CHAPTER 6 NAUTICAL PUBLICATIONS INTRODUCTION 600. Publications supply a ship’s chart and publication library. On-line publications produced by the U.S. government are The navigator uses many textual information sources available on the Web. to plan and conduct a voyage. These sources include notices to mariners, summary of corrections, sailing directions, 601. Maintenance and Carriage Requirements of light lists, tide tables, sight reduction tables, and almanacs. Navigation Publications While it is still possible to obtain hard-copy or printed nautical publications, increasingly these texts are found on- Vessels may maintain the navigation publications line or in other digital formats, including Compact Disc- required by Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations Read Only Memory (CD-ROM's) or Digital Versatile Disc Parts 161.4, 164.33, and 164.72 and SOLAS Chapter V (DVD's). Digital publications are much less expensive than Regulation 27 in electronic format provided that they are printed publications to reproduce and distribute, and online derived from the original source, are currently publications have no reproduction costs at all for the pro- corrected/up-to-date, and are readily accessible on the ducer, and only minor costs to the user. Also, one DVD can vessel's bridge by the crew. Adequate independent back-up hold entire libraries of information, making both distribu- arrangements shall be provided in case of tion and on-board storage much easier. electronic/technical failure. Such arrangements include: a The advantages of electronic publications over hard- copy go beyond cost savings. They can be updated easier second computer, CD, or portable mass storage device and more often, making it possible for mariners to have fre- readily displayable to the navigation watch, or printed quent or even continuous access to a maintained paper copies. publications database instead of receiving new editions at Since most required publications are only available in infrequent intervals and entering hand corrections periodi- electronic format, the U.S. Coast Guard considers electron- cally. Generally, digital publications also provide links and ic publications of the U.S. Coast Pilots, U.S. Coast Guard search engines affording quick access to relevant Light Lists, NGA Sailing Directions, NGA List of Lights, information. tide-current and river-current tables, Local Notice to Mari- Navigational publications are available from many ners, Notice to Mariners, Notices to Navigation Interests, sources. Military customers automatically receive or and Vessel Traffic Service Rules to be an acceptable equiv- requisition most publications. The civilian navigator alent means of meeting the publication carriage obtains publications from a publisher’s agent. Larger requirements set forth in Titles 33 and 46 of the Code of agents representing many publishers can completely Federal Regulations and SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 27. NAUTICAL TEXTS 602. Sailing Directions 603. Sailing Directions (Planning Guide) National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Planning Guides assist the navigator in planning an ex- Sailing Directions consist of 37 Enroutes and 5 Planning tensive oceanic voyage. Each of the Guides provides useful Guides. Planning Guides describe general features of ocean information about all the countries adjacent to a particular ocean basin. The limits of the Sailing Directions in relation basins; Enroutes describe detailed coastal and port to the major ocean basins are shown in Figure 603b. approach information designed to supplement the largest Planning Guides are a series of five regional volumes, scale charts produced by the NGA. structured in the alphabetical order of countries contained The Sailing Directions (Planning Guides) are within the region. Information pertaining to each country relatively static; however, by contrast, Sailing Directions includes Buoyage Systems, Currency, Government, Indus- (Enroute) are frequently updated. tries, Holidays, Languages, Regulations, Firing Danger 91 92 NAUTICAL PUBLICATIONS Areas, Mined Areas, Pilotage, Search and Rescue, Report- ing Systems, Submarine Operating Areas, Time Zone, and the location of the U.S. Embassy. The entire collection of Sailing Directions (Planning Guides) volumes is available online via the link found in Figure 603a. Figure 603a. Sailing Directions (Planning Guides) https://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_ pageLabel=msi_portal_page_62&pubCode=0011 Figure 603b. Sailing Directions limits in relation to the major ocean basins. 