Pilot Charts

When you think of a chart, you probably imagine a piece of paper with tons of numbers on it that tells you how deep the water is and where rocks are. This type of chart is known as a Nautical Chart, and these charts are very useful for navigating in a specific area. While Nautical Charts offer a very narrow view of the world, focusing on a small area of coastline and water, Pilot Charts offer a much broader view of an entire body of water.

Pilot Charts do not give information about depth and obstructions, instead they offer information about weather. Pilot Charts denote wind directions and strength, likelihood of encountering a gale, ice, or fog, as well as the typical direction and intensity of currents. Pilot Charts are about the weather what Nautical Charts are about the water.

Pilot Charts are organized by region and by month. Each month has its own weather patterns and needs to be represented on its own chart. When you look at a pilot chart, one of the first things that will jump out at you are these little wind roses placed all over the page.

Wind roses are set every 5 degrees and represent the average wind for that area via their arrows and feathers. The wind strength is denoted at the end of the arrow with the feathers according to the Beaufort scale. Each feather represents 1 force.

The arrow points into the wind, telling you the prevailing wind directions that month. The more often the wind blows from that cardinal direction, the longer the arrow will be. If the wind is particularly prevalent from one direction, it will be written on the arrow. In our example, Force 4 winds will blow from the NE 67% of the time. If it is not blowing from the NE, it will be blowing from the E. Looking at the rose, you can see that the winds tend to be Force 3 or 4 for the month of January. 

The number in the middle of the rose represents the number of days that month with absolutely no wind. 

If you are planning a cruise, choosing a route where the prevailing wind will be a broad reach with no becalmed days would prove ideal. 

If your planned route follows along wind roses that look like this, you may want to look for another route. This wind rose denotes that 1 day out of the month may be becalmed, but otherwise the wind blows from any direction and very strongly. The average winds in this area are Force 5 and Force 6!

Aside from prevailing wind information, Pilot Charts denote average currents and their strengths using green arrows. 

When choosing a route, try to find a course where you are not only on a broad reach, but also sailing with the current. The current can either be your friend or make the entire experience much less enjoyable. If the wind and current oppose each other, you can expect to encounter much larger seas! 

Picking a route where you sail downwind and down current will make passage making much easier as well as much faster than if you choose a different route where you are fighting the elements as you voyage.

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Below are links to PDF copies of pilot charts for the entire world. They are organized by ocean, and sub-organized by month. Clicking on the desired month will open the link to that pilot chart in a new window. Using these pilot charts, you can plan the best time and route for any ocean passage.

North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Mediterranean Sea

South Atlantic Ocean

North Pacific Ocean

South Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

Cruising Gear: Self Steering

While self steering is not part of the four essential items (rudder, steering, sails, rigging), it is a very nice thing to have. Sailboats have plenty of space for you to walk around and relax, but if you're underway without self steering, you will find yourself confined to the cockpit. 

I put off purchasing any self steering gear for a few years because I could balance the sails and lock the helm. Wisdom would sail straight for about 15 or 20 minutes, until a slightly larger than average wave would knock us slightly off course. The balanced sails would no longer be balanced and we would begin veering further off course. This was easy to fix by running back to the helm to adjust the rudder and put us back on course where the sails would be balanced once again. 

Having to run back to the helm wasn't that bad, but I enjoyed sitting up on the bow where I could listen to the stem cutting through the waves. Having to run back kept interrupting my happy time on the bow, so I decided to install an autopilot system.  

I was torn between a wind vane and an electronic unit. I priced them out and made my choice with all the information at hand.  

The electronic autopilot unit from Garmin cost around $4,000 and had the promise of being push button activated. This means that all I had to do was push a button and the unit would hold our course without needing perfectly balanced sails. With the sails balanced and the boat sailing straight, there would not be much need for the autopilot to run, meaning that it would not have to work as hard and would therefore not draw much electricity. The thought of sitting up in the bow as the boat cut through the waves without the need or worry about getting up to correct our course sounded promising, even at the price of $4,000 for the unit.

