PILOTAGE AND
ANCHORAGES
Navigation along a preplanned track
with continuous monitoring of
position and safety - used in waters
where fix and run techniques cannot
guarantee safety
OBJECTIVES
Prepare and conduct visual
pilotage plans
Prepare pilotage plans.
Prepare anchorage plans.
Conduct pilotage and anchorages in the
bridge simulator and at sea.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Largest scale charts
Fleet charts for dockyard ports
Foreign charts for foreign harbours
The authority for buoyage
Greatest detail
Sailing Directions
Port details and regulations
Tidal streams
Directions
Traffic signals
Photographs and sketches
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals
Tide tables, Tidal stream atlases
Chart Catalogue
Chart correction log
ALRS Vol 6, 7 - Pilotage, tugs, VHF
Frequencies, VTS
Navigational Data Book - Ship turning
data, anchors and cables, shiphandling
characteristics.
SELECTION OF CHARTS
Largest scale charts for detailed planning
and execution of pilotage.
Ensure they are fully corrected up to date.
Arrange supply of foreign charts if
necessary before proceeding overseas.
PLANNING
CONSIDERATIONS - ETA
Tidal Streams
Heights of tide, dangers
Time of day
Port working hours, ships domestic routine
Plan a Virtual ETA about 10 miles short of
actual ETA point and about an hour earlier,
so that you can adjust timings precisely.
SELECTING THE TRACK
Limiting Danger Line (LDL) - the line
beyond which it is unsafe to navigate
Allow for predicted height of tide.
Plan to remain on the Starboard side of
channels.
Use a Headmark or Sternmark
Consider avoidance of isolated dangers.
COURSE ALTERATIONS
Calculate position of wheel over by
Advance and Transfer or Distance to New
Course (DNC)
Make allowance for effect of Tidal Stream
during the turn
The wheel over mark should be as nearly
as possible on a bearing parallel to the
new course or its reciprocal. The new
head/sternmark is often the best.
COURSE ALTERATIONS
090
Distance to New
Course (DNC)
2
04
COURSE ALTERATIONS
090
Transfer
34
5
COURSE ALTERATIONS
Advance
WHEEL
34
OVER POINT
5
CLEARING BEARINGS
The immediate indicators of safe water.
Must box in the track
Avoid excluding too much safe water.
Keep them simple.
Remember to allow for standard - stern distance
and gyro error.
Remember safe depths
Identifying clearing bearing marks is just as
important as identifying head, stern and
wheelover marks
ANCHORAGE
Selection of Berth
Depth of water used to draw LDL: LDL
= Draught + 2m - Height of Tide
Safety swinging circle:
Max length of cable available +
Length of ship +
Safety allowance (200 yards)
Shelter
Holding
Proximity to landing
Shipping routes
AMOUNT OF CABLE
REQUIRED
Normally 1.5 X Square Root of depth in
metres - gives answer in shackles.
1 shackle = 30 yards
If using non magnetic Aluminium Bronze
cable (MCMV), formula is Square Root of
the depth in metres
If anchoring in deep water (>20m), veer
cable under power until anchor is about
15m from bottom.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Alternative plan or anchorage.
Minimum depth predicted on each leg.
Point of Commitment (no return).
SSD 3Y.
Tugs & Pilot.
Comms reporting points & channels.
Anchor(s) ready for letting go.
Gyro checks
Shooting up marks
NOTEBOOK - Sketch
Track
Clearing Bearings
Wheel Over bearings, with alternatives
Hazards
Lights and Buoyage
Headmarks
Gyro Checks & shooting up marks
Radio calling points
Narrative and remarks
NARRATIVE AND REMARKS
Least depths for each leg
Distances to run to wheelovers & berth
Shooting up clearing bearing, head and stern
marks
Speed changes
Gyro checks
Radio calling points, with channel
Any other OOW should be able to pick up
the notebook and take over the pilotage in
case of emergency.
BRIEFING THE CAPTAIN
Equipment
Charts
Publications
Dividers
Notebook
Workbook
Signals
Weather forecast
Logreq
Order Book
BRIEFING THE CAPTAIN
continued
Where to brief him, in chartroom or cabin.
Brief in a logical manner:
BRIEFING THE CAPTAIN
Briefing Format
Destination
Distance
ETA
Speed
TS
Track
Hazards
EXECUTION - THE TEAM
CO
NO - cons ship, responsible for navigation
SSD OOW - filters shipping reports, runs
routine, assists NO with bearings, gyro checks
etc
NO’s Assistant plots fixes, runs chart, EP
SSD increase speed of reaction to emergencies
Blind Pilotage Safety Officer and Assistant
Ops Room anti-collision plot
EXECUTION - Navigator
Taking over the con - at a preplanned time, in
good time to settle down before the difficult
parts begin.
Service to the Command:
Regular succinct reports:
On/off track, which side, how much
Safe or not
Action to regain, working or not
Distance to next W/O
Minimum predicted depth
Effects of TS and wind
Shipping
EXECUTION - Navigator
HONESTY IS
THE
ONLY
POLICY.
EXECUTION - Navigator
Running a headmark/backmark.
Look down correct bearing to gauge whether
Port or Starboard, and by how much.
To regain track, alter beyond headmark or
calculated course to steer.
Select natural transit
Remember to fix
Before alterations:
Check course safe visually
Check clear astern
EXECUTION - Navigator
Relate the plan to the real world - if in
doubt, say so.
Fixing:
After every alteration
At three/six minute intervals
Not to interfere with course alterations/speed
changes.
Plotted and reported by NO Assistant
RECORDS
Records must be sufficient to reconstruct
track.
Tape recording. Start tape with time check,
erase if pilotage uneventful.
Ships Log.
Nav Record Book - ALL fixes, course and
speed alterations.
Echo sounder trace.
WHEN ANCHORED
When the anchor is let go, TAKE A FIX.
Use headmark, beam mark, 1 other object.
Note ship’s head.
Plot actual position of anchor, applying
stem to standard distance, in direction of
ships head, to let go fix position.
Construct bridge and stern swinging
circles, based on position of anchor. Use
length of cable paid out + stem to
standard/length of ship
AFTER ANCHORING contd
Plot clearing bearings and radar swinging circles
so that OOW and QM can monitor swinging.
Notice for sea - No more than 5 minutes in good
conditions, Immediate if in any doubt about
weather or holding.
Anchor watch routines. If at five minutes notice -
QM, with OOW or OOD taking fix every watch.
At immediate notice - OOW closed up
monitoring swing.
PILOTAGE CHECKLIST
Correct charts
Tidal Heights (high, low, on arrival), Streams
LDL
Anchor Berth and safety swinging circle
Tracks and Courses to Steer
Wheel over positions, bearings, marks
Clearing bearings and marks
Gyro checks, shooting up marks
Distances to run
Anchor, cable, holding
Radio calls, pilot, tugs
Notebook
