10 easy steps for a perfect passage plan

In the May issue of Yachting Monthly, Alastair Buchan offers his advice on writing and carrying out a passage plan.

As well as containing the usual pilotage notes, Alastair suggests that a passage plan should incorporate at least some aspects of commercial, obligatory passage plans used by ship captains.

For the full article, see Yachting Monthly, May 2011 issue, but meanwhile here are the official documents Alastair refers to in his text.

1. To read the Maritime & Coastguard Agency SOLAS leaflet click here or visit www.mcga.gov.uk, click on Ships and Cargoes, then click on Legislation and Guidance, then Statutory Publications.

2. To find out all the UK’s ‘categorised waters’ click here or visit www.mcga.gov.uk, click on Ships and Cargoes, then click on Legislation and Guidance, then click on M-notices, then click on MSNs and scroll through the pages until you reach MSN 1776 M.

3. To read the SOLAS V regulations in full click here.