USCG Safety Subscriptions (LNM)

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Do you subscribe to the USCG LNMs? (Local Notice to Mariners)? Why not? Lots of safety information for your area.

Here is what I sighed up for:

You have made the following changes to your U.S. Coast Guard subscriptions:

You subscribed to topics:

U.S. Coast Guard Seventeenth District Alaska News
U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District Coast Guard Public Affairs Detachment Astoria News
CG D13 Sector Puget Sound - Maritime Safety Information
CG D07 Sector San Juan - Maritime Safety Information
CG D13 Sector Columbia River - Maritime Safety Information
CG D17 Sector Juneau - Maritime Safety Information
U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area News

https://navcen.uscg.gov/local-notices-to-mariners-by-cg-district

 

[jgwinks]

We're required to on the Inspected Vessels. I've been getting them online and during a CG inspection I brought the downloaded files up on my laptop. Good enough for at least that inspector.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

We're required to on the Inspected Vessels. I've been getting them online and during a CG inspection I brought the downloaded files up on my laptop. Good enough for at least that inspector.

That's interesting that you are required to have the latest copy on board. I am assuming you are commercial and not recreational?

 

[jgwinks]

Commercial. That's been several years ago, I'm pretty much retired now, should have worded the first post that way. We had to have paper charts, updated to the latest LNM and the actual LNM's. I spent a lot of time making those pencil on paper chart updates, sometimes only to change them back the next week. That may have changed, they are going more toward electronic charting, but changes tend to be very slow coming.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I don't subscribe to LNM. Like jgwinks I usta havta. With NOAA heading to all ENCs much of that information, particulary ATON updates, is supposed to be incroporated into the ENC in regular updates. All good on the surface. But I have seen some updates that I think should have made it into the ENCs but did not. For example a light moved a short distance. So there's one reason to subscribe.

Another reason is the LNMs will post activities that it is good to be aware of. Sailboat races, dredging, wake senstive work etc. As far as I know that info never makes it's way into the ENCs. Nor should it really.

Another reason. How often are your non NOAA charts updated? If annual that's 51 weeks of updates you have missed. NOAA issues ENC updates weekly.

And yet another reason. When preparing to navigate in an unfamiliar area reading through the LNMs for that area and scrolling your plotter around to see what the LNM is referring to will help you become familar with the chart of the area. Kind of like reading the notes on the old paper charts used to do.

So in answer to your question ASD, no I don't subscribe though I've only given reason to subscribe. It somehow just doesn't seem as urgent as it did when I worked on the water full time. Yep, I know, that sounds like laziness.

 

[jgwinks]

I agree completely. As for voyager planning, I really prefer paper, better to get the big picture all in one view. But if course to get more detail you need to pull out the larger scale chart instead of just zooming in. So it's a trade off. Looks like we won't even be able to get paper charts anymore.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I find them useful. Just another tool in the toolbox.

 

[PJHoffnet]

I do subscribe to LNM. Receive the 'link' to the new one each week from USCG District 07 (Tuesday or Wednesday). I also receive the NTM weekly. BNMs as they come out.

The arrival of the LNM 'starts' my update routine. I go through LNM, NTM and update my paper and electronic charts. Download the 'updated' List of Lights, and check for changes in the Coast Pilot.