Passage Planning Flashcards

What factors should be considered when choosing a departure time for a coastal passage?

Answer: Tidal streams (to gain favourable current), depth of water at departure and arrival ports, weather windows, daylight hours, and crew fatigue

Departure timing considers favourable tidal streams, sufficient depth at both ports, weather conditions, available daylight, crew rest, and the overall passage duration to arrive at a suitable time.

What is a 'pilotage plan' and when is it needed?

Answer: A detailed plan for navigating in confined or congested waters such as harbour entrances, rivers, and estuaries

A pilotage plan provides detailed instructions for navigating in confined waters — harbour approaches, rivers, and estuaries — where precise navigation is critical and there is little room for error.

Why should a passage plan include a fuel calculation?

Answer: To ensure adequate fuel for the engine, including reserves for motoring in calms, charging batteries, and emergency manoeuvring

Even sailing yachts need fuel calculations for motoring in calms, battery charging, harbour manoeuvring, and emergencies. A prudent reserve (typically one-third) should always be maintained.

What is the significance of 'notices to mariners' in passage planning?

Answer: Official publications providing updates on chart corrections, new hazards, changes to aids to navigation, and other navigational warnings

Notices to Mariners (NMs) provide critical updates including chart corrections, new or altered navigational aids, newly discovered hazards, and changes to regulations that could affect safe navigation.

When planning a passage, what is the recommended safety margin when passing a headland or lee shore?

Answer: A generous clearance that accounts for tidal set, leeway, wind effects, and sea conditions — typically at least 1-2 nautical miles

A generous safety margin should be maintained when passing headlands and lee shores, accounting for tidal streams, wind-driven current, leeway, and the possibility of conditions worsening.

What is a 'cross-track error' (XTE) on a GPS and why is it important during passage execution?

Answer: The perpendicular distance between the vessel's actual position and the planned track, indicating how far off course you are

Cross-track error shows how far the vessel has drifted from the planned route. Monitoring XTE helps detect tidal set or leeway and ensures the vessel stays clear of hazards along the route.