The major draw back to this unit is the fact that it consumes electricity, and a lot of it! This draw only occurs when the unit attempts to turn the rudder, which should not occur very often with the sails balanced and the boat steering itself. As the weather increases, so do the waves which will knock us off course, causing the autopilot to operate more often and thus consume more of our precious amps. I was able to dispel this fear of losing our amps during foul weather because high winds translates into fast sailing speeds, and fast sailing speeds mean our electric motor will be regenerating electricity from the spinning propeller. At 7 knots, we produce around 4 amps in 48 VDC, which translates into 16 amps in 12 VDC! During low winds, there is little wave activity and the boat will holds its own course, not requiring much input from the autopilot, and thus conserving our amps. Calm days also tend to be sunny, allowing the solar panels to collect enough solar energy from the sun to power the autopilot's limited electrical needs. With our rough and calm weather power production needs covered, we should be able to carry on peacefully and hands free during any condition!

With a price tag of $4,000 and the promise of push button activation which will hold our course, the electronic autopilot seemed very enticing. 

The other option in the world of self steering gear is a wind vane self steer system. These units cost around $6,000 and are powered by the wind. They consume no electricity and will steer the boat on a course that is set relative to the wind. Wind vanes take a little bit of effort to activate, much more than a simple button on an electronic unit, and then can require a bit of tuning once engaged.

There are some stark differences between a wind vane unit and an electronic autopilot unit which should be noted:

• Wind vane units need balanced sails, electronic autopilots are not as sensitive to perfect sail trim
• Wind vane units steer relative to the wind, electronic autopilots steer relative to a magnetic heading
• Wind vane units are engaged by connecting and tensioning ropes, electronic autopilots are activated by the push of a button
• Wind vane units are large and hang off the stern where they are very visible, electronic autopilots install below deck and are hidden from view

I asked around for various opinions about wind or electronic autopilots and I received an almost unanimous vote towards the electronic autopilot system. Electronic systems seem to be very popular on most boats, as people love electronic accessories on their yachts. The sleek control module with full color display screams "yacht candy" to any guests that are visiting. 

Based on the unanimous approval of electronic self steering, I was leaning in this direction. Then I was crewing on a trawler that was underway while being steered by the autopilot, when the owner wowed me with awesomeness! We were standing on the flying bridge taking in the sights from our higher vantage point when we noticed that we were heading straight for a buoy. My first thought was we should run to the helm and correct our course when the owner pulled out a remote control and hit a button; the boat then turned to port! His trawler is a giant remote control boat, how cool is that?!

I had been leaning towards an electronic self steering unit at this point, and when I saw this spectacle, I began to day dream. I could see myself up on the bow as we sailed along through the waves. From the bow, I could spot a cluster of crab pots dead ahead and instead of rushing back to the helm, I simply push a button on the remote control and change course. I then lay back and continue to relax as we carry on effortlessly. This day dream cemented my choice and I decided to purchase an electronic autopilot with a remote control.

$4,000 and a lengthy installation later, we had the unit in the boat and ready to run! The unit sits below the helm and connects directly to the rudder post via a bronze tiller arm and the display unit was attached to the binnacle. The final installation looks very clean and neat, all the wires are hidden and out of view. When you hit the button, the wheel will begin to move as if the boat were being steered by some sort of magic!

The wheel would move slightly to port, then slightly to starboard, then back to port, and then back to starboard. The wheel keeps moving all the time! Each motion of the wheel causes a drop in voltage as the unit drains the amps out of the battery, soon our battery bank has been depleted and the unit must be shut off. 

I quickly began to browse through the settings of the unit, discovering that there was an entire setup which I had skipped! After running through the settings and completing the setup, I got the unit dialed in and set up for our boat, and it behaved much better. The steering wouldn't overcompensate as much as we found ourselves able to run it for longer, but not as long as we had hoped. 

Each time the wheel is turned, amps are consumed. Making the wheel turn less often simply means that the amps will run out later rather than sooner, but they still run out and the unit needs to be turned off. The solar panels help power the autopilot, but only while the sun is shining. If a cloud passes over, the voltage will begin to drop until the skies clear up once more. 

Every time I turn on the autopilot to steer us for significant distance, I find myself tending to the solar panels to angle them so that they produce the most power possible for that time of day instead of relaxing. I then sit on the throne where I can keep an eye on our voltage instead of relaxing on the bow where I want to be. Since I have yet to leave the cockpit area, I have yet to use the remote control which was the entire selling point of the unit!

