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| United States Coast Pilot | |
|---|---|
| Name | United States Coast Pilot |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Nautical navigation, Pilotage |
| Publisher | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
| Media type | Print and online |
| Firstdate | 1858 |
United States Coast Pilot The United States Coast Pilot is a series of nautical books produced for mariners that supplements Nautical charts with detailed local information about coastlines, harbors, and navigational aids. It is prepared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Ocean Service and integrates data from agencies such as the United States Coast Guard, National Geodetic Survey, and regional hydrographic offices. The Pilot complements federal products like the United States Chart No. 1 and international works such as publications from the International Maritime Organization and the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office.
The Coast Pilot provides descriptive information on topics including shoreline characteristics near New England, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Hawaii; recommended courses around features like the Straits of Florida, Cape Hatteras, and Point Reyes; tide and current details referenced to datum such as North American Vertical Datum of 1988; and regulatory measures enforced by the United States Coast Guard and local authorities like the Port of Los Angeles and Port of New York and New Jersey. It is arranged by geographical coverage, parallel to the sequence of NOAA nautical charts, and intended to be used aboard vessels trading in waters under United States jurisdiction, including approaches to territories such as Puerto Rico and Guam.
Origins trace to coastal pilot books and sailing directions produced in the 18th and 19th centuries, influenced by works like The American Practical Navigator and European pilots published by the Admiralty (United Kingdom). Early U.S. federal involvement began with surveys by the United States Coast Survey in the 19th century and later the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. The Coast Pilot series was formalized as a federal publication with editions issued through agencies that later became parts of NOAA following the Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970. Notable historical events shaping content include maritime incidents near Sandy Hook, the development of lighthouses such as Cape Hatteras Light, and legislative acts like the statutes governing the United States Lighthouse Service.
Each volume contains sections on approaches, anchorages, channels, aids to navigation, pilotage, communications, regulations, and marine services for regions like Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound, and the Mississippi River Delta. Entries cite survey data from the National Ocean Service and positional control from the National Geodetic Survey, with references to tidal predictions generated using models tied to the National Tidal Datum Epoch. The book cross-references charted features on NOAA nautical charts and international charting conventions from the International Hydrographic Organization. Appendices often list radio services such as NAVTEX, Automatic Identification System details, and contact points for port authorities including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Seattle Port Commission.
NOAA issues Coast Pilot volumes in print and digital formats, with updates provided as Notice to Mariners entries compiled alongside corrections from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the United States Coast Guard Local Notice to Mariners. Distribution channels include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's web portals, federal depository libraries, and maritime bookstores serving ports such as Boston, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Historic editions are preserved in archives associated with institutions like the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, and university libraries including Harvard University and the University of Washington.
Primary users are professional mariners such as commercial ship masters, harbor pilots affiliated with organizations like the American Pilots' Association, recreational sailors registered with groups such as the United States Sailing Association, and federal agencies including the United States Navy and the National Park Service when managing maritime resources near sites like Statue of Liberty National Monument and Everglades National Park. Training programs at academies like the United States Merchant Marine Academy and maritime training centers incorporate the Coast Pilot alongside chart instruction from institutions like the United States Naval Academy.
The Coast Pilot is designed to be used in tandem with official nautical charts produced by NOAA and charting guidance such as Chart No. 1. It complements tide tables published by the National Ocean Service and collision regulations codified in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. Other complementary publications include the American Practical Navigator (commonly Bowditch), light lists produced by the United States Coast Guard, and international sailing directions issued by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office and national hydrographic offices like the Canadian Hydrographic Service.
The Coast Pilot is an official federal publication; its content is maintained by NOAA under authorities granted to predecessors such as the United States Coast Survey and the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Mariners are directed to apply corrections from Notices to Mariners issued by the United States Coast Guard and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency; failure to consult current Coast Pilot information may be cited in actions involving agencies like the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana or investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board after incidents such as groundings. Revisions occur periodically with interim updates reflecting hydrographic survey results from platforms including NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson and buoy data from the National Data Buoy Center.
Category:Publications of the United States government