Passage Plan Charts.

[tarik]

Evening all,

Would appreciate some info re the above, how detailed are they? could they be used for coastal navigation?

As ever many thanks for all replies.


David

 

[DaveS]

OK, since no-one else has answered I'll have a go. AFAIK there is no such thing as a "Passage Planning Chart" per se. Passage planning is done on any convenient chart of sufficiently small scale to display the entire journey. If the chosen route lies near to hazards then larger scale chart(s) will also be needed to see whether some modification of the overall plan is required.

For coastal navigation you need charts of sufficient scale to show every thing that you want to know about. Sometimes there's a choice, and there's a trade off between detail and cost (and weight of charts). Without the detailed chart (or other accurate information) it might not be possible to safely navigate into somewhere, say as a refuge from bad weather.

To give a more meaningful example: I sail on the west coast of Scotland from a base in Argyll. Passage planning for multi-day trips is usually done on 2635 Scotland, west coast, 1:500,000. If I am planning, say, a trip to the Outer Hebrides, this lets me compare the various routes options. If I decide that the first day's passage will aim at getting to Tobermory then I might use 2171 Sound of Mull and Approaches, 1:75,000 as a planning chart for that day * but use charts 2326, 2386, 2387 and 2390 (all 1:25,000) for navigation (or in this example, mostly really more pilotage) of the actual passage. (* Unlikely, since this is my "home patch", but you get the idea.)

The above assumes traditional paper charts. Many now take advantage of electronic plotters with chart packages that include detail from all available charts within the limits - which are becoming increasingly large, e.g. all UK and Ireland. This does not mean that paper charts can be dispensed with, but it does mean that you can perhaps choose to be more selective. For example I carry the three 1:100,000 charts covering the Minch but not the larger scale charts of the Sutherland coast. I would not, however, choose to go through Kyle Rhea without the large scale chart. Others will make different choices.

 

[BoyBlue49]

I assume you refer to Admiralty chart 2675 English Channel 1:500,000.

These are ok for planning of TSS, Sub Facs, tidal streams and distance but little else. I would not go anywhere nearer than 5nm of anything hard on one of those charts.

If you find yourself in open water such as the middle of Biscay, then they are fine but for coastal navigation they have little or no detail.

I believe Admiralty refer to these charts as passage planning.

 

[bedouin]

The Admiralty charts are particularly frustrating in that you usually need all the scales they provide for a particular area - so if they have (for example) a detailed chart of Poole Hbr then the chart that covers say Christchurch to Poole will not contain enough detail to navigate within the hbr itself

 

[VicMallows]

The Admiralty charts are particularly frustrating in that you usually need all the scales they provide for a particular area - so if they have (for example) a detailed chart of Poole Hbr then the chart that covers say Christchurch to Poole will not contain enough detail to navigate within the hbr itself

What's new? Yes seriously expensive if you insist on paper charts. In some situations IMRAY may work out cheaper if you like them. Otherwise embrace the digital world and get the whole UK for under £50.

 

[Tugw]

What's new? Yes seriously expensive if you insist on paper charts. In some situations IMRAY may work out cheaper if you like them. Otherwise embrace the digital world and get the whole UK for under £50.

Where can you get the whole of the UK for under 50 quid?

 

[VicMallows]

Where can you get the whole of the UK for under 50 quid?

http://www.visitmyharbour.com/charts-for-seaclear.asp

£29.50 on DVD or CD. An extra £25 if you want them on a USB stick.

Vic

 

[KellysEye]

There are passage planning charts such as the whole of the north Atlantic and the whole of the Caribbean. They are not really used for planning, there's little to hit, but very useful for keeping noon positions. They are useless for coastal passages because of the scale.

 

[DaveS]

I assume you refer to Admiralty chart 2675 English Channel 1:500,000.

These are ok for planning of TSS, Sub Facs, tidal streams and distance but little else. I would not go anywhere nearer than 5nm of anything hard on one of those charts.

If you find yourself in open water such as the middle of Biscay, then they are fine but for coastal navigation they have little or no detail.

I believe Admiralty refer to these charts as passage planning.

You assume wrongly since I didn't refer to either chart 2675 or the English Channel in the example I gave. However, that would be a different but equally valid example. If you re-read my post you'll see that I covered the need for consulting more detailed charts anywhere the proposed route approaches hazards. I don't have a copy of 2675, but 2635 definitely isn't labelled "passage planning", it's just a 1:500,000 chart.