Float Plans

[sailorboy1]

Was flipping vrious "stuff" I have and there it was ...... The Float Plan

Now when I took ASA lessons way back we were taught to leave a Float Plan with someone before going out. But thinking about it we never even did this when taking lessons and we went out pretty far. nd to date I have never left one with anyone when going out.

So fess up, how many people do such a basic, and when it comes to it a smart thing?

[boasun]

Don't float plans depend on how heavily insured you are and how much you love the people you are leaving ashore??
Okay that was a bit in bad taste. But you should give someone a heads up on what you are doing over the weekend. It can be either in writing or just asking someone to check on you later. Both works...And I'm sure that your boss will miss you at work, sort've that is....

[Unicorn Dreams]

My float plans never had an exact arrival date, just an approximation.
Now that they have the SPOT tracking devices, float plans are a little more flexible...

[Lancerbye]

I often head out with no specific end location in mind. I just kind of wander around the Inside passage. Nightly anchorage kind of depends on how the fish are biting or any other excuse. Being retired means I don't have to be anywhere in particular. I believe in the concept of a float plan, I just wouldn't know how to write it up. I do however keep in contact via what ever method on a daily basis with someone.

[sarafina]

never go with out one.

Even if it is as basic as we will be sailing in the south bay between Alameda, TI and Candlestick...

And if we change plans I call in on the cell phone to update.

Always.

[sailorboy1]

only 6 votes, I hope everyone knows what a Float Plan is

[Hud3]

Always, when making an offshore passage. My brother and our son were listed as contacts if the EPIRB went off, so they needed to know our plans.

Never, for daysails.

Sometimes, for gunkholing trips, say a week or more.

[David_Old_Jersey]

I've never been very keen on the concept of others knowing where I am (or expecting me to be) 24/7. In my book, what I do / when is no one else's business.

Indeed, the attraction to me of the boat thing is not having to tell anybody anything. and nobody being able to want something from me. Appreciate that a "safety" element, but have always been quite comfortable living with the consequences of my own decisions - afloat and ashore (and not to say that the decisions always go well).

But to be fair, I am probably (?!) a bit funny in that respect.........

.....at the end of the day, gotta do whatever yer feel comfortable with.

[Simes]

Hi Don and Folks,

Float Plan? I think that you mean a passage plan? A plan of where you are going to go, showing the tides, weather forecast, a brief plan of the route showing waypoints and possible nav' hazards. The plan includes your contingency planning, where you will go when the plan fails due to adverse weather or other failure.

If this is what you mean then you are required to plan by international statute, are you not? Back in July 2002 SOLAS V was released. SOLAS (Safety of Lives At Sea) came into being shortly after the sinking of the Titanic and was intended to govern the fitting and maintenance of Life Saving fixtures and equipment on-board vessels at sea. In 2002, for the first time, it addressed the small and leisure craft market.
As a part of this is the requirement that all craft passage plan when any portion of their passage takes them out side of directed waters, those water controlled by a port or harbor authority).
Or are things different in the 'States?

Simes

[SaucySailoress]

We never used to, and still don't for passages within Kuwait. One time though, when we hit a storm returning from Bahrain, we had to shelter on an island in Saudi. Our journey was delayed three days while storm blew over. What we wished we had done was to have left a contact tree with someone.

See, we managed to radio a passing cargo ship, who relayed a message to the only reliable person (a close friend, and a colleague at that time) whose email address I could remember. It was her work address, and it turned out she was on holiday, didn't check her emails whilst on holiday... and the message never got thru!! A lot of worried people were worried.

Eventually, the Saudi CG contacted Kuwait Embassy in Saudi, who had received a query from British Embassy in Kuwait; and they contacted a friend with Embassy contacts... Not a very efficient route, when one email could have done the biz!

[Unicorn Dreams]

Alot of the regulations by SOLAS and COLREGS are Mandatory for commercial, but not for pleasure craft.
Although it's wise to follow most of them.

[St. Elsewhere]

I wonder if AIS-B is well enough monitored to fill the need. MarineTraffic.com and other such sites show where we've been for the past 24 hours or so, and maybe they retain the records for a much longer time.

[Bash]

I seldom know where I'm going, let alone when I'll return.