Tip #23 How About a Pin-up For Your Saltwater Navigation!

Well, a discussion in the Forums prompted me to remember this tip. And for any of you boaters who ply the dangerous waters of Alaska's coastline, I'm sure everyone has at least one nautical chart they use for navigation.

The first suggestion is to get your charts laminated in plastic. Most major map merchants have equipment that will seal most large maps and make them last forever. But the full-size nautical charts are often bigger than the laminator can handle so just borrow a pair of scissors from the store and cut off that portion that you would never use...and the rest should fit the sealer.

Now once you have your plastic laminated chart, it becomes fairly unwieldy on the smaller size boats like my 19 footer. Never enough room to spread it out.

I've found that rolling it up keeps it compact and easy to store until you need it. BUT, instead of using rubber bands to hold it tight, try attaching a wooden clothes pin at each end of the tube. It will keep it rolled up just fine and the pins are a breeze to pop off in a second to unroll the chart....and to find again when you need them.

The chart will eventually acquire a rolled up "memory." You can then roll out just the portion you need, clip the pins on the remainder of the roll and then let the map roll up. When you need to make a quick reference, just open it up to your pinned point and then let it snap shut again when you're done.

You can also make identification easy if you have several charts by using a felt marker and labeling the clothes pin for each different one.

Safe Boating,
-KK-

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