Pilotage Done Properly

[johnalison]

I think that the trouble is that some people just don’t have the ability to create a mental map and have to deal with things in a more abstract way. I can generally look at a city map and then find my way around with little further checking, but my wife is lost without specific reference points. She will tend to give me an instruction at a roundabout to take, say, the third exit, while I will be looking for one about thirty degrees to the right of straight ahead, so I don’t think that I can propose that a method that suits me for pilotage should be universal, only what I can recommend to like-minded sailors.

 

[westhinder]

One of the advantages of the often maligned RYA emphasis on chart work is that if you are confident and familiar with charts, it is a fairly simple matter to keep a mental picture of your expected passage in mind. Interestingly, I once saw research that indicated that the creation of mental maps starts very early in childhood; and that toddlers below the age of two can create a mental map of objects in an area.

In waters I am unfamiliar with, I like to have a chart to hand, but when planning a passage in unfamiliar waters, I spend time making sure I have the main points of the chart (dangers etc.) in mind. But I am not an advocate of precise planning of tidal offsets and CTS; reality will soon present situations where your beautiful sums fall apart!

I agree that the idea of model making is completely OTT! But certainly spend time considering how a harbour entrance will appear from seaward.

I'm not a good person to advise on how you build up your personal mental map - a lifetime working with maps means I can gain a good mental picture from a fairly brief glance! But I'd argue that any planning for unfamiliar waters should include creating a mental map of the area to be covered, and during the passage a regular check of what you can see against that mental map. If the two start to diverge, then you need to reconnect the two!

I fully agree with you.
As the OP I'd like to add that I am all for a thorough preparation that starts with a good scan of a detailed chart and studying the relevant pilot book(s) to form an acute awareness and a mental map of where I am going to. I will make a few notes of crucial transits, light characteristics etc for quick reference.
What struck me as OTT in the article, was the way a sketch was developed into drawing a new chart, starting with tracing an existing chart (if you can find one on a convenient scale) then adding buoys, lights, transits, depth contours for varying states of the tide... I appreciate the military background from where this comes, but for the type of sailing most of us do, it is exaggerated. And even from a teaching/learning perspective, it is probably counterproductive to start from such a complicated procedure. You risk unnecessarily losing your pupils early in the process.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Well, with the RYA's Digital First philosophy, perhaps all this will be out the window as expectations move to digital planning associated with plotters, weather, YouTube, Satellite images et cetera. Or perhaps, there will be Apps that will create a passage plan for you from digital information. After all weather routing Apps and time to leave planning is available that works out when to leave for best weather and fastest passage, hence a passage plan would be easy, assuming data can be extracted from digital sources.

In the 80's when I started my Yachtmaster Offshore, we were expected to produce a basic chartlet sketch (no mention of 3D, just 2D) from the pilot book descriptions. While not totally a dying art, it probably will be as all locations can now be viewed on most map apps that have satellite overlay capability, as well as annotating images.

Still, planning a passage and describing it on paper is a good thing to do as plotters can increase the possibility of hazards being out of site, by the very nature of how the devices arrange data, screen size et cetera. How longe until our plotters start advising to "turn right, turn right, danger, shallow water, danger, shallow water, turn right, turn right." (-; In a voice of your choice.

Example
A Yachtmaster in the last couple of years, went the wrong side of a well know passage through through Easdale Sound and damaged the boat. If a sketch or pilotage plan, had been drawn from the available data, likely that mistake would not have happened. The obvious passage, taken by many shoal vessels, is not the navigable passage as laid out on the plotters and in the notes. Perhaps if that had been written down the Yavhtmaster would have realised the damagers of the obvious passage. It wasn't me, by the way.

 

[oldbloke]

According to one of the posts Salcombe was the target. The problem I found with South Devon when practicing for my yachtmaster is that it's all too easy. The tide is either with you or against you and just take care not to hit the crunchy grey bits. For Salcombe in less than a force six. Leave harbour, turn left or right as appropriate. On reaching Salcombe head to Bar Lodge then follow the wet bits. If tide is low ,or feeling anxious follow buoyed channel +/- leading lights.
It's a bit different in a SW 10 like on new years eve though

 

[Supertramp]

I'm with those who build a mental map of the passage, tricky spots and destinations. Good aerial photos are handy and I will read and reread pilot guides but I very rarely redraw the chart as per training. Antares have it nailed for Scotland at least.

I do write out all relevant tide times and heights, compass courses and distances, tide flow change times and key lighthouse/buoy info. I use a book to prepare so i can reuse information on subsequent passages. I have made mistakes when extracting information under way from tables or small print when tired or rushed.

The confidence of knowing exactly where you are with GPS transforms the process and lends a certainty in sub optimal conditions that never used to be there. Making it even more important to think and practice without it!

 

[Sandy]

Scratch?

Do you mix that with oil or water? What paints should be used?

 

[capnsensible]

Do you mix that with oil or water? What paints should be used?

Well everbody says you can make stuff from it.

 

[requiem]

Reading the article before commenting? Certainly not!

