The weather in Catalonia has changed a lot in recent years and is becoming increasingly tropical. This implies that it is highly variable and unpredictable, with the appearance of new weather phenomena that make navigation maneuvers difficult and can put both our safety and that of the rest of the crew at risk if we do not adopt the relevant measures.
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For this reason it is very important to follow a series of preventive protocols that will make up our navigation plan, which is the set of instructions that describe the route that a boat will follow to reach its destination. The document includes essential information such as points of interest, landmarks and potential hazards, as well as instructions to avoid or resolve any problems that may arise during navigation. |
The navigation plan in 6 steps
The checklist is a key tool to ensure that we have sufficient material and that we have carried out the necessary inspections to navigate safely.
You can then download the checklist that the Olympic Port has drawn up together with entities such as Salvamento Marítimo, Capitania Marítima or Escola Port.
The weather is increasingly variable and its tropicalization means that there may be unexpected changes that surprise us during navigation, which is why it is essential to check the weather forecast before going sailing.
There are multiple sources specialized in meteorology that can serve as a reference and that offer very diverse information. It should be borne in mind that each of these resources collects and structures information in a different way, so the most reliable prediction will be the one that we create ourselves from different sources of inquiry.
Some mandatory consultation proposals are:
The website of the State Meteorological Agency is one of the most complete sources of information, especially with regard to the forecast of wind and waves. We highlight the predictions and warnings offered by the service in text mode.
It offers wind, rain and temperature forecasts in 3-hour intervals and up to 10 days ahead for more than 45,000 points around the world, with a special emphasis on marinas and sailing areas.
It has a network of 21,000 connected weather stations, providing real-time temperature, pressure, wind and swell data, as well as more than 63,000 webcams for live local observation.
The portal offers a graphical forecast for beaches, coasts and navigation areas. The success rate is quite high.
They have recently incorporated a new function that allows you to obtain a relation of relevant data for a given area, among which we highlight the wind (speed, gusts and direction) and the swell (height, period and direction) five days ahead.
It is necessary to take into account the limitations that may exist depending on the type, model or state of the vessel and adapt each navigation plan to each particular case. On the other hand, it is essential to check that the navigation, communication, propulsion and safety equipment, among others, are working correctly.
It is essential to check courses and keep nautical charts up to date. On the other hand, we must also consider alternative route plans and places of refuge to consider in the face of an emergency.
Finally, it should be noted that it is necessary to know the lights and special marks that we will find while sailing, since they may be warning us of possible dangers that may appear during our route.
When setting up the navigation plan we must take into account the nature and characteristics of the journey and the crew with the aim of adapting it to each particular case.
In this way, the plan can vary depending on whether it is professional or recreational sailing, or the level and experience of the different members who accompany you.
On the other hand, it is very important that the crew knows at all times the essential information of the plan before going out to sail. Through a pre-departure briefing, it will be explained what the safety systems are on board (emergency plan, life jackets and hoops, pyrotechnic equipment, raft...), where they are, how they work and when they must be used.
Communicating the plan to the Captaincy of the port or Yacht Club where it is located is a crucial step that will allow a boat to be assisted much more quickly in the event of an emergency.
In the case of Port Olímpic de Barcelona, the basic information it must contain and that must be sent to portolimpic@bsmsa.cat is:
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Name of the vessel
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Type of boating: recreational, regatta, charter, fishing or school
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Number of crew on board.
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Navigation from / to.
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Departure day and time
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Estimated day and time of arrival.