Managing Waypoints
by arlyn stewart
For those who cruise and require more than a few waypoints, management of waypoints becomes crucial as a gps waypoint has little value if it's not easily understood where the point really is.  I often have between 100 - 200 points set for a summer cruise.  Most of the points will be new.  The use of a chartplotting program makes setting points for every course change, buoy, and hazard very easy.... just  click away.  The result will be an easy to follow waypoint trail that should keep crew and vessel safe from rocks or hazards, but it all requires management.  If your cruise requires more waypoints than can be managed in the cerebral E-prom, then read on.

My chartplotting program provides print routines for the three primary support tools to manage waypoint data.

The Chart

The chart is more useful if it has waypoints, tracks and other points such as divert points and event points clearly marked on it.  Each waypoint will have a number and its helpful but not necessary if the numbers increment along the passage.  The chart should be redly available at the helm and for this reason should be water proof and easy to store under a cockpit cushion.  Either double sided printing or two pages laminating together will allow waypoint information to be on the back of the chart.  The laminate will accept a grease pencil for time stamping a plotted course.  If several charts are needed, group together in a folder which will stow easily under the cockpit cushion.  I use a relatively thin and flexible laminate, just enough to water proof and provide durability.

The software should allow printing only those sections of the chart which are related to the planned and expected track so that area can be magnified.  Different route tracks can be provided with different colors for easy identification of a days passage.    Occasionally several charts will be needed and in this case, I use a cover chart of the larger area and then break down the smaller areas with expanded charts.  What is needed is a chart resolution that will identify each waypoint rather than have the waypoint identifiers overlay each other resulting in an inability to read the numbers.  The important thing is to be able to see each waypoint identifier and be able to find the data for that waypoint.


The Waypoint List

This list is a printout of all waypoints for the cruise that are loaded into the gps.  It has all the pertinent data about the waypoint including a full name rather than just the number, and can even include a description.  It makes it very easy to see a number on the chart, flip the chart and find and read the information. 


The Route List

This printout includes a list of all waypoints of a chosen route and is one of my favorite tools.  It provides the course and distance information between each waypoint in a route as well as accumulative data such as total distance from beginning of route to present waypoint.  It quickly lets me know which waypoint is next.  If I'm running a route on the gps, the next comes up automatically, but there are times when a route is not set and I want to just go to the next waypoint manually, in which case the name of the waypoint has to be easily found and the route list or the waypoint number on the chart will quickly give that.


Other List

Other list such as event list and map feature list could be printed as well for showing divert locations or special locations.  I've not found those to be so numerous as to  require a printout.  The most important thing here is that waypoints associated with divert locations are clearly marked so that if needing to divert... that waypoint can be found quickly.  My diverts get marked with a waypoint first and then a event symbol that I know is a divert option.


Conclusion

Personal abilities range among us.  For example, I can process concepts without a bit of trouble.  In an emergency,  I can clearly understand an implement a good physical course of action but I can't process data worth a hoot.  In an emergency, data has to jump at me or I will fumble for it.  Management of a gps loaded full of waypoints needs intentional effort but even if your GPS has only a handful of important waypoints necessary to safety of crew and vessel,  consider a way to provide a method that clearly and quickly defines those points and make it accessible from the helm. 

There is another important reason for doing this.  Crew involvement.  In the several years that I've been doing Great Lakes cruises, I've noted that the crew aboard really get into the navigation part of sailing even if they are neophytes to sailing.  Its as if they grasp the navigation easier than sail trim.  At any rate, they like it and that reduces the potential for boredom and increases the involvement.  In six years of cruising, there have been five different crew aboard and each has gotten involved with the navigation.  Taking the plans that I made during the previous months and trying to understand "where to" next is part of it but they find changing waypoints and using the gps quite intuitive and interesting and I think the key to that has been the cockpit chart with the waypoints and routes marked on it.  It is clearly something that they get into.  They quickly grasp the waypoint and route process and the ability to call up the next and navigate to it.  Often I don't set a route in the gps purposively so that upon reaching a waypoint,  the crew has to search for and bring up the next. Don't miss out on this tool to keep the crew into the cruise.
More Than Waypoint Management, a digression into keeping the crew interested

My mom had alzheimers.  For several years, one of the few remaining life disciplines that she related to was straightening up the house.  Twice a day dad would take a stack of magazines and drop them on the floor around the house.  This may sound bazaar, but my mom was a very healthy woman otherwise and was erect and strong and medication free.  Picking up those magazines kept her in good physical shape and she seemed to find pleasure in doing it and that kept her in the game of life... finding pleasure in doing something.   It's my experience that the crew find great pleasure in getting involved in gps navigation, seeing where they are on the chart, anticipating the next waypoint, seeing where they are going and what hazards lie near. 

Last summer, we exited Whalesback Channel and took a southwest course across the North Channel to begin the trek toward home after several weeks of cruising.  I suddenly needed to go below to take care of business and as I did, I warned Lin of shoals and a marker not far ahead... and counseled to exam the chart, that we either had to pass the shoals to starboard of the buoy or at least a half mile east.  We were on autopilot which has worked flawlessly for years and holding a rhumb line between two points that would clear the shoals to the west the required distance... but I wanted her to sense the need to watch.  With glasses in hand, she called down to me as soon as she picked up the marker, then related that it was well to our west.  I peeked out the cabin window to be sure but didn't let on and took my time and came back up when the treachery of the rock shoal sticking only inches above the water was abeam.  I asked where the shoal was and she pointed it out with pride at having spotted and identified it as being a half mile to our west.   She found pleasure... and so did I at seeing her confidence in sailing grow.