The one situation where I find the electronic autopilot very convenient is for sail changes when I am alone. I used to struggle with the "Sail Shuffle" where I would run back and forth from the mast to the helm. I would set our course and lock the wheel and run up the the mast and begin raising the sails. As the sails would come up, the balance would shift and our course would change, forcing me to run back to the cockpit to adjust our course, then back to the mast to raise the sails more, then back to the cockpit to adjust our course again. After five or six trips back and forth, the sails will be raised and we will be on our way. Reefing was even more interesting! Imagine doing this shuffle with high winds and tall seas on a boat that is being overpowered and in need of reefing! 

This one situation is where the autopilot shines like the Polaris, the North Star, giving you guidance on the darkest of nights. I simply hit "Engage" and the autopilot takes over. There are no strings to pull or settings to trim, simply hit a button and the computer will take over from there. As the sails go up and the balance changes, the autopilot will turn the helm to compensate. While the unit will consume a significant chunk of power during this ordeal, it is worth it! I don't have to worry about jibes or veering off course while I'm busy working the sails. Once they are raised, I can run back to the helm, shut the autopilot off and take over from there.

$4,000 later, we have an electronic autopilot unit that we don't use for long distance cruising, only for short moments where we need an extra hand at the helm. Being how a good self steering unit is very convenient for long passages, we have decided to bite the bullet and purchase a wind self steering system.

$6,000 has been set aside for a Scanmar Monitor Windvane which I will pick up at the Annapolis Sailboat Show in October. This unit will sit on the transom and keep our boat on course relative to the wind without any electricity required. 

I began thinking back on why people favor the electronic autopilot over a wind vane system, and the only conclusion I could come to is: People don't sail. 

Since people don't sail, the practice of balancing sails may seem foreign to them. Since they can never get their sails to balance, they also can't get their wind vane to steer properly. An electronic autopilot will work harder, but still maintain the course even if the sails are not perfectly balanced. The idea of pushing a button may seem more familiar to the general boating community and therefore must have been better received over the strings that need to be pulled to activate a wind vane. 

Lastly, since most sailboats motor everywhere, they have plenty of electricity on hand to run an electronic autopilot. If their voltage begins to drop, they can simply crank up their engine and meet all of their electrical needs. I do not have this luxury, as we have an electric motor. 

Being how we sail everywhere and balancing the sails seems second nature to us, I feel we will greatly enjoy the Monitor wind vane.

Looking back on my past choices, if I had to do it again, I would have simply saved up a little more and paid for a Monitor wind vane instead of the electronic autopilot. $4,000 is quite a chunk of change to spend on an accessory that I only use for a few minutes a day, even though it is rather convenient when I do use it.

I think the best way to plan to power your self steering gear is to use the same power source that you generally use to run your yacht. If you use fuels to power your yacht, then fuels would be the ideal power system for your self steering. If you use wind to power your yacht, then wind would be the ideal system for your self steering. 

Fuel could be gasoline, diesel, or electricity; and if you use this to power your vessel the majority of the time, then an electric autopilot would be your preferred method of self steering. 

For those who use wind to power their sailboat, adding one additional sail to trim won't add any great complexity to their yacht. We trim our sails with sheets and control lines, just as we trim the sail on the wind vane using control lines. Having a firm understanding on how wind works to power your yacht through the seas will let you also feel comfortable using a wind vane that is trimmed to a certain wind direction and will keep your yacht sailing on a course relative to the wind. 

In the end, we will have spent around $10,000 on self steering equipment. This will give us the flexibility of using both types and having the ability to use whichever one is more convenient at the moment, but this is an expensive price to pay for the ability to ask yourself "which self steering do I feel like using today?" If I were to do it again, I would choose a wind vane system. 

This choice is not based on first hand experience with a wind vane system (yet!) but because I know from experience that an electric autopilot system is not a good fit for our yacht which relies on wind to power it forward.

Cruising Gear: Dinghy

Aside from the basic requirements to cruise (which are Rudder, Steering, Sails, and Good Rigging) there are plenty of other accessories which are good to have, but not required to keep the yacht sailing along.

First and foremost is a good dinghy. A dinghy is more than a small boat that rides along on your yacht, for it is your connection to the world around your yacht. If you pull into a harbor and wish to go to dinner, how will you get to shore? Water near the shores edge might be too shallow for your keel. Do you really want to swim and arrive soaking wet? Nonsense! Your dinghy will get you there in a safe and dry manner. 

