Pilotage Plans

Start with corrected charts and relevant sailing directions, notices, tide data, weather, harbour instructions and traffic information. The MCA expects a voyage assessment appropriate to the vessel and crew that considers navigational dangers, weather, tides and other relevant factors; pilotage is the detailed end of that same plan.

For each leg record course or track, distance, expected time at a sensible speed, marks and lights in sequence, transits, clearing limits, minimum planned depth and the next decision point. Add speed limits, VHF or signal requirements, traffic pinch points, no-go areas and where the vessel can wait or turn away.

Keep the cockpit version selective. Long prose forces heads-down reading at the worst time. Use a simple sketch or table supported by the chart, and brief roles, communications and contingencies. Recheck the plan if the actual tide, visibility, traffic, equipment or crew readiness differs from the assumptions.