Marine Navigational Aids to Have Aboard Your Boat

The U.S. Coast Guard stresses the importance of following the guidelines provided by them to promote boating safety. Those guidelines advise boaters on how to be prepared and ready for almost anything on the water by taking the guess work out of boating safety; and among other things has determined what is considered required boating safety equipment and navigational aids.

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Marine navigational aids would consist of maps and charts, knowing the &#;Rules of the Road&#;, a two-way communication system, and a Global Positioning System.

It would be hard to find a person who is not familiar with what a &#;GPS&#; is and what they are used for. Many people have one in their automobiles and the number of those people with GPS for boats is growing.

Is it a good idea to have a GPS for boats, as part of the marine navigational aids on board your boat? Sure it is &#; but, maybe not as a stand-alone all in one navigational aid.

As a boater, you could use a regular GPS for your boat, whether it is a hand held or stationary mounted model. Since both the regular GPS and the GPS for boats will tell you where on earth you are and both will either have maps already downloaded or for a small fee, you can get maps downloaded from the Internet, either one would work in conjunction with the charts and maps.

But, when deciding which is best for you there are a few things you would want to keep in mind. Marine GPS for boats do have a few or a lot of other tricks designed for boaters, depending on the amount of money you want to spend, such as:

• Water depth
• Predicting tides
• Charting and plotting a navigational course
• Not only the &#;You are Here&#; feature but will remember the courses you take and will show you the way next time with the navigate to track feature
• Fish finder options
• Compass and charts stored within the gadget
• Warn of obstacles in the path of the vessel
• accurate speed, distance/time to way point and course made good readouts, as well as a digital compass
• you can see where you are and where you are going even if you cannot see anything else, like in fog or bad weather
• Man Overboard feature that with just a touch of a button the operator can mark the position of an incident
• The costly ones can even send photographs in real-time of a storm many miles away

So, depending on the bells and whistles you require will determine the cost of the gadget. Any way you go, the GPS will be a good addition to your navigational aids.

It is said that maps and charts are the most important part of any navigational aids. Sailors have been exploring this world with the aid of maps and charts for centuries &#; that has not changed.

Maps and charts are very different from one another. Charts show what is beneath the surface of the water, what cannot be seen just by looking, but is necessary to know for safe and effective navigation, while maps only show the surface, and cannot be used to plot your course. There are too many things that weather and man has had effects on and maps are stagnate, charts are not. Charts and maps can be purchased online.

The next part of your Marine Navigational Aids is knowing the &#;Rules of the Road,&#; which is essential in boat navigation. The USCG states &#;Aids to Navigation Are the Waterways&#; Road Signs.&#; Safely driving a car would be nearly impossible if you did not know street signs, stop signs, barriers, detours and even stop lights.

The USCG has a pamphlet &#; U.S. Aids To Navigation System &#; which they recommend be printed and kept on board as part of the navigational aids.

It is important to know the basics at least, and the more you know, the safer you, your family, and your boat will remain. You will learn what to do when you have to interact with other boats and how to read the charts &#; symbols and colors &#; which you will encounter on the water.

For instance, when in a channel, and you are heading to shore with open water behind you, make sure the red colors and lights remain on your starboard side (right side) and when heading out to open waters, the green colors and lights remain on your starboard side; some boaters use the &#;3R Rule&#; which is &#;Red, Right, Returning.&#;

When coming up to another boat, head to head, each would preferably pass port to port side with one short horn blast to alert your intent, and one short blast for agreement. If it is necessary to pass starboard, then two short horn blasts from both boats.

It is always the preference to pass on the port side with one short blast.

It is also imperative to learn the colors and images for warnings. Each color and design is there to give warning that for whatever reason, a boat is not allowed or permitted in an area.

Taking these extra steps, learning the &#;Rules of the Road,&#; is only part of the Marine Navigational Aids.

It is also recommended to have a two-way communication system of some sort on board. We all know that cell phones do not go every where and often lose their connectivity when out on the water.

Keeping everyone on board your boat and around your boat safe is the responsibility of the operator and is required by the USCG and your boat insurance company.

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Becoming a boat owner should lead to fun and exciting adventures on water. The key to keeping those adventures safe is not just being registered, insured, and well stocked with supplies; it is also learning all you can about boat safety and following the motto &#; Know Before You Go.

The U.S. Coast Guard has a plethora of information available; which covers everything a boater needs to know and have on board to ensure everyone who is on board has a safe and satisfying outing. There are boating safety courses which cover many topics to prepare the operator for almost anything. The topic of NAVIGATION is one worth taking extra time to learn as much as possible, as this knowledge will be a lifelong asset.

When learning about navigating a boat, it is imperative to understand what lies ahead - literally &#; as it is the navigational tools one has on board that will help make sure there are no surprises beneath the water&#;s surface which may not visible to the naked eye; and to avoid any unwelcomed surprises above the surface such as markers, buoys, other boats, and more.

