Captains' Reports?

[Kate]

Here's the recent experience that triggers my question. It was a 90-mile river trip with three very rude surprises: 1) Shoals in the channel, which caused one soft grounding. (I swear on a stack of Cobalt Owner's Manuals that I was in the channel.) 2) About 8 tree stumps sticking up some 4" above the surface -- in the channel! 3) Twice, my GPS (the Nav app) suggested two alternate routes billed as "short cuts." I stopped, looked through the binoculars and saw: Ground-your-boat-here routes. (We're at winter pool.)

I had done a ton of pre-trip planning, including advice from locals about how to navigate the route and any potential hazards. There was nothing about those "surprises." In the private pilot world, we have PIREPs, (Pilot Reports). Those are immediate reports from pilots about unusual conditions, e.g., "Joe" just flew into Boise and reports a factory fire near the airport. It's easy to file and access such reports.

So here's my question: In the boating world, is there such a thing as Captains' Reports" (CAREP?)? Whether river or lake boating, there must be others who faced similar "surprises," who either could've benefited from or want to file such reports. After returning, I spent a day trying to figure out how to warn other boaters about those three hazards, but found nothing. When I told the manager of a well-known marina about my experiences, he shook his head in disgust, and said: "All we have is word-of-mouth."

I realize that there's ActiveCaptain. But I don't want to sign up for the entire Garmin ecosystem. I just want a simple system for CAREPs. Plus, ActiveCaptain doesn't cover my waters, and the "surprises" didn't show up on the Nav app.

[sailor55330]

I am not familiar with anything like what you are looking for. Local knowledge is probably the best source, which it sounds like you already utilized. Shoals can shift, so I'm not completely surprised by that. Tree stumps in the channel---who knows. Maybe the channel markers got drug? If they were posts, well, not so much. At least they were showing and not submerged? I can totally see why you would be so bummed....but look on the bright side, if I want to take a 90 mile trip, I'd have to go around the lake 15 times...

[willyswagon]

I'm not sure who would handle it in the States but up here "Notice to Mariners" are broadcast hourly on VHF radio giving notices of Hazards to Navigation, speed restriction to save the right whales, weather alerts, bouys off position etc. It is done by the CG.

[Norris_Boating]

Find out who is in charge of the river (cost guard/Army Corps/TVA etc) and talk to them about it. They obviously need to do some work to clear out the channel, if the work gets completed then no need for a CAREPs system!

[Kate]

Find out who is in charge of the river (cost guard/Army Corps/TVA etc) and talk to them about it. They obviously need to do some work to clear out the channel, if the work gets completed then no need for a CAREPs system!

It's the AC, Nashville District. Still need a CAREP for the time in between report and repair. Plus, AC has no control over the conflict of what GPS (the Nav app) shows and reality.

I thought there'd be a bigger demand from boaters for such reports. I gather from the relatively few responses to my OP that I was mistaken. I think I wrongly extrapolated from my flying experiences to boating.

[AsLan7]

Find out who is in charge of the river (cost guard/Army Corps/TVA etc) and talk to them about it. They obviously need to do some work to clear out the channel, if the work gets completed then no need for a CAREPs system!

It's the AC, Nashville District. Still need a CAREP for the time in between report and repair. Plus, AC has no control over the conflict of what GPS (the Nav app) shows and reality.

I thought there'd be a bigger demand from boaters for such reports. I gather from the relatively few responses to my OP that I was mistaken. I think I wrongly extrapolated from my flying experiences to boating.

.
You did Kate. I was thinking the same thing when you posted. "Boatreps" are not out there like "Pireps".

.

[akorcovelos]

Active Captain is the best thing out there, but it's not very user friendly. I just mark thing on my Navionics for my reference, and usually share it on the facebook page dedicated to our lakes. At least that way when those stumps are 6" BELOW the water at summer pool you'll know about them.

[jhnmdahl]

Some of the fancy new sonars will do some forward looking. Maybe not an ideal solution, but I've always liked the idea of throwing new toys/technology at a problem even if it's rarely cheap.



