NAUTICAL CHART MANUAL 



CLASSIFICATION OF CHARTS 



Nautical Charts vary in scale with the importance of the area, purpose for which the 

 chart is designed, and necessity for showing clearly all the dangers within that area. In the 

 following five classes of charts, scales and style have been particularly adapted to their intended 

 use. 



L Harbor Charts are published at scales larger than 1:50,000, depending on the size and 

 importance of the harbor and the number and kinds of dangers existing. They are intended 

 for navigation in harbors and smaller waterways, and for anchorage. 



2. Small-craft Charts are published at scales of 1:80,000 and larger. They are issued 

 folded, are designed for easy reference and plotting in close quarters, and emphasize small- 

 craft detail, including large-scale insets of small-boat harbors, tide, current and weather data, 

 whistle signals, marina facilities, anchorages, courses and distances. These folded charts 

 are published in three types and identified by the letters "SC" following the chart numbers. 

 (See pg. 89.) 



3. Coast Charts are published at scales from 1:50,000 to 1:100,000. They are intended 

 for close coastwise navigation inside outlying reefs and shoals, for use in entering bays and 

 harbors of considerable size, and for navigating the larger inland waterways. 



4. General Charts of the coasts are published at scales from 1:100,000 to 1:600,000. They 

 are designed for coastwise navigation when a vessel's course is well offshore but where her 

 position can be fixed by landmarks, lights, buoys and characteristic soundings. 



5. Sailing Charts are published at scales of 1:600,000 and smaller. They are used for 

 offshore sailing between distant coastal ports and for plotting the navigator's position out of 

 sight of land and as he approaches the coast from the open ocean. They show offshore sound- 

 ings and the most important lights, outer buoys, and natural landmarks which are visible at 

 considerable distances. 



LORAN CHARTS 



Loran lines of position and skywave correction values are shown on over fifty selected 

 charts. The various rates are reproduced in subdued colors on the printed chart. 



SPECIAL-PURPOSE CHARTS 



The Bureau publishes a number of charts for special purposes of the Navy. The designa- 

 tion of these charts is "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY". As they are not to be sold to the pubUc, 

 no price will be shown thereon. 



