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Transit Planning Publications
Introduction
Transit planning can best be described as the process of gathering and
compiling information to ensure a safe and efficient voyage. There are
many publications that the Quartermaster uses for transit planning.
The
publications listed in this section must be studied thoroughly. You should
make every attempt to establish an in-depth working knowledge of all
publications that are available to the QM.
Coast Pilots
Charts are limited in what can be shown by symbols and abbreviations
regarding channels, hazards, winds and currents, restricted areas, port
facilities, pilotage service, and many other types of information needed by
a navigator for safe and efficient navigation. These deficiencies are
remedied by the Coast Pilots published by NOS and the Sailing
Directions published by DMAHTC.
U.S. Coast Pilots are published in nine numbered volumes to cover the
waters of the United States and its possessions. They are of great value to
a navigator when used with charts of an area both during the planning
stage of a voyage and in the actual transit of the area. The contents of
Coast Pilots have been stored in a computerized data bank, and volumes
are reprinted annually with all intervening changes included (except CP8
and CP9, which are revised every 2 years). Interim changes are published
in Notices to Mariners and Local Notices to Mariners.
Fleet Guides
The Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic/Topographic Center
publishes, for U.S. Navy use only, Fleet Guides. These are Pub. No 940,
Atlantic Area, and Pub. No 941, Pacific Area. These guides contain a
number of chapters, each of which covers a port of major interest to naval
vessels. They are prepared to provide important command, navigational,
repair, and logistic information. This information is much like that
contained in Coast Pilots and Sailing Directions, but it is oriented toward
naval interests and requirements; they are not needed by, nor are they
available to, non-naval vessels.
The information in Fleet Guides is corrected and updated through the
publication of changes and/or new editions when required; interim
corrections are published in Notices to Mariners if the urgency so
warrants.
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