How much passage planning should you do?

[mjkinch1]

I was planning our next adventure, and with maps and pilot guides out, I was writing out all the details, waypoints and general information.

Now bear in mind, my 'adventure' is not really very far from the coastline, always going from Marina marina, and the longest romp is probably 60 miles,not out of sight of land (well visibility allowing of course). Its in the Med, its summer, and whilst weather can be an issue, if its planned right, we can just extend our stay if it gets too windy.

Now SWMBO asks me why I do all this, given I have a main GPS, backup hand held GPS, I am never out of sight of land, and on average my marina hops will be around 10-20 miles each. I have a liferaft, main radio,handheld radio, EPIRB, and maps for just about every square mile of the area I am in.

So that led me to the question of just how much the average forumite plans his journeys, given similiar conditions? I know that you have to cover every eventuality, but does everyone plan to the nth degree?

Do you most of you seasoned boaters just put in the waypoints and go, or just rely on visual observation. Even if it was a jaunt down to Lulworth cove from Chichester, or Dartmouth,would you still put the same degree of planning in as you would a trip to France?

I do want to be safe thats for sure, but are we all the same in this respect?

 

[benjenbav]

I think it's impossible to have a one-size fits all approach. Me - I enjoy doing the planning stuff as well as the boat stuff, so I tend to have lots of routes planned out.

 

[Nautorius]

To Be honest Martyn,

In the UK tidal I do lots of planning. In the Med I did a lot less. However if even going up the Thames (non-tidal) I still plan timings and where we should be going. A little planning helps me all the time!

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[moodycruiser]

various degrees of planning, depending on trip, to take in account loss of electronics,engine, etc with alternative destination/s or anchorage/s for whatever reason.

 

[duncan]

[ QUOTE ]
and whilst weather can be an issue, if its planned right, we can just extend our stay if it gets too windy

[/ QUOTE ]

you have just answered your own question

a passage plan is just that - it's not a navigation exercise it's about a real boat, real weather, conditions, crew issues and factors that could impact on the wellbeing of crew or craft.

I am heading off fishing to the CIs Friday, returning Sunday, and until now my main planning factors have been weather. It's looking OK so the next stage is timing's, existence of water taxis (don't carry tender when fishing) cill's (to restrictive) right the way through to have I got enough gas on board to cook breakfast Sat and Sunday...........if I was heading to Lulworth I would be considering the same things!

 

[gjgm]

interesting, as I m going to venture on our first "planned" trip , down to Cornwall. I ve always tended to be rather drawn to "La Technique HLB" (copywrite pending),though admitedly without his experience. Namely, turn left or right, miss anything with trees on it, or head for a port/marina if you are hungry/its getting a bit bumpy.
However, being without his experience, I do seem to find myself pawing over charts with lettering too small to read, and consulting old course books about what the hell a 20 letter/numerical lighted bouy description actually means. (Maybe Salcombe beacon wasnt the easiest to choose as a first refresher)
Think I m halfway house;Portland,Start,Prawle,Dodmin.. other than that, cant confess to that much planning. Er, maybe I m wrong?

 

[peterandjeanette]

I find that preplanning on a fast cruiser is essential. Trying to do any paperwork when bouncing over the briny at 25 kts is not possible - so anything that can be done in advance is done. That includes tide tables/drift, course, pilotage for destination etc.

One of the main reasons I chose the Phantom 40 was the ability to have a paper chart under a perspex cover on the flybridge - and I use it.

A short jolly round the Solent does not need as much as a cross channel run to Guernsey, but even then a knowledge of what the tide is doing at any one time is imprinted on my mind.

Finally - a bottle of bubbly to toast Neptune, the boat and SWMBO after every channel crossing.

Yes, probably over the top, but I'm still here to talk about it.

Keep it up Martyn.

Peter

 

[rickp]

Wiggo has a great perspex chart holder that he had made. Very handy and we used it extensively on our YM. Basically a large sheet of perspex (double the size of those typical folio charts) which he got someone to fold in two. Works very well, even in torrential rain and an F7 (as we found out on the prep). Best solution I've come across for a flybridge boat.

I just keep the charts out on the table in the 'deck saloon' as its an enclosed helm on the Elling /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Rick

 

[hlb]

Glad you like my exhaustive planning. It so depends how well you know the area and whether it is ok to get lost a bit, here or there. If I'm just bobbing around the coast and theres no rocks sticking out. I dont have much of a plan. Except loads of juice, gas and some cash in pocket. But thats ok for Devon/Cornwall. Would not do the same for Bristol chanel or CI's.

