... 45TheseAidsareusedtomarkfairways,mid-channels,andoffshoreapproachpointsTheyhaveunobstructedwater on allsides A buoy,lightedorunlighted,mayshow a redtopmarkAnappropriatenauticalchartmustbeconsultedtodetermineexactpositionOneofthemostimportanttools for safelynavigatingwaterwaysis a NauticalChartToday,manyrecreationalboatersuseGPSreceiversandperformelectronicwaypointnavigationAlthough a GPScantellyouwhereyouareintermsoflatitudeandlongitude,itcannotshowwhatisaroundorbeneaththeboat,orwhatobstaclesmaybeinthewayNauticalchartsshowthenatureandshapeofthecoast,includingwaterdepths,marinehazards,generalconfigurationandcharacterofthebottom,andAidstoNavigation,aswellasprominentlandmarks,portfacilities,andotherrelevantinformationChangesbroughtaboutbypeopleandnaturerequirethatnauticalchartsbeconstantlymaintainedandupdatedtoaidsafenavigationTomeettheneedsoftheboatingpublic,theNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration’sNationalOceanService(NOS)produces a varietyofnauticalchartsandrelated products NauticalchartscanvaryinscaleandformatChartscalerefersto a measurementofanarea,notthedistance A chartcovering a relativelylargeareaiscalled a “smallscale”chart; a “largescale”chartwillcover a relativelysmallareaandshowmuchgreaterdetailHavingthemostcurrentchartisimportantThatiswhythepublicationdateiscriticalStormsandwaveactioncanalterthecoastline,soonlyup-to-datechartsshouldbeused for navigation For allnavigation,boatoperatorsshouldalsousethechartthatprovidesthelevelofdetailneededNOSnauticalchartsmaybepurchaseddirectlybymailfromtheNOSDistributionBranchorthroughanauthorizedagentTherearemorethan1,700nauticalchartagentsthatsellNOSchartsUsetheaddressandcontactnumbersbelowtoobtain a listofagentsnearyouortorequest a freecatalog: ... 45TheseAidsareusedtomarkfairways,mid-channels,andoffshoreapproachpointsTheyhaveunobstructedwater on allsides A buoy,lightedorunlighted,mayshow a redtopmarkAnappropriatenauticalchartmustbeconsultedtodetermineexactpositionOneofthemostimportanttools for safelynavigatingwaterwaysis a NauticalChartToday,manyrecreationalboatersuseGPSreceiversandperformelectronicwaypointnavigationAlthough a GPScantellyouwhereyouareintermsoflatitudeandlongitude,itcannotshowwhatisaroundorbeneaththeboat,orwhatobstaclesmaybeinthewayNauticalchartsshowthenatureandshapeofthecoast,includingwaterdepths,marinehazards,generalconfigurationandcharacterofthebottom,andAidstoNavigation,aswellasprominentlandmarks,portfacilities,andotherrelevantinformationChangesbroughtaboutbypeopleandnaturerequirethatnauticalchartsbeconstantlymaintainedandupdatedtoaidsafenavigationTomeettheneedsoftheboatingpublic,theNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration’sNationalOceanService(NOS)produces a varietyofnauticalchartsandrelated products NauticalchartscanvaryinscaleandformatChartscalerefersto a measurementofanarea,notthedistance A chartcovering a relativelylargeareaiscalled a “smallscale”chart; a “largescale”chartwillcover a relativelysmallareaandshowmuchgreaterdetailHavingthemostcurrentchartisimportantThatiswhythepublicationdateiscriticalStormsandwaveactioncanalterthecoastline,soonlyup-to-datechartsshouldbeused for navigation For allnavigation,boatoperatorsshouldalsousethechartthatprovidesthelevelofdetailneededNOSnauticalchartsmaybepurchaseddirectlybymailfromtheNOSDistributionBranchorthroughanauthorizedagentTherearemorethan1,700nauticalchartagentsthatsellNOSchartsUsetheaddressandcontactnumbersbelowtoobtain a listofagentsnearyouortorequest a freecatalog: ... 45TheseAidsareusedtomarkfairways,mid-channels,andoffshoreapproachpointsTheyhaveunobstructedwater on allsides A buoy,lightedorunlighted,mayshow a redtopmarkAnappropriatenauticalchartmustbeconsultedtodetermineexactpositionOneofthemostimportanttools for safelynavigatingwaterwaysis a NauticalChartToday,manyrecreationalboatersuseGPSreceiversandperformelectronicwaypointnavigationAlthough a GPScantellyouwhereyouareintermsoflatitudeandlongitude,itcannotshowwhatisaroundorbeneaththeboat,orwhatobstaclesmaybeinthewayNauticalchartsshowthenatureandshapeofthecoast,includingwaterdepths,marinehazards,generalconfigurationandcharacterofthebottom,andAidstoNavigation,aswellasprominentlandmarks,portfacilities,andotherrelevantinformationChangesbroughtaboutbypeopleandnaturerequirethatnauticalchartsbeconstantlymaintainedandupdatedtoaidsafenavigationTomeettheneedsoftheboatingpublic,theNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration’sNationalOceanService(NOS)produces a varietyofnauticalchartsandrelated products NauticalchartscanvaryinscaleandformatChartscalerefersto a measurementofanarea,notthedistance A chartcovering a relativelylargeareaiscalled a “smallscale”chart; a “largescale”chartwillcover a relativelysmallareaandshowmuchgreaterdetailHavingthemostcurrentchartisimportantThatiswhythepublicationdateiscriticalStormsandwaveactioncanalterthecoastline,soonlyup-to-datechartsshouldbeused for navigation For allnavigation,boatoperatorsshouldalsousethechartthatprovidesthelevelofdetailneededNOSnauticalchartsmaybepurchaseddirectlybymailfromtheNOSDistributionBranchorthroughanauthorizedagentTherearemorethan1,700nauticalchartagentsthatsellNOSchartsUsetheaddressandcontactnumbersbelowtoobtain a listofagentsnearyouortorequest a freecatalog:...