Re: Reading charts -- Archive

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Subject: Re: Reading charts

Author:
Jim Day

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Date Posted: 945123966PST
In reply to: Randall Holman 's message, "Re: Reading charts" on 945066548PST

Thanks for the links Randall.

Mike there's alot there. I'll give you a few simple tips. First buy a chart you can use. I get the ones made buy international sailing supply. I've got one for Santa Barbra, Catalina and the bay. If you know where you are, and want to go somewhere else: thats easy. Look at the chart figure the angle using a ruler form point A to point B and compare the angle you get: to the Mag comp.image printed on the chart. For instance if I was at point Dume and wanted to go to SBI I'd head directly south. I've done just that on a Hazy day in a sailboat with only a compass and arrived right there. Literally we couldn't even see the island till we were right on it less than a mile away. Not bad for an island thats only a mile wide 50 miles away. This point and follow the compass routine: is as old as boats, and sailers have sailed the world with it. If you don't know where you are and can't see the shore head NE eventually you'll find land and see something to find your way. Lets face it once you can see the shore its either up or down the coast to the harbor. Fog! well different people handle it differenty Kieth Poe runs through fog like it's nothing (it's True Kieth), but: if you don't have some guardean angel and you want to grow old drive slow. You can backtrack on your old heading. (on the opposite heading you went out on) Or once again head NE. Keep yur speed down for two reasons. One your less likely to hit something, but also for sound. Keep the engines at a low rev so you can here the other boats around you. In the quite of a fog you can here other boats a mile away. Watch out for that big swooosh through the water sound of a tanker, thats the one that will get you. Also Listen for breakers: you can often hear the coast before you can see it. Now all this is for the boater that doesn't have a GPS. Everyone should know it though because sometimes electronics do fail. GPS got one? read the instructions and use it. It will tell you where you are: so enter the location of where you want to go and follow the heading it gives you. Most GPS's will follow your progress: tell you if your getting off coarse, and what corrections you need to make. Also GPS's and Lorans usually have waypoints. Turn the thing on hit the waypoint function and it saves the location. Start with your harbor: mark it as a waypoint then all you have to do is hit waypoint #1 King harbor (or whatever) and it will give you the coarse back. Great for marking fishing holes as well.

Hope this helps. Remember when in doubt head NE your going to find land somewhere I guarenteeeee it.

Tight lines Jim

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