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Jan
Well typically only be using the nautical mile sectional chart scale. However the chartplotter begins to differ from the GPS in your car as you start considering its tracking and route navigation capabilities.
They are used to plot the locations of underwater features points of interest your waypoints your tracks paths and other locations.
How to use a chartplotter. BoatUS Magazines Lenny Rudow shows you the basics of using the chartp. New to boating or move up to a larger boat and wonder how do you use a chartplotter. Using a chartplotter it will let you know how deep the water is below the surface.
The deeper the water the better off you might be. Just stop your boat in a place of interest cast your line and find out if its a good spot to hit up on a regular basis or just a dud. But no matter how simple or how advanced your chartplotter may be the basics remain the same.
Create a waypoint get the machine into nav mode and follow it there. When you want to do a multi-leg route create a route consisting of multiple waypoints. The first step is to establish the dates of any charts loaded on it.
On start-up most plotters display a warning not to use this as your primary form of navigation which most of us bypass or dont read in full. However there is often a tab to read more that should give the charts date. BoatUS Magazines Lenny Rudow shows you some more advanced techniques for how to use the chartplotter on your boat.
He covers how to create a route from wayp. The Chartplotter uses the Global Positioning System GPS to find the location of your boat. If you attach the antenna cable to the antenna and the back of the machine and hook up to power watching for polarity the wire with the fuse holder is the positive connection you are ready to turn the Chartplotter on.
There are many types of navigation plotters. The most common used in VFR navigation is the sectional plotter which typically will enable you to measure nautical miles and statute miles on both sectional charts and world aeronautical charts WAC. Well typically only be using the nautical mile sectional chart scale.
Be careful to ensure that. You can set and follow a course to a destination using one of three methods. Go To Route To or Auto Guidance.
Takes you directly to the destination. This is the standard option for navigating to a destination. The chartplotter creates a straight-line course or navigation line to the destination.
Chartplotters are marine GPS units that combine a map chart with location services GPS to plot your location. They are used to plot the locations of underwater features points of interest your waypoints your tracks paths and other locations. One of the handiest uses for a chartplotter is recording that favourite fishing spot of yours.
Many chartplotters - including the Garmin units - have the ability to set a waypoint at the boats current position. So if youre unsure of the exact coordinates you can simply record the position in your systems memory while youre there. Fishfinder Chartplotter Combo Fishfinder Chartplotter GPS Combo Introduction.
My Fishfinder combo works with they key technology that helps me plan new kayak and bass boat routes in lakes all over the US. I also use it to track paths that I have stumbled on as I wander about the Georgian Bay in my Tracker. Chartplotters are often combined with fishfinders to offer a visualization of whats waiting below.
For this purpose power and transducer size determine just how deep youll be able to look. For shallower depths up to 200 units with 100-300 watts should prove adequate. Like the GPS in your car a chartplotter uses GPS or GNSS data to measure bearing speed and direction to successfully navigate your route.
However the chartplotter begins to differ from the GPS in your car as you start considering its tracking and route navigation capabilities. Check out YBWs guide to the best chartplotters on the market. The first step is to look at the chart decide on the route then using a pencil and ruler mark the route from buoy to buoy or chosen position.
Each change of course is called a waypoint and its position is marked using a cross with a square around it the symbol for a waypoint. How to set up your chartplotter and be sure youre using it properly If your waypoints are set close together that might simply cause it to trigger again immediately for the second waypoint. So particularly in a congested area like our planned route its important to have a tightly defined waypoint arrival alarm and then make sure you are completely happy with your location before changing heading.
The chartplotter is a wonderful aid in getting all that correct but the pre-planning is still essential. Any pilotage exercise comes at the end of a passage once you have arrived at your chosen waypoint be it a navigation mark headland or other identifiable feature and you switch from passage making mode to a more localised pilotage exercise.