According to the USCG it is vital to carry paper nautical charts and maps on board. Charts show what the waterway looks like from the air &#; buoys, beacons, bridges, landmarks and from below - how deep the water is, land formations, along with other important information. The maps show the land along the waterways. When plotting a course, it is the nautical charts that should be utilized.

The USCG still believes that every boater should have the paper charts and maps; the tried and true versions that have been helping sailors find their way around the world. Gadgets can malfunction, as long as boat owners make sure they have updated charts and maps on board they should be able to stay on course. Charts and maps are easily obtainable online.

Modern technology is an ever growing part of the boating world. There are gadgets available that have also become an essential part of any vessels navigational tools such as the marine GPS. A regular automobile GPS will work, but the model made for boats offers the bells and whistles that boaters use, such as:

• The ability to know the depth of the water
• Predicting tides
• Ability to give warnings of obstacles in the path of the vessel
• Not only the &#;You are Here&#; feature but will remember the courses you take and will show you the way next time with the navigate to track feature
• Fish finder options
• Compass and charts stored within the gadget that aids when plotting a navigational course
• Accurate speed, distance/time to way point and course made good readouts, as well as a digital compass
• Able to see the course being taken in case visibility is impaired due to nightfall, fog or bad weather
• Man Overboard feature that with just a touch of a button the operator can mark the position of the victim who is in the water
• Depending on the price, there are those models that can receive photographs and radar in real-time of an impending storm many miles away

While checking out the GPS available to boaters, it may be a good idea to also investigate a two-way radio communication system, as this is also important to the navigational success of an outing. There are many times a cell may not have service out on the water and in an emergency, communication with help is not something one would likely be willing to give up.

Whether boating during the day or at night, the &#;Rules of the Road&#; is the set of rules a boat operator is expected to know as determined by water authorities; and if for some reason one finds the USCG pulling up alongside or preparing to board their vessel, a question they may be prepared to answer is if they have their copy on board. Luckily copies are available online and can be printed at home.

Learning the "Rules of the Road" means learning to be courteous while on the water, be willing to give way to other vessels and following directions. To be sure, you will not be the only thing on or in the water. There are buoys, markers, and other boaters. Collisions are the number one type of accident on the water. These rules are there to aid in the steering and controlling of a boat so as to avoid accidents with other boats or other objects.

The basic rules are as follows:

1. Know the "Rules of the Road" &#; except where speed is restricted maintain a safe speed depending on weather, visibility, how many other boats are in the area, how your boat handles; always have a lookout - a person to keep watch from every direction; and always do your best to avoid a collision &#; know which vessel is the &#;give way&#; and which is the &#;stand on&#; and know what actions to take for which. Remember, if you see the red light on a vessel, you are on the "give way" vessel and are expected to take action while the "stand on" vessel will remain on course. If you see a green and red light, you are seeing an oncoming boat and you should prepare to pass on the port side. One short blast on your horn will alert them you are passing and their one short blast returned, acknowledges the actions.

2. Know the Markers &#; buoys float on top of the water, some have lights and some do not. Beacons are permanently attached to the bottom of the body of water. Beacons with lights are referred to as &#;lights&#; if no light they are called &#;daybeacon.&#; Both are used to provide navigational information depending on the shape, color, light, and if it has a signal or not.

3. Lateral and Non-Lateral Aids - used for channels and lets boaters know what route is to be followed. Non-Lateral Aids are the warning, regulatory and informational signs for on-the-water. These are the street signs for water and should be learned just as when a driver learns the signs to drive on the street.

4. Boating at Night &#; even waters well-traveled can look unfamiliar at night. It can be difficult to distinguish shore lights from lights on other boats since visual depth perception is less. All vessels are required to have their navigational lights on from sundown to sunup and when visibility is hampered. All operators must make sure their navigational lights are in good working order and are positioned correctly on the vessel as according to federal regulations. Slow down, quiet down so to hear other vessels if need be, and know what the combinations of lights mean to you, the operator of the boat.

5. Variation to the Aids to Navigation Rules &#; depends on what waterway you are on. There is &#;Western Rivers Marking Systems,&#; and &#;The Intracoastal Waterways.&#; Do some homework to find out more information on these variations.

6. Special Situations &#; such as bridges, draw bridges, controlled access areas, locks, low-head dams.

7. Always Wear Your Life Jacket &#; the number one cause of on-the-water fatalities is drowning and the only hope to prevent a drowning is by wearing a life jacket.

It is the responsibility of the operator to know the navigational &#;Rules of the Road,&#; and in turn know and have the navigational aids on board to ensure the safety of all passengers and of those boats in the area.

The USCG has made it as easily accessible as possible for boaters to know these rules, and learn the aids with all the information that is made available. The operator can keep his family, friends, and property safe and the boat insurance company happy by following these guidelines.

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