand charts, you actually won't need charts with a GPS.

That is an incorrect and dangerous statement. Follow it at your peril.

It may work for a while, but where will you be when the battery dies, or you take a wave on it, or..., or ....

ASA has a navigation course. I'll second the Annapolis Book of Seamanship as a great reference.

Do you have any experience with more intricate maps, like topographic maps? That might help. How good are you with a compass? Do you know what deviation is? If not, take a course! Even if you do, take a course! (I am planning on it myself.) That is the only way you'll be 'extremely prepared', unless you crew for someone (both experienced and qualified) who will teach you.

I don't know if there is a handheld Garmin that will do what you want. If there is, I wouldn't trust it.

I've heard it said here - don't trust any single method of navigation.

[jephotog]

I was hoping he or anyone else reading that seriously does not believe it when i said as all you need is a GPS. I was hoping whoever read that took from it the message, that the place to learn to sail is not a website. Taking a class is a good start if you have the time, I have learned most of what I know from my reading books and then trying it out on the water.

I am a firm believer in real honest to goodness navigation skills and have been an instructor in this subject. My favorite trick was to pull a CB on the GPS and ask the person where are we, and how do we get where we're going, I've seen someone start to hyperventilate from panic when the GPS was inoperative. One of the funniest things I have seen is someone navigating around the Bahamas using a GPS, Computer, Software combination. Starring at the computer screen to make sure you were right on the dotted line while crossing between islands, not even looking out to see the beautiful views.

[ottos]

Sorry Jep- sometimes I just don't get the joke.

I think I'm missing the sarcasm gene.

[sailingSammy]

Boaters Bowditch is another good book on navigation, also pick up Chart 1, it's a book rather than an actual chart and has all the symbols used on US charts, if you plan to sail in US waters.

[svHyLyte]

yippeekayay--

A good starting point for your would be ASA Store: Coastal Navigation Manual, Solutions Workbook & DVD followed up with one or more of the Coast Guard Aux classes that are offered for very little money in most areas. Chart work and coastal navigation really isn't that demanding but it is absolutely necessary for safe sailing.

FWIW...