preparing charts for new voyage

[mikeyanky]

preparing charts for new voyage
Hello!
Does someone know a rule which requires erasing of old courses laid on the charts when preparing them for a new voyage? I guess it is not only a good seamanship practice. There are so many written things but I do not know which one of them covers this matter.
Thank you!

[Jim Cate]

I am not only unaware of any such "rule", but would suggest that keeping old voyages records on your charts is a good thing. Not only because it can be reused in the future, but because it will, in years to come, be a trigger for many good memories.

I treasure our old charts, coffee stained and covered with positions, EPs, fixes, notes, erasures, courses, observations and other comments. If some one tried to cause me to remove those notations they would have a fight on their hands!

Cheers,

Jim

[mikeyanky]

Hi Jim

you sound reasonable to me but I knew some vetting inspectors are not happy to see old courses on the charts, but they do not mind WP to be there in order old courses to be restore. that is way I wanted to find out whether such rules exists.
however appreciate your opinion.thanks.

regads

[Jimbo485]

Is there a rule like that for photo albums? Throw out the old photos and put in the new ones???

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, mikeyanky.

[rognvald]

Mike,
I don't know if this answers your question, but I buy sheets of plastic film that I attach to my charts with paper clips to track my courses, LOP's and fixes. I use an erasable pen so that when I have finished a passage it can all be easily erased and ready for the next leg. However, I do make detailed notes on all my charts regarding bottom characteristics, preferred anchorages, currents, fishing spots, access to stores when in populated coastal areas and outline any dangers with a red magic marker. This allows me to reuse charts for years and reduces the time for passage planning when retracing old routes. By the way, who are the "inspectors" you're referring to? Good luck and good sailing.

[mikeyanky]

rognvald
that is a good practice. my concern was for something different, something which is applicable to cargo ships. however i am thankful to all who expressed their view point.

[mpatter894]

What we do in the Merchant Fleet (Maersk Lines Container Ship) we lay the tracks and label them with pencil as follows

<------ C-270T/265M
______________________________
D-7.2nm
we then us the scotch brand removable transparent tape to cover the tracks that way each time you lay a fix down when you are done you can erase only the fixes and not the track it saves a lot of wear and tear on the charts and also allows for changing the track line if needed by just removing the tape

USCG Master Mariner any gross tonnage any ocean

[mikeyanky]

all clear
same way of usage I have seen on ferry ships.

[Jammer Six]

The tape doesn't hurt a paper chart?

[mpatter894]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

The tape doesn't hurt a paper chart?

not if you use the scotch 811 removable tape it has a matte finish

Scotch 811 Removable Magic

[nigel1]

To answer Mikes question, in light of the fact it concerns merchant ships.'
It has always been considered good practice to leave course lines and positions on the chart until the voyage has been successfully completed. This was mainly to provide evidence in the event of an disputes, usually brought about by either the charterer or shippers.
Practice on my boat/ship is as above. Once the voyage is completed, all course lines, positions and waypoints are erased.
I work mainly around the North Sea, Scotland up to Norway, Faroes, Shetlands etc. Everyday a rig is being moved to a new position, so I'd rather the Second Mate starts a new passage plan from scratch, instead of being surprised to find a rig parked on top of an old course line.
Use a proper 2B pencil and the chart will survive OK.
As for me own charts on me own boat, completely different story, its covered in old positions and courses. Like Jim, its nice to look back and see where you have been.
Vetting Inspectors, dont you just love them

[Jammer Six]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Use a proper 2B pencil and the chart will survive OK.

Now that's interesting. Perhaps I've been going at this backwards.

I've been using the hardest lead I can find, 4H, 6H, thinking that a thin, light line would be easier to erase. (And also, because Back In The Day, in Technical Drawing at the tender age of 12 or so, Mr. Wilson taught us that you use the 4H pencil first, then go over it with HB, and the 4H is easier to erase.)

But I've been noticing that it takes more erasing than I like. I erase some of the chart to get my marks off, particularly when I'm correcting charts.

[nigel1]

With some old time skippers, it was pretty much a flogging offense to use anything other than a 2B pencil pencil.
I'm not like that, but the offender does get his or her ears pulled off for such a transgression.

[Jammer Six]

Let's see...

As I recall, it went 4H, (very hard) 2H (hard) 2B, (soft) and HB (very soft).

So why 2B instead of HB?

Maybe I should start about a thread, "Newbie Learns To Handle Charts" and ask all my stupid questions.