Nautical Map – Two Things to Look for in a Nautical Map
A nautical map (or chart) serves a distinct purpose: to help you navigate coastal waters. They depict the coastline in high resolution, showing the effects of tidal changes on the different waterways. These charts are used to plot courses. Mariners depend on charts to give up to date and suitable information about hazards to navigation.
So, how can you choose the best chart to handle this important process? Here’s how you can avoid wasting your time, money and energy…
What to Look For in a Nautical Map Before Spending Your Hard-Earned Dollars
- Make sure your nautical map is accurate
Nautical charts should show you the depth of the water and the height of the land, natural features of the seabed, structures such as harbors, buildings, and bridges, information on the tides and currents, local details on the Earth’s magnetic field, navigational hazards, and the locations of natural and man-made aids to navigation. Old, uncorrected charts should never be used for navigation, since the nature of a waterway depicted by a chart may change, and artificial aids to navigation may be altered at short notice.
- Get a nautical map that’s convenient to use
Many recreational boaters are using the small-scale charts produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). “BookletChart,” as this product is called, can be printed at home from the NOAA website, and the NOAA updates the information on it weekly. This is the most convenient option for the small confines of a recreational boat.
Growing numbers of recreational boaters on the waters of the US are competing for the use of these waters with commercial vessels. In addition, the number of recreational boats in the US doubled between 1970 and 1996. Therefore, it is very important that the leisure boater learn to read charts and navigate safely.