 

[Channel Ribs]

On the basis that "planning is cruicial but the plans are useless" then the more the merrier I would say. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

When we did our boating in the UK, I used to do detailed passage plans for new trips especially which involved navigating over drying areas but for milk runs like Hamble to Yarmouth or Weymouth, I never bothered other than to take note of the tide times and directions for the overfalls
In the Med, to be honest, it's easier because there's no tide to speak of and the chances of poor viz are v low so it's basically a case of you hit what you see. I do keep a regular eye on the paper chart and the plotter for shallows or isolated dangers but thats usually as much as I do except for open water passages eg Majorca to Menorca when I do plug a couple of waypoints into the plotter

 

[KevB]

If I'm staying in the solent then it's just tides and weather and book a berth. If it's further afield, CI's for example it's as above and look in pilot book to see if there is anything I should be aware of and look at paper charts to confirm. A couple of way points across the channel leading up to destination then paper charts and GPS to get in.

 

[mjkinch1]

Its interesting to see what everyone does - I suspect I am probably looking at a litlle too much detail, working on the worst basis of GPS failing, handheld failing and visibility decreasing, but it does take ages to map it all out.

I must be honest if I had a problem I would guess I would work it out at the time, with a little local knowledge and a good map/pilot book.

As Peter said the Phantom has a great map area on the flybridge, and I do keep it open with our position visible at all times.

Perhaps thats the answer - Deleted User made a good point about waypoints between islands, and I have done that plus some compass directions just in case.

I spent a couple of days planning it all out, but I know when I get there I am just going to pretty much go, and all the notes will remain tucked away.

The comments about tides is spot on, thats something for now at least isnt so much of a worry for us, but with cill heights and tidal ranges, I can see how those have to be planned for

 

[hlb]

Yep. My sort of planning works for Devon/Cornwall. Well most of it. But agreed, planning at sea,is a bummer. Especially if your not to sure of the way. So to say CI's, yes, It's all in the chart plotter and checked, so I know exactly where I am and where to next. This is where the auto pilot comes in. Keeping you dead on course, if you need to pour over charts.

Funny thing is. I find the Solent as bad as anywhere. I hardly ever have a plan up there, cos just messing about really, It's not on my chart plotter and thats down stairs anyway. So with all the shallow bits. It's a bit confusing.

I find the only plans that work, are the ones that plan round you.

Well, we dont get up before about ten for a start, then theres the little jobs and breakfast. So setting off time is 11 or 12. Pub time is anywhere between 3pm and 6pm, which is tea time. After that, it's TV time or drinks time.

So the window of oppertunity, is about 11am till say 5pm at most. Still plenty of time for a hundred miles or so.

Mostly we have no tide table, cant find it or cant be bothered with it. A bit pointless anyway given our timings for deparcher and arrival. I leave the tide to do it's own thing mostly, on the other hand, I dont sail on the brown bits less I know whats going on.

 

[sailorman]

We tend to use "Charts" rather than "Maps" on the East Coast( the M11 is awful @ rush Hr /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[pennycar9]

Passage planning is now a legal requirement when a pleasure vessel leaves catergorized waters.Not only in UK waters but internationally.

 

[Stoaty]

[ QUOTE ]
Passage planning is now a legal requirement

[/ QUOTE ]

I am aware of this but passage plans are only of use if you have a destination in mind.

For a day or a weekends fishing my plan is to leave and return to Gillingham, fish in various locations west of a line from Harwich to North Foreland, dependent on wind, tide and where the fish are.

"That wind is going round to the north"
"We'll go over the Essex side"


"That wind is going easterly"
"We're going 'ome"

Planning on the hoof. Don't say you never do it.

 

[duncan]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Passage planning is now a legal requirement

[/ QUOTE ]

I am aware of this but passage plans are only of use if you have a destination in mind.

For a day or a weekends fishing my plan is to leave and return to Gillingham, fish in various locations west of a line from Harwich to North Foreland, dependent on wind, tide and where the fish are.

"That wind is going round to the north"
"We'll go over the Essex side"


"That wind is going easterly"
"We're going 'ome"

Planning on the hoof. Don't say you never do it.

[/ QUOTE ]

planning on the hoof is still planning and you do need to passage plan if you leave (regardless of the lack of a specific fixed aiming point) - that's why it's passage planning not navigation.

 

[hlb]

I dont think folk grasp what this new law means. As it does not have to be written down and will never be checked, the law serves only one perpose.

If you have an accident, then you obviously did not have a plan, or not one covering this eventuallity. So your stuffed. No iff's or butt's. You did not plan for a thingy whatsit dufer, did you!

 

[sailorman]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont think folk grasp what this new law means. As it does not have to be written down and will never be checked, the law serves only one perpose.

If you have an accident, then you obviously did not have a plan, or not one covering this eventuallity. So your stuffed. No iff's or butt's. You did not plan for a thingy whatsit dufer, did you!

[/ QUOTE ]

So the ferryways Driver, leaving Oostende on Saturday "Had Planned to Hit the Pier " then /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif