motion30
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I'm surprised nobody has said this yet. The most dangerous thing you can have for a trip on your boat is a schedule
Distance
- Thread starter gonesailing13
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
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Fletcher500
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Fletcher500
Guru
I need to retire, so I can follow that advice.
Active Captain is easy to use to measure distances. Then there is:
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/nsd/distances-ports/distances.pdf
That's a good reference for a broad stroke. Won't have all the stops.
I just decided to look at the portion of the loop we're doing this year.
We travel 67 out of 154 days, so one out of every 2.3 days. We travel an average of 5.16 hours per day. Now our speed is a bit faster, so we do cover 5363 nm in those 67 days, averaging 80 nm per day, so averaging about 15.6 knots (includes locks, canals, etc. as we cruise at 26 knots or so. I've excluded breaks and boating we do at home during them.
We enjoy our stops and find that a comfortable pace. We have a few places we just get a half day, but most places we spend at least one full day. Then there are those places where there is much more to do and we stay longer. Now, the exploration at each stop is more important to us than to many of you.
I think if you cruise at 7 knots, then 50 nm per day and every other day is a reasonable pace, but pushing it too much beyond that would make it feel like work. I never want to feel like "oh darn, I have to go 14 hours today or I'll be behind schedule. I don't look forward to this." You should look forward to each day. We try to keep it in a pattern that we feel like we can't wait to explore the next stop but then we're anxious after to get on the water and move on. A long day, an overnight even, are fine to me, on rare occasions.
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/nsd/distances-ports/distances.pdf
That's a good reference for a broad stroke. Won't have all the stops.
I just decided to look at the portion of the loop we're doing this year.
We travel 67 out of 154 days, so one out of every 2.3 days. We travel an average of 5.16 hours per day. Now our speed is a bit faster, so we do cover 5363 nm in those 67 days, averaging 80 nm per day, so averaging about 15.6 knots (includes locks, canals, etc. as we cruise at 26 knots or so. I've excluded breaks and boating we do at home during them.
We enjoy our stops and find that a comfortable pace. We have a few places we just get a half day, but most places we spend at least one full day. Then there are those places where there is much more to do and we stay longer. Now, the exploration at each stop is more important to us than to many of you.
I think if you cruise at 7 knots, then 50 nm per day and every other day is a reasonable pace, but pushing it too much beyond that would make it feel like work. I never want to feel like "oh darn, I have to go 14 hours today or I'll be behind schedule. I don't look forward to this." You should look forward to each day. We try to keep it in a pattern that we feel like we can't wait to explore the next stop but then we're anxious after to get on the water and move on. A long day, an overnight even, are fine to me, on rare occasions.
tadhana
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I second the comment about Navionics as a planning tool. it will create a route for you if you just provide the start and end points. It is a great tool for exploring new areas. The charts tend to be very current and generally are more current than Garmin BlueCharts.
psneeld
Guru
I have read it before but have yet to see where the tool is on Active Captain for measuring distances....any tips?
On the regular Active Captain website....or is this an app/chartplotter that supports Active Captain?
On the regular Active Captain website....or is this an app/chartplotter that supports Active Captain?
willpep
Veteran Member
willpep
Veteran Member
I use the Active Captain website on my desktop. You have to register but it is free.
I use the nautical map view and click and hold on an initial location and select "Measure path". Second step is to click and hold on your next point of interest and select "Add waypoint here". You can drag the path around and save it etc.
It is very easy and flexible. I am probably not using it to it's full capability. I think the owner/developer is a member here. Maybe he can chime in.
Cheers
I use the nautical map view and click and hold on an initial location and select "Measure path". Second step is to click and hold on your next point of interest and select "Add waypoint here". You can drag the path around and save it etc.
It is very easy and flexible. I am probably not using it to it's full capability. I think the owner/developer is a member here. Maybe he can chime in.
Cheers
Last edited:
dhays
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Active Captain is one of those tools that I really under utilize. Lots of great features that I haven't taken the time to fully explore.
Drake
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There are mileage distances on the charts and in many of the guide books, but not physical mileage markers as on some waterways. That's what I was referring to.
tadhana
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Wilpep I think you are using a navigation app. There are several navigation aps that have the Active Captain data. Garmin Blue Charts is one, and Coastal explore is another. But the navigation features are not part of Active Captain I use both Garmin and Coastal Explorer and have been an active captain supporter for many years. There is no navigation program so far as I know.
Website. You put your mouse on a spot and then do a hard click to pull up a menu. Among the choices are start a route and measure a path. Either way you then just add waypoints until you get where you're going. It is then saved on your card and you can access it anytime.
No, what he's shown is straight off AC on their web site with no navigation app. On the left side there is a help card at the very bottom. You might have to scroll down to it. It's very easy to miss and it's very helpful.
tadhana
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Well, perhaps I do not know what a hard click is, or something. I can see the AC content. I can open it and change it, but I caIn my computer the help tab merely explains what the cards are and what you can do with them. I do use their data on Coastal Explorer and Garmin BlueCharts. I'll ask Jeff and get back to you .
Hard click is hold your mouse button down.
I don't use them anything like Jeff would suggest as we have so much already on our navigation systems. We use them completely independently. We use AC always to plan marinas as we do use marinas. If we anchored, we'd use it for that. I think actually one of it's good things is that it can be used in so many different ways. Pick a point and do the hard click now...sometimes you think nothing is happening and then it does.
On my Dell it's just holding the button. When I first looked at AC it took me quite a while to figure out how to get the menu to open. Every other program I know would use a right click. Once you find it though, no problem
psneeld
Guru
just tried it, left click and hold does work on my touch pad.
Havent played with it much...so far OpenCPN still wins my vote for routes, but doen't have the other info...maybe a new convert but the other will route follow with my puck GPS.....dang....
Lou_tribal
Guru
Your solution for planning your trip is pretty simple and consist in the following steps:
1. Take a notebook and list all the places you want to visit.
2. Calculate the distance using a paper map or a software like navionics or anything else, it does not matter.
3. Based on your navigation average speed calculate how many miles you can eat per hour.
4. Calculate how much time you need to go from on point defined in step 1 to another.
5. If time is too much per day for you add intermediate points.
6. At the end when you have your navigation book all set, take the paper sheet, shred it, put it to trash as whatever you are planning will never ever be what you expect it to be. You will need to face weather, breakdown or maintenance, late sleep in the morning or even too much partying in the evening.
Like anything else a plan is valid only until it is written then it will change
1. Take a notebook and list all the places you want to visit.
2. Calculate the distance using a paper map or a software like navionics or anything else, it does not matter.
3. Based on your navigation average speed calculate how many miles you can eat per hour.
4. Calculate how much time you need to go from on point defined in step 1 to another.
5. If time is too much per day for you add intermediate points.
6. At the end when you have your navigation book all set, take the paper sheet, shred it, put it to trash as whatever you are planning will never ever be what you expect it to be. You will need to face weather, breakdown or maintenance, late sleep in the morning or even too much partying in the evening.
Like anything else a plan is valid only until it is written then it will change
markpierce
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Isn't it traditional that mariners have four-hour watches? It's difficult to be fully attentive for much longer. Six hours are pretty much my limit, but I prefer four.
Interesting question, Mark. Union slams "two watch system" study
Real captains and real drivers are regulated. You an me...not so much.
markpierce
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So, we must self-regulate. Knowing our personal limitations and paying attention to them is important since "Daddy" isn't there.
Will Active Captain lead us to that ideal world you live in?
dhays
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I may discover my limits this week.
You will be just fine. Warmer and drier too.
