791 HYDROGRAPHIC MANUAL PaGE 748 



corrected in the field. On completion of the sheet he shall make a final inspection of 

 the sheet and all the accompanying records and shall report this fact, with his approval 

 (see 7941). 



791. Completion of the Smooth Sheet 



To assure completeness of the smooth sheet, constant checking is necessary through- 

 out its production. Much of the work done on the sheet is self-checking and it is the 

 duty of the smooth-sheet plotter to check his work as he proceeds. However, certain 

 specific steps mentioned in this Manual do require verification (in the field) by a person 

 other than the plotter (see, for example, 746). 



After the plotter has completed the routine work on the sheet, it must be inspected 

 thoroughly and special attention given to those parts of the work which are not routine, 

 such as comparison with the Sounding Records and the boat sheet (see 7911 and 7912). 



7911. Details From Sounding Records 



The completed smooth sheet should depict grapliically all the information which 

 has been entered in the Sounding Records. To assure that this has been done, a system- 

 atic page by page comparison with the Sounding Records shall be made after comple- 

 tion of all the plotting. Special attention should begivento all entriesin the "Remarks" 

 column and to all other entries that are not routine, such as cuts to rocks and aids to 

 navigation, and notes relative to the distance the sounding vessel passes any object. 

 Each detached position should also be verified in order to ensure that it has been 

 plotted and that the correct depth has been shown. 



7912. Details From Boat Sheet 



The boat sheet often contains supplemental details and notes which are helpful 

 in interpreting the Sounding Records and all of these should be considered in connection 

 with the smooth sheet. Occasionally, the boat sheet is the sole source of rocks, breakers, 

 or kelp, but such information should be used with discrimination. It is incumbent on 

 the plotter at this time either to transfer this data to the smooth sheet or to void it 

 by deletion or by indicating on the boat sheet that it is valueless. 



As part of the smooth-sheet inspection, a detailed systematic comparison should be 

 made with the boat sheet, in order to ensure that all essential information has been 

 transferred to the smooth sheet. It is important that hydrographers in the field 

 realize that after review of the smooth sheets m the Washmgton Office, the boat sheets 

 are retained only a short time before they are disposed of. 



7913. Importance of Clarity- 

 It is important that the completed smooth sheet is clear and legible and that no 

 information thereon is indistinct or ambiguous. (See 721.) The most important 

 features on a smooth sheet are the locations of and least depths on shoals. Before 

 submitting the sheet to the Washington Office, the smooth-sheet plotter should verify 

 these items. The least depth on any shoal should be apparent at a glance without the 

 necessity of a minute inspection of the area, and should be emphasized according to 7753. 

 If for any reason an important feature is obscured or shown in a manner that there is 

 risk of its being overlooked, a note should be added calling attention to it (see 7914). 

 Dangers and shoals should be emphasized and it is more important that they be shown 

 with distinction than that a routine symbolization be followed. 