I am curious though, and will keep an eye out. With an unfamiliar destination there are some basic planning elements I consider particularly essential:

• Digging up a detailed map of any marinas docks, including slip numbering
• Telephone calls to verify key information (e.g. concerns about shoaling, amenities, hours) and "anything else I should be aware of?"
• Review of the tidal ranges and currents in play. (Pre-calculating CTS is only throwing out a challenge to the gods).
• Review of charts, satellite imagery, cruising guides & forums, including identification of contingency options (harbours along the way, etc)
  • (This triggers a similar planning loop for each fallback option)
• Marking up the chart with any corrections, warnings, clearing bearings, no-go zones, etc. (Sometimes I'll download a satellite layer.)

All of that is done electronically. On the paper side I work up a rough passage plan leaving plenty of white space. This acts as pilot plan and checklist, detailing key landmarks and bearings to watch for, times of tide changes, abort points, tasks that need attending to, etc. I like paper for quick notes and a rough log, particularly by the radio.

 

[wonkywinch]

I once saw research that indicated that the creation of mental maps starts very early in childhood; and that toddlers below the age of two can create a mental map of objects in an area.

I'm a big believer that interaction with the real world (3D space, taste & feel) has been trashed for more than a generation or two when infant brain neurons have been stimulated and formed with 2D flashing colours on a screen (TV then ipad etc) instead of picking up stones and eating worms.

Such behaviour has also affected attention span and I cringe when I hear parents lament about their child's ADHD without realising that they may have had some influence on this.

Highly recommend a book called The Plug In Drug.

 

[requiem]

I'm a big believer that interaction with the real world (3D space, taste & feel) has been trashed for more than a generation or two when infant brain neurons have been stimulated and formed with 2D flashing colours on a screen (TV then ipad etc) instead of picking up stones and eating worms.

Hmm... I've noticed a similarity between people who have trouble with screen-based interactions and those who navigate similar to johnalison's wife. Having used screens for decades, my view of a screen is a 2d representation of an n-d world: I consider windows, files, etc all existing in some relation to each other. But... there are those who, for lack of a better description, view the screen as a 2d representation of a 2d object, and without knowing the precise places to click on sequence are quickly lost.

On land I've thought of it as a split between absolute and relative directions. E.g. I see myself moving about the map, rather than the map continuously scrolling under me and wheeling about me as I turn. The former view always anchors me to a broader context, whilst the latter is simply a continuously changing stream of vision without such context: dead reckoning, where losing track of ones steps means a loss of position.

Perhaps exposure to the physical world helps build this, but I have always felt that playing various computer games had similar contributions: flying through mineshafts in fully 3D worlds like Descent, exploring various connected worlds in Myst, even older text-based RPGs require building abstract mental models.

 

[wonkywinch]

Myst, I loved that game. And Leisure Suit Larry before that.

 

[mjcoon]

On land I've thought of it as a split between absolute and relative directions. E.g. I see myself moving about the map, rather than the map continuously scrolling under me and wheeling about me as I turn. The former view always anchors me to a broader context, whilst the latter is simply a continuously changing stream of vision without such context: dead reckoning, where losing track of ones steps means a loss of position.

There's a test: who prefers to keep their satnav (or chart plotter - even worse) set to heading-up rather than north-up?

 

[johnalison]

There's a test: who prefers to keep their satnav (or chart plotter - even worse) set to heading-up rather than north-up?

I used to put my plotter onto head-up occasionally just to wind up my wife. Although appropriate in a car, I find it unusable on board.

 

[Sandy]

There's a test: who prefers to keep their satnav (or chart plotter - even worse) set to heading-up rather than north-up?

My chart plotter, car sat nav, charts and maps are always used heading up. As this way:

• I can orientate my position relative to my environment; and
• is the way I was taught to use them and in my mind far more logical.

There is a fascinating map I spotted in a class room I work in from time to time. It is based on Australia so naturally south is to the 'top'. Clearly there is a teacher who is uncomfortable with that and has turned it round so that the North Pole is in the north; it looks silly.

 

[Roberto]

There's a test: who prefers to keep their satnav (or chart plotter - even worse) set to heading-up rather than north-up?

I have serious difficulties in trying and follow on the plotter my previous track when going southward, I often twist my head upside down to look at the screen and properly correct the course port/starbord

 

[mrming]

I use head up. I navigate a lot of narrow / shallow creeks where an error could mean a long wait, and I find it’s much quicker to parse. I only use North up if I’m in a broader area with more sea room.

 

[justanothersailboat]

I am firmly dedicated to north-up. I'd much rather do all rotations in my head rather than external to it. Seems to be a quite deeprooted division of mental types here.

 

[johnalison]

I am firmly dedicated to north-up. I'd much rather do all rotations in my head rather than external to it. Seems to be a quite deeprooted division of mental types here.

I was unaware that there was a significant group preferring course-up, which to me seems far from my previous chart-work. On my old B&W plotter putting it course-up would make it spread the writing out more or less vertically and unreadably. On the other hand, I have always used radar course-up, though I believe this is not the pro way.

 

[seeSimon]

According to one of the posts Salcombe was the target. The problem I found with South Devon when practicing for my yachtmaster is that it's all too easy....

It's a bit different in a SW 10 like on new years eve though

Indeed, several people have died there...