You're number one with us!

This page is dedicated to making better boaters of all of us! 

So, Santa didn't bring you that new combination chart plotter/GPS that you asked for.  And you had been such a good boater too!  Between now and when the boats start going in the water, I hope to give anyone who wants, some of the navigation knowledge I learned in my 25 years of work in navigation in the U. S. Coast Guard.  I should point out right from the start, what you will read and learn on our site is no replacement for taking a class, personal experience, and time spent practicing things learned and put together with practical use.  An old saying I have heard time and again is; sailors are made on ships, ships are meant to be at sea.

So with the purchase of around $100 worth of equipment, and a little time, you can be the next great navigator on Oneida Lake!  In truth, on Oneida Lake, or even Lake Ontario for that matter, what we are doing is piloting and dead reckoning.  You look at the surrounding land marks, estimate your speed and position and change course and speed based on your observations.

Below is a list of things that you would need to be able to do the things that you will need to be that great navigator you aspire to be!

Chart 1 Nautical Chart Symbols and Terms.  Ever look at a chart wonder what on earth all those symbols, squiggly lines, dots, dash's, Rbns, Occ 10s 69ft 16 St M mean?  Well, that's what Chart 1 does, and is actually a book, not a chart as such.  It explains in language that any one can understand, what all the symbols on a chart mean.  Without understanding the "language" of a chart, reading it is nearly impossible.  It is broken down into chapters to easily identify the symbol.  By the way, Occ 10s 69ft 16 St M, is the characteristic of Tibbets Point Light, occulting 10 second interval.  The light is white and is totally eclipsed at regular intervals, the duration of the on period is greater than the off period.  The structure is 69 feet tall, and can be seen from water level at a maximum distance of 16 statute miles.  Chart 1 is available from places like Amazon.com for around $10.

Charts.  Charts are simply the most important tool one can have on your boat.  The information provided on one invaluable and if you are running around on the water without one, you will fall into one of the following types boaters:  Those that go aground, and those that lie about going aground! Depths, buoys, light structures, other types of aids to navigation, underwater cables, pipe lines, magnetic deviation are just a few of the things that are on a chart that are necessary to safe piloting and navigation.  Charts are available at most ships stores.

Compass and dividers.  These are used for marking and measuring distance on the chart.  A compass has a point on one end and pencil or some way of marking on the other end and is used for swinging arcs of distance.  Dividers have points on both ends and can used measuring without leaving a mark.  They can be found in ships stores and places that sell  drafting or office supplies.

Pencil.  Pencils are always used on charts.    Fixes, DR's, track lines aren't meant to be there forever.  You hopefully will have many opportunities to use your chart.

Magnetic Compass.  Assuming that chart plotter/GPS is still on order (maybe for Fathers Day!), you will need some way of knowing the direction you are traveling.  A good compass might be your best friend at night or in a fog.  They are available from a variety of sources and you can spend lots or little on them.

Parallel ruler or plotter.  Used for drawing track lines or plotting bearings.  Depending on the type, it might even have a distance scale on it.

Nautical slide rule.  Used for computing time distance and speed.  A very hand thing to have.

If you are interested in seeing some of these items that you might not have heard of, the Weems and Plath web site (http://www.weems-plath.com/index.shtml )  has them pictured, and for sale.

Next, using these tools.