Passage Planning

john_morris_uk

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How longs a piece of string.

When I examine people's passage plans I am looking for them to try and take into account all the relevant factors. The trouble is that different passages have different relevant factors! Hence there's no template as to what you need to tick off.


Think of all the things that will affect you and the boat and you will have a good idea of what is involved.

Weather, tides, tidal gates, crew numbers skills and strength, boat and its abilities, tidal streams, timings (You need to think about what time to set out and what time you are aiming to arrive.) Hour of daylight and hours of darkness...

The list goes on.

I should have added 'length of passage...' Crossing the channel is a very different plan to going for a picnic or crossing the Atlantic.
 
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maby

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There really is no such thing as a definitive template - depends entirely on the nature of the proposed journey. If you follow the law to the letter, you should make a passage plan for a five mile hop down river to anchor up and nip to the pub, but the law accepts the possibility of some informal statement to the effect that we're going down river for an hour to have fun! :)

The RYA published a small paperback book on passage planning a few months ago which seems to contain a lot of common sense. Gives options ranging from planning said five mile hop through to planning to cross the Atlantic.
 

Seajet

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I don't have a definitive guide to hand, but obviously factors ( off the top of my head ) will include;

Tides as in depth at departure port - enough water ?

Depth at destination around projected arrival time - enough water ?

Any lock etc with restricted times to get out departure / in destination ?

Any tidal gates to make en route ? When with and against you ?

Tidal set hourly and total at realistic speed.

Offset arrival waypoint a little uptide of destination.

Consider hours of daylight and marks visible or not day / night.

Navigation marks en route.

Waypoints en route.

Any separation / traffic schemes to avoid or comply with ?

Watches for crew to keep ?

Food, what when by whom.

Not a passage plan per se, but it may give you a start.
 

Tranona

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Do a search and you will find the subject done to death a few weeks ago when the Hot Liquid case was on.

There are very good guidelines on the RYA site and it is covered in the RYA syllabus. If you do get to the previous discussion you will find that there is no real agreement on what is "best" - people tend to look at the published guidelines and do their own thing at a level that suits them and particularly the type of sailing they do.
 

ssjpiv

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Passage Plan

Thanks for the suggestions. I have my yachtmasters exam next week and have to do one (only a short trip) but didnt want to leave anything off!
 

prv

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Which law?

Merchant Shipping (Safety of Navigation) Regulations 2002.

But well done for asking, too many people accept "it's the law" at face value, without checking what the law actually says.

For what it's worth, I didn't think the original question was an attempt to re-hash the legal requirements, but a simple question on the techniques of planning a passage.

Pete
 

duncan99210

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Most of our passage planning tends to consist of a note in the log that we're headed for a particular place. If it's likely to take more than 24 hours to get there, then we do a bit more work like how much food we need and when do we need to leave to make sure we arrive in day light. Where the course is likely to be more than leave harbour and head west then we will put pen to paper and work out legs, distance bearing and so forth. If we're in tidal waters, then we'll factor that in as well, along with tidal gates if required. The object is to keep it as simple as possible whilst shutting up any possible whinges from the authorities (under SOLAS requirement) about having a valid passage plan.
 
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Thanks for the suggestions. I have my yachtmasters exam next week and have to do one (only a short trip) but didnt want to leave anything off!

I would have thought by this stage you would know what you were doing wrt passage plans.
 

oldfatgit

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I use the attached which you are welcome to use and or improve on. You may even copyright it and sell it at a profit if you feel inclined.

By following it on the more complicated passages I go to sea knowing that I have considered all relevant factors for me and my boat and set her up to cope with the passage properly.
 
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