The COAST PILOT GUIDE
NOTE: This module is designed to help you to understand the type of information required for you
to SAFELY navigate in a new area.
Coast Pilot a series of nine nautical books covering the following:
1. Channel descriptions
2. Anchorages
3. Bridges and cable clearances
4. Current, tide, and water levels
5. Prominent features
6. Pilotage
7. Towage
8. Weather
9. Ice conditions
10. Wharf descriptions
11. Dangers
12. Routes
13. Traffic separation schemes
14. Small craft facilities
15. Federal Regulations applicable to navigation
Reviewing the COAST PILOT
The Coast Pilot guide is designed to help the mariner as he/she is entering and navigating
in a new area.
The Coast Pilot is published by NOAA and is a United States publication. For foreign
ports use the Sailing List for the local area.
These should be corrected the same way as the Light List, using the local notice to
mariners which is published weekly.
The following will be taken from the general information section in the Coast Pilot #4 (2022)
used in this course) book from Cape Henry, VA to Key West, FL.
The Coast Pilot chapter 1 is divided into paragraphs. Where noted in parenthesis ( ) the actual
paragraph is given.
There are a series of ten books in the Coast Pilots. Other subjects include but are not
limited to, channel descriptions, anchorage’s, bridge and cable clearances, currents, tide
and water levels, prominent features, Pilotage, towage, weather, ice conditions, wharf
descriptions, dangers, routes, traffic separation schemes, small craft facilities and Federal
Regulations applicable to Navigation.
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(15) Bearings are given in true degrees toward a light. They go clockwise from 000°
North to 359°. Light sector bearings are toward the light.
(17) Bridges and cables- Vertical clearances of bridges and overhead cables are in feet
above mean high water.
(19) Cable ferries - You should NEVER attempt to pass a moving cable ferry.
(21) Courses -These are in true degrees, same as bearings and are the course to make
good.
(23) Currents- Velocities are given in knots and indicate the true direction to which the
currents set.
(25) Depths- Depth is the vertical distance from the chart datum to the bottom and is
expressed in feet, fathoms (fathom is 6 feet) or meters. A meter is around 3.2 feet. The
controlling depth is the least found depth within the limits of the channel.
(28) Under-keel clearances- most vessels depth gauge is located on the bottom
of the keel. Be sure to add the depth of your keel to the gauge reading to get an
accurate reading.
(33) SQUAT is covered in deck general section of ship handling.
(34) Distances - are in nautical miles. A nautical mile is approximately 1.15 statute miles
and 6076.1 feet in length. Also called a sea mile. (Bowditch)
(40) Heights- are in feet above mean high water.
(56) Wind- is given in true directions FROM which it comes.
(59- 76) Details how and where to find Nautical Carts and defining formats.
Charts are for water, Maps are for land.
A. Finding Charts
1. Use Chart Catalog online, Coast Pilot, charts of smaller scales
2. Online at http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/ www.NGA.Mil
B. Paper Charts
1. From Marine Supply Stores.
2. Order Online.
3. Print on-demand from NOAA site, or their agents
C. Electronic Charts
1. Raster Format (Chart in a Chart)
a. Pixilated
b. Looks like paper chart
c. Becomes grainy when zooming-in
d. Free at NOAA site
e. Preloaded format for many chart plotters
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2. Vector Charts
a. Retains definition when zooming in.
b. Looks different than traditional charts
c. Requires larger memory
(77- 86) Chart Numbering System and Scales. Chart scales- the scale on a chart indicate
that 1 inch on the chart, is equal to the scale. 1:80,000 says “One inch on the chart is
equal to 80,000 inches on the earth’s surface”
The following classifications are generally used.
• Sailing charts 1:600,000 covers large areas
• General charts 1:150,000 to 1:600,000
• Coastal charts 1:50,000 to 1:150,000
• HARBOR CHARTS scales larger than 1: 50,000 are used for harbors,
anchorage areas and smaller waterways
(87-88) Chart Projections
Chart Projection
1. Mercator
2. Polyconic (inland waters)
(91-107) Chart Datum, Accuracy, Source Diagrams, Zone of Confidence
(109-113) Chart 1 is designed to help decipher charts and their symbols, note some detail
is given here in the Coast Pilot.
(137 - 145) Notices to Mariners
(145- 181) Aids to Navigation explained
(182- 187) Automatic Identification System (AIS) Aids to Navigation
(187- 191) Bridge and channel markings
Bridge lights and clearances- Regulated by the Coast Guard. Gauges are generally
vertical numerical scales, reading from the top to bottom, and show the actual vertical
clearance between the existing water and the lower part of the bridge. Gauges are
normally located on the right hand pier or abutment of the bridge on both the
upstream and downstream side.
Bridge lights are fixed red and green. On a single span bridge at night, two red lights
mark the channel boundaries. On a multiple span bridge, the main channel is marked by
3 white lights in a vertical line.
(203- 207) Electronic Navigation
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(215-231) Global Maritime Distress Safety Systems (GMDSS)
An EPIRB on an INSPECTED vessel must be tested MONTHLY
In an emergency and activated, TURN IT ON and LEAVE IT ON If in a life raft with the
EPIRB on and you see another vessel or aircraft, use VISUAL DISTRESS signals also.
(239) US VHF Channels (Page 15)
Radio Distress and procedures
These may be found in 47 CFR Part 80 - and in Radio Navigational Aids Pub 117.
Most of the communications between vessels and ship to shore involve the use of our
radiotelephone. Also called our VHF radio.
(234-246) Marine Weather Radio and Navtex, Broadcast Notice to Mariners, VOS
(262-287) Sever weather
(288-298) Marine Pollution
(310-384) Regulated Waters
(372-391) National Weather Service Coastal Warning Displays
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(394) National Geospatial-intelligence Agency (NGA), produces global products not
covered by NOAA this includes:
• International Light List
• Charts
• Sailing Directions (Equivalent of Coast Pilot)
(422) Documentation of a vessel is also done by the Coast Guard and on the federal level.
A documented vessel must have its number permanently marked on the vessel with 3”
lettering permanently affixed to an integral, interior structural member.
(448) The FCC (federal communications commission) controls the non-government radio
regulations in the US, Guam, Puerto Rico and the V. I.
Using the Coast Pilot
Let’s look up Safe Harbor.
• Step 1 Find Safe Harbor in the index (see page 444).
• Step 2 Note the chart numbers next to the desire location “11446, 11441” these numbers
represent the charts that offer good detail of Safe Harbor. We also see that a detailed
explanation can be found on page 350.
• Step 3 Pages 350 and 351 offers:
o visual references
o controlling depth
o location of services
o the radio frequency that is monitored by marinas located in Safe Harbor.
• Step 4 tracing back through the previous sections we find that ENCs - US4FL97M, US5FL99M,
Charts - 11442, 11446
o The above information tells us that 11442 and 11446 are the chart numbers for
this area and the ENC’s are the electronic charts that cover this region.
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