What is the Purpose of Passage Planning?
Boat owners may have different reasons for including this activity in their maintenance or boating schedules. The idea behind this activity is to create a documented record of each phase of the boat’s journey so that if changes are needed at any point along the way, these changes can be made at this stage instead of when the ship is nearing port or has stopped making daily trips to the marina. The actions involved in this process are not overly complex and can be done by even novice boaters. All of the steps listed below are standardized and required for all boats registered in the United States.
Assessment & Resolution
To prepare for any voyage involving water, including ocean navigation, on a boat, there is the need to draft an assessment or resolution on what the boat will do in certain situations. Such situations include: where to depart from and arrive at, when to depart from the port, where to anchor, how to Moor, what fuel to carry, what supplies to carry, and when to get back to port.
To prepare for any voyage involving water, including ocean navigation, on a vessel, there is the need to draft an assessment or resolution on what the boat will do in certain situations. These situations include: where to depart from and arrive at when to leave port, what fuel to carry, what supplies to carry, and when to get back to port. Drafting a resolution or report in this area is often referred to as voyage planning.
The primary purpose of passage planning software is the safe navigation of vessels. Draft a resolution or report in this area is often referred to as voyage planning. There are many types of paper charts, which can be utilized for this purpose. Many of these paper charts can be used in conjunction with electronic paper charts to create an accurate depiction of the vessel and its environment.
When a ship is departing from a port, it may be to go to a different one or to dock at another port. For this reason, an accurate assessment or resolution on what the ship will do in each situation is necessary. To prepare for these situations, a ship’s passage plan or appraisal is required. This type of analysis will help a captain and crew know where they are heading and what they need to have on board. These plans and assessments are necessary for a captain and staff before leaving port or while docked at their home port.
Like human error, even though navigation mistakes can and will happen, a good navigation plan is well-planned and prepared. Without an accurate assessment or resolution on where the ship is headed, a captain and crew will not know if they are heading in the right direction or not. Navigation mistakes and other events that can affect a ship’s course can happen, but good passage planning will help prevent them. A good navigation method is to use a navigation software program designed specifically for analysis and thorough planning of sea voyages.
Good Analysis
Another reason a good navigation plan is essential is that, without it, a captain and crew will face many uncertainties during a voyage. With passage planning, a captain and crew can avoid most of these events and more. A good navigation software program can help provide a good analysis and detailed description of current and future conditions. This will allow a captain and crew to decide how to use available navigation systems best, prioritize emergencies, avoid hazards, and maximize available routes. This, in turn, saves precious time and maximizes crew resources.
Last Words:
Now that we’ve discussed the importance of navigation in avoiding human error and the likelihood of human error due to inferior or flawed equipment or poor seamanship, let’s discuss the importance of good navigation due to currents, weather, winds, tides, etc. For example, the Eastern Caribbean is often the most challenging place to navigate. If you were to try to map out the Caribbean by hand, you might get something close to what the navigation experts say is the actual shape of the Earth, but it is still straightforward to make mistakes when sailing the giant ocean.
