"Scotty" wrote in message
...
''lights change characteristics''

how so?

Well ,around here there are lighthouses that were built on convenient
islands but have more recently been replaced with lights on concrete pillars
placed somewhat nearer to the channel. These can have different
characteristics to the disused ones.
But lighted buoys are more likely to be shifted and changed. There was a big
change of light characteristics in most of the world many years ago now when
the IALA system of buoyage was introduced internationally.
The USA did not sign up to this so all your channel buoys are opposite hand
to the rest of the world and AFAIK you do not use the same cardinal light
system to mark offshore obstructions that are familiar elsewhere. :-(

"Edgar" wrote
But lighted buoys are more likely to be shifted and changed. There was a big
change of light characteristics in most of the world many years ago now when
the IALA system of buoyage was introduced internationally.
The USA did not sign up to this so all your channel buoys are opposite hand
to the rest of the world and AFAIK you do not use the same cardinal light
system to mark offshore obstructions that are familiar elsewhere. :-(



More bullocks! The USA uses the IALA system of buoyage. Here's proof:
http://www.sailingusa.info/basic_navigation.htm

Oh, BTW, US sailing is trying to keep people from stealing their pictures. So lame!
I like the background with the compass rose. Not only did I steal it but here's the link so
all of you who want it can steal it too. Their little protection scheme is so dumb even a
blonde can get around it.
http://www.sailingusa.info/titles/co...ose_dkblue.gif

Cheers,
Ellen

"Ellen MacArthur" wrote in message
reenews.net...

"Edgar" wrote
But lighted buoys are more likely to be shifted and changed. There was a
big
change of light characteristics in most of the world many years ago now
when
the IALA system of buoyage was introduced internationally.
The USA did not sign up to this so all your channel buoys are opposite
hand
to the rest of the world and AFAIK you do not use the same cardinal
light
system to mark offshore obstructions that are familiar elsewhere. :-(



More bullocks! The USA uses the IALA system of buoyage. Here's
proof:
http://www.sailingusa.info/basic_navigation.htm

Not bullocks! The IALA simply recognises the difference.
IALA region B covers only the Americas, Japan, S.Korea and the Phillipines
and in region B the lateral buoyage system is different to all the rest of
the world which is region A.

wrote
How do you all keep your charts? How old a chart would you consider
using when visiting a relatively unfmiliar... or completely
unfamiliar... area?


Get with the program Injun Ear! Any competent sailor who stores charts stores them flat.
Any real voyaging or cruising sailboat has a chart locker where you can store about a foot deep
of charts flat and unfolded. Rolling them up is stupid. It makes them about impossible to use.
Actually, paper charts are stupid anymore. You can get free electronic charts from the WEB and
they are the most up to datest you can get at the time. If you really demand paper charts then print
them on your printer from the e-chart.

Cheers,
Ellen

Ellen MacArthur wrote:
Get with the program Injun Ear! Any competent sailor who stores charts stores them flat.

Not necessarily. Unless you think that U.S. Navy navigators are
incompetent.


Any real voyaging or cruising sailboat has a chart locker where you can store about a foot deep
of charts flat and unfolded. Rolling them up is stupid. It makes them about impossible to use.

Not if you re-roll them every 2 or 3 months, as I said in my original
post. If you leave them rolled up for a few years, then yeah, they're
difficult (but not impossible).



Actually, paper charts are stupid anymore.

Really?

You can get free electronic charts from the WEB and
they are the most up to datest you can get at the time.

Are you sure? Have you checked charts available for download against
the most recent N2Ms?

If you really demand paper charts then print
them on your printer from the e-chart.


And I guess a "real voyaging or cruising sailboat" will have a table
sized color printer on board... and a large supply of waterproof ink,
too

-signed- Injun Ear (formerly known as Eagle Eye)

wrote
Are you sure? Have you checked charts available for download against
the most recent N2Ms?

I haven't a clue what a N2M is but I do know the paper charts you can buy, the latest versions,
are printed from the same electronic charts that are available free on the Internet. Here's the link:
http://chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov/staff/charts.htm

"NOAA's Raster Navigational Chart (NOAA RNCT) is a georeferenced, digital image of a paper chart which can be used in a
raster chart system. The NOAA RNCT files are available for free download via the internet at:
http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/download.htm"

And I guess a "real voyaging or cruising sailboat" will have a table
sized color printer on board... and a large supply of waterproof ink,
too

That would be nice if you wanted full-sized charts on demand But, you can use a standard printer and
regular paper. You can always tape sheets together to make a big chart if that's what you really want. And
who needs waterproof ink. Your chart table and chart storage should both be dry.


Cheers,
Ellen

Its nice if you can store them flat,but its a luxury not many of us can
afford. If you have a full size chart table on your vessel its not too hard
to build a full size storage space underneath and hinge the table top so you
can lift it up to find charts. Storing them this way actually takes less
space than storing them rolled up in my opinion, but you do need to take
care. you want a good seal around the bottom of the table to prevent water
from getting in, and you need to take care when looking through your charts
not to rip them. This system can take a bit longer to find the chart you
need, especially if you have a lot of charts. There are lots of ways of
organising them to make life easier though

You can sort the charts out into blocks of continents (if your lucky to have
that many charts! then sort them by chart number. Its pretty easy to keep
things in order this way, and you can always keep the two or three charts
you are currently using on the top then put them back later. You can put a
bit of tape on the side of the chart with a number on it to help find them
(some books are indexed this way).

Old charts can still be used so long as they are accurate. Keeping them up
to date with all the notices to mariners can be a full time occupation in
itself if you have a lot of charts, but its rewarding work. You can
download the notices to mariners digitally now, or if you have time, you can
go to your local maritime office and sit there in luxury with a cup of
coffee and update your charts there.

Shaun

How do you all keep your charts? How old a chart would you consider
using when visiting a relatively unfmiliar... or completely
unfamiliar... area?

-signed- Injun Ear (formerly known as Eagle Eye)

"Shaun Van Poecke" wrote in message
...
Old charts can still be used so long as they are accurate. Keeping them
up
to date with all the notices to mariners can be a full time occupation in
itself if you have a lot of charts, but its rewarding work. You can
download the notices to mariners digitally now, or if you have time, you
can
go to your local maritime office and sit there in luxury with a cup of
coffee and update your charts there.

Just don't get behind with the work. It is frustrating to start to catch up
with a heap of Notices in front of you and spend time plotting,say, the
position of a wreck obstructing a channel, and then find three or four
Notices later that it has been removed and you have to erase all your
previous work. Don't ask how I know that....

"Edgar" wrote in message
...

"Shaun Van Poecke" wrote in message
...
Old charts can still be used so long as they are accurate. Keeping them
up
to date with all the notices to mariners can be a full time occupation in
itself if you have a lot of charts, but its rewarding work. You can
download the notices to mariners digitally now, or if you have time, you
can
go to your local maritime office and sit there in luxury with a cup of
coffee and update your charts there.

Just don't get behind with the work. It is frustrating to start to catch
up
with a heap of Notices in front of you and spend time plotting,say, the
position of a wreck obstructing a channel, and then find three or four
Notices later that it has been removed and you have to erase all your
previous work. Don't ask how I know that....

Its a learning process just the same.... the person with the right frame of
mind can actually find it fascinating to watch 10 or 15 or even 50 years of
history unfold right before their very eyes, and to make judgements on how
things were handled. Rather than say, pulling your own hair out with your
hands to the point you were left a drivelling bleeding mass of quivering
flesh.

Shaun