Passage Planning

[Neptune's Gear]

Firstly, that ships error was not "due to electronic charts" but incompetent operation. Paper charts have scales too! Either system can have incompetent operators.
I was going to post here that I don't normally make comprehensive passage plans, but then reading this thread I realize that I do! Not for short trips around home (say 100nm), but for longer ones. Most of what is mentioned is covered, although in this part of the world customs hours etc are only for trans ocean voyages! Also, especially the West Coast of NZ, when it blows up the harbours are not safe to enter, so running for shelter isn't an option...

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

<snip>
officer of the watch
<snip>
junior officer
<snip>
the master
<snip>
officer of the watch
<snip>
The officer of the watch’s situational awareness
<snip>
unqualified and unsupervised CNIS operator

These professionals needed a bit more training--its pretty scary that there are ships out there like this one.

One should never presume that because one carries a fancy title the one knows what one is doing.

In fact, titling oneself as "Captain" or "Skipper" can actually instill blinders that lead one to believe they can handle any situation. Often not the case.

In terms of passage planning one can overplan or underplan depending on where one is going and the boat one is sailing.

And one must be ready and able to modify the plan at any time.

[nigel1]

Interesting article I read the other day from Trinity House (General Lighthouse Authority for England and Wales, responsible for navigation aids in and around those waters)

They stated that the need for buoys, beacons and lighthouses was needed more than ever due to the increase in the use of ENC's and ECDIS.
ECDIS has allowed less experienced and trained mariners to be let lose at sea, and these systems lead to a false sense of security, like navigating too close to lee shores, shoals etc.
At least a lighthouse or a buoy might give the numpty on the bridge (or in the cockpit), a clue that they might be running into danger.

[jackdale]

Nigel

Do you have link to that article?

Thanks

Jack

[barnakiel]

We pre-plan heaps and then we improvise somewhat.

I know people who do hardly any planning.

Possibly both attitudes work fine depending on the personality and the apparent difficulty of the job at hand.

b.

[Moody46CC]

Jackdale,

Unable to call up your first planning document. The one on tides and current came up, but not the planning one. Can you resend it?

Thanks.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by jackdale

Nigel

Do you have link to that article?

Thanks

Jack

Sorry Jack, no link.

The article was in Yachting World Magazine, I'll scan the relevant pages and send them on to you if you like, but it'll be later on.

[carstenb]

Jack

I think there was a relevant point made earlier. You're talking about weekend passages not tradewind passages or passages involving weeks of cruising.


I think your list is good, although we always have a plan B, and know which harbours are bailout (in any direction) if the sh*t really hits the fan. I noted in any direction, because running downhill for a couple of hours to safe haven is better sometimes that pounding uphill through wind and waves for an hour.)

Generally I believe it is vital to have a quick boat readiness check before heading out, oil level, thrusters working, electric winches ok, cooling water filter, a quick walk around on deck to see if anything looks amiss (always, always, always - check your visible splitters to see if any are missing. - I once saw a boat come in with its mast laying on the deck. Mast came down because a splitter ahd worked its way ourt and the turnbuckle loosened in heavy wind. fortunately, no one was hurt when the mast came down - but the boat took a beating.)

[boatman61]

In the early days I used to pre-plan and plot passages in the early days.. Channel crossings, long jumps down the S coast, UK... devote days to it...
These days (35yrs further on) I tend to just chose my main stops and play the rest by ear as the voyage goes along.
Having decent electronic charts of the world at ones finger tips has eased life greatly.. no more lugging round tubes of charts and franticly scrabbling through to find the right one.. if you brought it..
Today.. a free standing, independent CP and a handful of good passage charts can take you anywhere
I gave up reading most Pilot Books years ago.. to scary..

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Jack

I think there was a relevant point made earlier. You're talking about weekend passages not tradewind passages or passages involving weeks of cruising.


I think your list is good, although we always have a plan B, and know which harbours are bailout (in any direction) if the sh*t really hits the fan. I noted in any direction, because running downhill for a couple of hours to safe haven is better sometimes that pounding uphill through wind and waves for an hour.)

Generally I believe it is vital to have a quick boat readiness check before heading out, oil level, thrusters working, electric winches ok, cooling water filter, a quick walk around on deck to see if anything looks amiss (always, always, always - check your visible splitters to see if any are missing. - I once saw a boat come in with its mast laying on the deck. Mast came down because a splitter ahd worked its way ourt and the turnbuckle loosened in heavy wind. fortunately, no one was hurt when the mast came down - but the boat took a beating.)

I agree.

The thread to which I referred was about running aground; that tends to happen while coastal cruising. On passages I plan my landfall carefully. I also use long range weather forecasts when route planning. Those plans are flexible. On my last passage (BVI to Panama) I had planned on staying further north, but the forecasts were such that I headed straight for Colon sooner.