... 45TheseAidsareused to markfairways,mid-channels,andoffshoreapproachpointsTheyhaveunobstructedwateronallsides A buoy,lightedorunlighted,mayshow a redtopmarkAnappropriatenauticalchartmustbeconsulted to determineexactpositionOne of the mostimportanttoolsforsafelynavigatingwaterwaysis a NauticalChartToday,manyrecreationalboatersuseGPSreceiversandperformelectronicwaypointnavigationAlthough a GPScantellyouwhereyouareinterms of latitudeandlongitude,itcannotshowwhatisaroundorbeneath the boat,orwhatobstaclesmaybein the wayNauticalchartsshow the natureandshape of the coast,includingwaterdepths,marinehazards,generalconfigurationandcharacter of the bottom,andAids to Navigation,aswellasprominentlandmarks,portfacilities,andotherrelevantinformationChangesbroughtaboutbypeopleandnaturerequirethatnauticalchartsbeconstantlymaintainedandupdated to aidsafenavigation To meet the needs of the boatingpublic, the NationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration’sNationalOceanService(NOS)produces a variety of nauticalchartsandrelatedproductsNauticalchartscanvaryinscaleandformatChartscalerefers to a measurement of anarea,not the distance A chartcovering a relativelylargeareaiscalled a “smallscale”chart; a “largescale”chartwillcover a relativelysmallareaandshowmuchgreaterdetailHaving the mostcurrentchartisimportantThatiswhy the publicationdateiscriticalStormsandwaveactioncanalter the coastline,soonlyup -to- datechartsshouldbeusedfornavigationForallnavigation,boatoperatorsshouldalsouse the chartthatprovides the level of detailneededNOSnauticalchartsmaybepurchaseddirectlybymailfrom the NOSDistributionBranchorthroughanauthorizedagentTherearemorethan1,700nauticalchartagentsthatsellNOSchartsUse the addressandcontactnumbersbelow to obtain a list of agentsnearyouor to request a freecatalog: ... 45TheseAidsareused to markfairways,mid-channels,andoffshoreapproachpointsTheyhaveunobstructedwateronallsides A buoy,lightedorunlighted,mayshow a redtopmarkAnappropriatenauticalchartmustbeconsulted to determineexactpositionOne of the mostimportanttoolsforsafelynavigatingwaterwaysis a NauticalChartToday,manyrecreationalboatersuseGPSreceiversandperformelectronicwaypointnavigationAlthough a GPScantellyouwhereyouareinterms of latitudeandlongitude,itcannotshowwhatisaroundorbeneath the boat,orwhatobstaclesmaybein the wayNauticalchartsshow the natureandshape of the coast,includingwaterdepths,marinehazards,generalconfigurationandcharacter of the bottom,andAids to Navigation,aswellasprominentlandmarks,portfacilities,andotherrelevantinformationChangesbroughtaboutbypeopleandnaturerequirethatnauticalchartsbeconstantlymaintainedandupdated to aidsafenavigation To meet the needs of the boatingpublic, the NationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration’sNationalOceanService(NOS)produces a variety of nauticalchartsandrelatedproductsNauticalchartscanvaryinscaleandformatChartscalerefers to a measurement of anarea,not the distance A chartcovering a relativelylargeareaiscalled a “smallscale”chart; a “largescale”chartwillcover a relativelysmallareaandshowmuchgreaterdetailHaving the mostcurrentchartisimportantThatiswhy the publicationdateiscriticalStormsandwaveactioncanalter the coastline,soonlyup -to- datechartsshouldbeusedfornavigationForallnavigation,boatoperatorsshouldalsouse the chartthatprovides the level of detailneededNOSnauticalchartsmaybepurchaseddirectlybymailfrom the NOSDistributionBranchorthroughanauthorizedagentTherearemorethan1,700nauticalchartagentsthatsellNOSchartsUse the addressandcontactnumbersbelow to obtain a list of agentsnearyouor to request a freecatalog: ... 59NeverloadyourboatwithpassengersandcargobeyonditssafecarryingcapacityToomanypeopleand/ortoomuchgearcancause the boat to becomeunstableAlwaysbalance the loadsothat the boatmaintainspropertrimWhenloadingyourboat:•...