john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
John and Tome,
I hear you and understand what you are saying. For the most part, I agree with you. I would suggest that sailors should not be encouraged to navigate on the hazardous side of lateral and cardinal marks, as a regular matter of course. If there is sufficient sea-room for your particular vessel landward of the marks, and traffic or winds make that a desirable course to follow, then by all means go ahead. Obviously dinghees don't need the depth that a VLCC requires. Again, I would advise navigator's prudence - weigh the level of reliability in your charted information, with whatever information you have (tidal info, advice from the pilot, local knowledge or w.h.y.). I would like to think if a YM candidate did pass on the "wrong" side, they would justify their actions. But I would hardly think someone's competence should be questioned should they choose to follow the marks.
[/ QUOTE ]Further to my previous post, I just phoned a contact at a Chart Maintenance Unit. They tell me that the whole of Southampton water was surveyed by multibeam sonar in 2004.
If I have a candidate who sticks to the main shipping channels all the time, I usually just give them a nav exercise that MAKES them put their keel near the mud. I do worry about the candidates who are visibly sweating when they only have a couple of metres under the keel.... and then admits that he/she never normally takes their boat to such places. It doesn't give me a lot of confidence in their navigation and pilotage.
Cruiserb - be brave and try sailing the so called 'wrong side' of some marks sometimes - especially if they are 'big ship bouys' marking main channels. Just look at the chart and use some prudence.
By the way, I have just remembered that if you are entering Portsmouth Harbour, you are LEGALLY OBLIGED to stay on the 'wrong side' of the Port Hand marks at the entrance!
John and Tome,
I hear you and understand what you are saying. For the most part, I agree with you. I would suggest that sailors should not be encouraged to navigate on the hazardous side of lateral and cardinal marks, as a regular matter of course. If there is sufficient sea-room for your particular vessel landward of the marks, and traffic or winds make that a desirable course to follow, then by all means go ahead. Obviously dinghees don't need the depth that a VLCC requires. Again, I would advise navigator's prudence - weigh the level of reliability in your charted information, with whatever information you have (tidal info, advice from the pilot, local knowledge or w.h.y.). I would like to think if a YM candidate did pass on the "wrong" side, they would justify their actions. But I would hardly think someone's competence should be questioned should they choose to follow the marks.
[/ QUOTE ]Further to my previous post, I just phoned a contact at a Chart Maintenance Unit. They tell me that the whole of Southampton water was surveyed by multibeam sonar in 2004.
If I have a candidate who sticks to the main shipping channels all the time, I usually just give them a nav exercise that MAKES them put their keel near the mud. I do worry about the candidates who are visibly sweating when they only have a couple of metres under the keel.... and then admits that he/she never normally takes their boat to such places. It doesn't give me a lot of confidence in their navigation and pilotage.
Cruiserb - be brave and try sailing the so called 'wrong side' of some marks sometimes - especially if they are 'big ship bouys' marking main channels. Just look at the chart and use some prudence.
By the way, I have just remembered that if you are entering Portsmouth Harbour, you are LEGALLY OBLIGED to stay on the 'wrong side' of the Port Hand marks at the entrance!