What Chart Should Be Used As a General Rule When Navigating In Coastal Area?
As a sailing expert with years of experience on the water, I am often asked which type of nautical chart should be used as a general rule when navigating in coastal areas?
The answer is not straightforward as there are several types available that come with different characteristics depending on your needs – from paper charts to electronic ones like raster or vector charts – so it is important for sailors to understand which type suits their purpose best before setting out onto open waters.
In this article I will explain what types are available, how they differ from one another, as well as provide tips on using them correctly for coastal navigation safety with examples from my own experience at sea so you can get the most out of your journey!
Introduction: Nautical Charts Explained
Nautical charts are maps designed specifically for mariners and depict features such as shoreline configurations, water depths, locations of dangers or aids to navigation such as buoys or beacons, anchorages and other features that are useful when navigating through coastal waters or along international borders at sea level or higher altitudes above sea level if required by law or regulation (such as those used by commercial shipping companies).
They provide detailed information about local conditions such as currents, tides and weather patterns that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to obtain in real time while aboard a vessel so they are essential tools for any sailor’s voyage!
Types Of Charts
Paper Charts: Paper nautical charts have been around since ancient times, but they remain popular today due to their ease-of-use and reliability – even when electronic versions fail due to power outages or other issues, paper charts still provide reliable information about water depths, hazards and other features relevant to safe navigation (notwithstanding any updates that may have occurred since their last printing).
Paper charts are also more affordable than their electronic counterparts making them ideal for recreational sailors who don’t want or need all the bells-and-whistles associated with more advanced options like electronic versions (although some may still prefer them due to familiarity).
Electronic Charts: Electronic versions come in several variations including raster images (which are essentially digital copies of paper ones) and vector based graphics (which offer greater flexibility). Vector graphics often include additional layers providing even more detailed information than their paper counterparts such as depth soundings and buoyage systems which can give sailors an even better understanding of their surroundings while navigating through unknown waters – all without having to rely solely on visual cues like landmarks or buoys!
Electronic versions also typically allow users to mark waypoints directly onto the map which can be useful when planning long voyages over multiple days (or even weeks) since they enable you store multiple routes/destinations within one file instead having multiple paper versions scattered around onboard!
