Recreational boats don’t usually have the space to carry charts and navigational tools found on larger vessels. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has developed high technology solutions suitable for use on small recreational vessels. The advent of laptop computers and compact LCD displays has certainly helped in advancing this effort. Here is a sample of what is available to boaters from NOAA.
Navigational Charts - Navigational charts are an essential tool of the prepared mariner and are vital to safe transit of our waters. NOAA operates the Office of Coast Survey (OCS) that produces nautical charts, Coast Pilots and related navigational publications. Current charts are available online, in paper format or digitally.
PORTS - The Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) is a technology acquisition and dissemination structure designed by the National Ocean Service (NOS) in cooperation with select ports of the United States. PORTS gathers data on current direction and speed, tidal levels, winds, water and air temperature at multiple collection sites and then makes it available through an information dissemination system to multiple end users. PORTS information is distributed and available in real time to the public. It is forwarded to programs like NOAA’s Alaska Ocean Observing System.
Water Level and Current Forecasting - NOS provides accurate, timely data on water levels, current speeds and directions. Historic data, astronomic effects and numerical oceanographic models are used to provide forecasts of water speeds, expected tides and currents. Accurate tide and current information benefits activities like search and rescue or oil spill cleanup operations. Real time and forecast information is available online to the public.
Positioning Services - NOAA works with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard to operate and use data derived from Differential GPS (DGPS) Stations. By transmitting a reference signal from a known fixed point, DGPS greatly improves the navigational accuracy of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. DGPS stations are also serve as Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS). NOAA's National Geodetic Survey (NGS) uses CORS data to allow surveyors, engineers and map makers to obtain extremely accurate positioning.
Shoreline Mapping - The United States has 95,000 miles of coastline and an accurate survey of it is necessary to create safe nautical charts and provide precise geographical references coastal management. Coastal mapping provides the baseline data used to establish boundaries like the Mean High Water (MHW), territorial limits and economic zones. NOAA resurveys the coast at least every ten years and more often in critical environmental areas.
This has been a brief overview of the services available through NOAA that improve the safety of recreational boating. Many more details are available at the NOAA website.
 |
 |
 |
 |
