Here’s another set of helpful navigation tips from our friend Capt. John of skippertips.com…
What two little known sailing hazards could damage your sailboat hull, crack your keel, or mangle your propeller shaft or rudder? Make sure that you mark these dangers of the deep on your nautical chart or electronic chart plotter. Enjoy this excerpt from Chart Symbols Made Easy, the newest two-part eBook series.
Highlight These “Ruins” on Your Chart!
Sailing in San Francisco Bay has to be one of the greatest adventures I can recall. You have a virtual “smörgåsbord” of challenges from high winds to choppy seas to swift current to shipping traffic.
And you will be faced with hidden obstructions like submerged piers and ruins. When I sailed out of Berkeley marina, one such submerged pier was a major concern for all sailors. It extended a good two miles from the shore out into the Bay.
Sailors were warned to stay at least 100 yards (300 feet or 91 meters) to the north of this “sailboat snagger”. You could experience a strong southerly set onto the pier. Give submerged ruins like these a wide berth. Consider your leeway–or set downwind or down-current–to avoid serious damage to your sailboat.
If you see a solid (not dashed) outline of a pier accompanied by the words “Ruin”, “Ruins” or the abbreviation “ru”, indicates a structure unsafe for mooring and in a state of disrepair.
Solid outlines indicate objects or parts of an object that will be visible at all stages of the tide. Any part of a pier or ruin symbol that shows a dashed outline indicates that part of the pier will be covered at higher stages of the tide (see illustrations).
Steer Clear of Artificial Groins
Man-made structures that extend seaward from a beach are called “groins” in the US (spelled “groyne” in International waters). These are created to fight erosion along beach fronts or to protect exposed aids to navigation.
They might be used to prevent excessive ice buildup in navigable waters overseas.
Much of the groin structure lies beneath the water. Materials used to build the groin may consist of clusters of rock or common foundation material like concrete.
Groins may be placed in rows along a beach (photo). Give groins a wide berth to prevent damage from grounding.
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Sail with confidence along any coast when you know common chart symbols used throughout the nautical world. Use sailing tips like these to boost your sailing and cruising skills sky high–wherever you choose to sail or cruise!