John

[Kate]

Active Captain is the best thing out there, but it's not very user friendly. I just mark thing on my Navionics for my reference, and usually share it on the facebook page dedicated to our lakes. At least that way when those stumps are 6" BELOW the water at summer pool you'll know about them.

Facebook for local lakes is a good tip. Thanks.

[Kate]

Find out who is in charge of the river (cost guard/Army Corps/TVA etc) and talk to them about it. They obviously need to do some work to clear out the channel, if the work gets completed then no need for a CAREPs system!

It's the AC, Nashville District. Still need a CAREP for the time in between report and repair. Plus, AC has no control over the conflict of what GPS (the Nav app) shows and reality.

I thought there'd be a bigger demand from boaters for such reports. I gather from the relatively few responses to my OP that I was mistaken. I think I wrongly extrapolated from my flying experiences to boating.

.
You did Kate. I was thinking the same thing when you posted. "Boatreps" are not out there like "Pireps".

.

I gather you're a pilot, too. I first made that mistake while planning for the river trip, which I prepped for it as if it were a cross country flight. Loch Ness Monster? I'm ready for you, with two back-up plans.

That said, I've noticed that some boaters could benefit from a "pilot's mindset" -- pre-flight inspection, communications equipment, knowing the rules of the road, an objective assessment of their own and their equipment's limitations. I'm surprised by the type and frequency of boating disasters that you rarely see in the private pilot world.

[AsLan7]

It's the AC, Nashville District. Still need a CAREP for the time in between report and repair. Plus, AC has no control over the conflict of what GPS (the Nav app) shows and reality.

I thought there'd be a bigger demand from boaters for such reports. I gather from the relatively few responses to my OP that I was mistaken. I think I wrongly extrapolated from my flying experiences to boating.

.
You did Kate. I was thinking the same thing when you posted. "Boatreps" are not out there like "Pireps".

.

I gather you're a pilot, too. I first made that mistake while planning for the river trip, which I prepped for it as if it were a cross country flight. Loch Ness Monster? I'm ready for you, with two back-up plans.

That said, I've noticed that some boaters could benefit from a "pilot's mindset" -- pre-flight inspection, communications equipment, knowing the rules of the road, an objective assessment of their own and their equipment's limitations. I'm surprised by the type and frequency of boating disasters that you rarely see in the private pilot world.

.
That's well said Kate. As the saying goes....Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
I'm also a big checklist fan. Probably flows over from my aviation background. Here's the winterizing one I just went thru. You'll notice the similarities with an aviation checklist (above the line vs below the line...bold print...etc.)

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[Kate]

That's a great, well-organized checklist. I'm stealing it.

"Dryer sheets"? Rodent deterrent?
"Store lic plate"? Theft deterrent?

With due credit to Patrick Henry: Give me a checklist or give me death! Which is not hyperbole. Some years ago, operating rooms and ERs began using checklists. (Interestingly, they took a cue from Aviation.) Here's the upshot of what they discovered: "Use of this checklist has been shown to decrease surgical morbidity and mortality." https://anesthesiology.pubs.asahq.org/a ... id=2633147

[akorcovelos]

.
You did Kate. I was thinking the same thing when you posted. "Boatreps" are not out there like "Pireps".

.

I gather you're a pilot, too. I first made that mistake while planning for the river trip, which I prepped for it as if it were a cross country flight. Loch Ness Monster? I'm ready for you, with two back-up plans.

That said, I've noticed that some boaters could benefit from a "pilot's mindset" -- pre-flight inspection, communications equipment, knowing the rules of the road, an objective assessment of their own and their equipment's limitations. I'm surprised by the type and frequency of boating disasters that you rarely see in the private pilot world.

.
That's well said Kate. As the saying goes....Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
I'm also a big checklist fan. Probably flows over from my aviation background. Here's the winterizing one I just went thru. You'll notice the similarities with an aviation checklist (above the line vs below the line...bold print...etc.)

.

AM I seeing Top Secret information here? What's with all the redactions?

[AsLan7]

Ha. Just phone numbers and errors that have since been updated. (Dryer sheets vs panty hose). No secrets here.