604. Sailing Directions (Enroute) with information about authorities, references, and con- ventions used in each book precedes the sector Sailing Directions (Enroute) publications are a series discussions. Each sector is sub-divided into paragraphs of 37 volumes organized geographically, and include addi- and discussed in turn. Each book provides conversions tional information about coastal and port approach not between feet, fathoms, and meters. A list of abbrevia- depicted on nautical charts, including winds, weather, tides, tions that may be found in the text follows the conversion currents, ice, dangers, navigational aids, procedures, regu- tables. lations, and port facilities. These publications also include A Chart Information graphic and DNC Library Infor- some images of navigational aids and port facilities, as well mation graphic begin each sector. They provide a graphical as a graphic key to chart coverage of the region key for charts (both paper and digital) pertaining to the area. Each volume of the Sailing Directions (Enroute) See Figure 604c and Figure 604b. The graduation of the contains numbered sections along a coast or through a border scale on each of these graphics enable navigators to strait. Figure 604a illustrates this division. A preface identify the largest scale chart or DNC library for a partic- NAUTICAL PUBLICATIONS 93 Figure 604a. Example of a typical sector limits graphic. ular location, in addition to identifying features listed in the Gazetteer follow the sector discussions. The Index-Gazet- Index-Gazetteer. These graphics are not maintained by No- teer is an alphabetical listing of described and charted tice to Mariners, therefore, one should refer to the chart features. The Index lists each feature by geographic coordi- catalog for updated chart listings. Other graphics found in nates and sector paragraph number. the publication may contain special information on anchor- U.S. military vessels have access to special files of data ages, significant coastal features, and navigation dangers. reported via official messages known as Port Visit After A foreign terms glossary and a comprehensive Index- Action Reports. These reports, written in text form accord- 94 NAUTICAL PUBLICATIONS Figure 604b. Library information graphic. ing to a standardized reporting format, give complete 605. U.S. Coast Pilots details of recent visits by U.S. military vessels to all foreign ports visited. Virtually every detail regarding navigation, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- services, supplies, official and unofficial contacts, and oth- tration (NOAA) publishes nine U.S. Coast Pilots to er matters are reported in detail, making these documents an supplement nautical charts of U.S. waters. Information extremely useful adjunct to the Sailing Directions. These comes from field inspections, survey vessels, and various files are available to “.mil” users only, and may be accessed harbor authorities. Maritime officials and pilotage associ- on the Web at: http://cnsl.spear.navy.mil, under the “Force ations provide additional information. U.S. Coast Pilots Navigator” link. They are also available via DoD’s classi- provide more detailed information than Sailing Directions fied Web. because Sailing Directions are intended exclusively for the The entire collection of Sailing Directions (Enroute) oceangoing mariner. The Notice to Mariners updates U.S. volumes is available online via the link provided in Figure Coast Pilots. 604d. Each volume contains comprehensive sections on local To accommodate customers who experience difficulty operational considerations and navigation regulations. accessing the World Wide Web, NGA provides a Sub- Following chapters contain detailed discussions of coastal scription Service whereby notification of publication updates are delivered via email message to the requesting navigation. An appendix provides information for obtaining address. Additionally, subscribers will receive email notifi- additional weather information, communications services, and cation when a publication new edition is released. The other data. An index and additional tables complete the Publication Updates Subscription page may be accessed volume. via the Publications tab on the Maritime Safety Information The entire collection of U.S. Coast Pilots can be found website. via the link provided in Figure 605. NAUTICAL PUBLICATIONS 95 Figure 604c. Chart information graphics depict hardcopy charting boundaries. 606. Other Nautical Texts The federal government publishes several other nautical texts. NGA, for example, publishes Pub. 1310, Radar Navigation and Maneuvering Board Manual and Pub. No. 9, American Practical Navigator. The U.S. Coast Guard publishes the Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook for international and inland Figure 604d. Sailing Directions (Enroute) waters. This publication contains the Inland Navigation https://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_ Rules enacted in December 1980 and effective