A dinghy should be viewed as an extension of your yacht. It can ferry cargo and crew to and from your yacht, as well as run or recover ground tackle into strategic locations which can be used to position your yacht or get it off a shoal. 

Just as yacht designs vary, so do dinghy designs. There are some that look quaint but are fragile, and others that are practically a barge. The seaworthiness of your dinghy should be equally matched to that of your yacht, as you may find yourself working from your dinghy in less than ideal conditions.

If you run aground in a blow and need to run a kedge anchor out, you will have to brave the current conditions to get the job done. Another situation is if you are anchored and row into shore, then the weather changes for the worse and you have to get back to your yacht; now you have to navigate in sloppy seas. If you have a weak dinghy, this journey could be very challenging, but with a stout dinghy, you will truck right along until you reach your yacht.

On a much lighter side, a dinghy allows you the ability explore more areas for less money. If you arrive in a new town you wish to explore, your options to are anchor and dinghy in or pay for space on a pier. The cost to take a berth is charged by the foot, and the larger your yacht, the more you will pay for each day you spend there. On the flip side, it is usually free to anchor and dinghy in!

A dinghy is not crucial for cruising, but it will open up a whole new world to you.

Cruising Gear: Paper Charts

Paper charts will show you a wealth of knowledge, all condensed onto a single page. While paper charts will show you everything you could wish to know about depths, bottom conditions, and restricted areas; they are not absolutely necessary on a cruising sailboat.

Paper charts are rarely found on cruising boats because electronic charts seem so much easier to use. A paper chart shows you a big picture as well as a detailed view of the world you are sailing in, where an electronic chart plotter shows you the world you are sailing in as well as your position at that very moment. Electronic chart plotters are very convenient, but the screen alters your view of the world. 

On a paper chart you can view everything in your area at a glance. An electronic chart plotter is restricted to the size of the screen. Zooming out to view the big picture takes away all the details. Worse yet, some charted markings do not show up at certain zoom scales. This means you could run into a charted obstruction simply because you had the screen on the wrong zoom setting. This occurred during the 2014-2015 Volvo Ocean Race, when Team Vestas Wind collided with a reef because it didn't show up on their electronic chart at the zoom scale it was set to. This collision could have been avoided if they were using paper charts, as it would have been a visible obstruction on any scale.

Lastly, if your electronic chart plotter were to fail, having paper charts would still provide you the navigational data you need to safely sail to your destination. Paper charts do not require electricity or connectivity to an antenna, they simply show you the information and keep you informed while you cruise. While paper charts are not mandatory to carry on a cruising sailboat, they are a valuable resource and accessory.

Cruising Gear: GPS

GPS stand for Global Positioning System, and it is amazing. At a moments glance, your position can be triangulated to a few feet of your actual position on the surface of the Earth. Even better is when GPS is tied in with an electronic chart plotter, showing you where you are in relation to other navigational hazards. 

You can sail into unknown waters and keep your boat in a safe waters while expertly avoiding wrecks and shoals! Marvelous! 

While it is important to still plot your position on paper charts and know how to find your position on the water, GPS makes it so convenient and easy! You are the little boat on the map and you know where you are in relation to hazards, channels, and markers in real time as you maneuver through the waters. 

Less fancy GPS systems will simply provide you with your coordinates which you can then use to plot your position on a chart. These GPS systems are available in hand held units, built in units, and even as part of modern radios. These readouts are not as fancy as the chart plotter that locate you and displays it on an interactive chart, but they work great as a backup or as an aid to make sure your sextant sighting is accurate. 

As with all electronic accessories, they can die from a life in the harsh marine environment. This is why back-up systems are crucial, allowing you to plot your position on a map and keep your vessel navigating in safe waters.

On Wisdom, we have a chart plotter mounted to the binnacle, a GPS readout on our radio in the nav station, a GPS readout on our sat phone, paper charts, and a sextant. I take sights with the sextant to keep practiced, but I verify my calculations with the GPS readout on the radio. This is all well and good when out in open waters, where I can take the time to figure out where I am and plot my position; but when I'm entering a new creek with a narrow inlet, I'm watching our position on the chart plotter and verifying the depths with the depth sounder.

While there are other methods of finding your position, such as triangulation based on compass bearings to shore side structures and sextant sightings, GPS is just so easy and convenient that I highly recommend it for any cruising vessel.