U.S. Publications

Introduction

U.S. nautical publications are essential references for navigation along the coasts of the United States, in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, the Great Lakes and certain U.S. territories in the Pacific and Caribbean. They provide navigators with detailed information that complements the data shown on electronic navigational charts and other hydrographic products.

The “U.S. Publications” category of the Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop covers nautical documents dedicated to navigation in U.S. waters. It is relevant to offshore sailors, merchant vessels, workboats, fishing vessels, maritime transport professionals, instructors and navigators preparing voyages to or around North America.

U.S. nautical documentation is produced through organizations including NOAA, the National Ocean Service and the United States Coast Guard. One of the key references is the U.S. Coast Pilot, published in ten regional volumes and providing information that is difficult to represent adequately on a nautical chart.

Nautical documentation for U.S. waters

U.S. waters cover highly diverse geographical and navigational environments. The Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific coast, Alaska, Hawaii and Great Lakes each have their own characteristics concerning currents, tides, weather, aids to navigation, port approaches and regulations.

U.S. publications may provide information about:

• navigable channels;

• port approaches;

• anchorages;

• currents and tides;

• water levels;

• bridges and vertical clearances;

• cables and pipelines;

• lights and navigation aids;

• navigational hazards;

• traffic separation schemes;

• pilotage;

• towage;

• weather conditions;

• ice conditions;

• port facilities;

• federal regulations applicable to navigation.

This information is particularly useful when operational details cannot be represented adequately on a nautical chart.

The U.S. Coast Pilot

The U.S. Coast Pilot is one of the principal U.S. nautical publications. It is organized into ten volumes covering different regions of the United States, from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific, including the Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes and Alaska.

The volumes cover:

• Coast Pilot 1: Maine, New Hampshire and part of Massachusetts;

• Coast Pilot 2: Cape Cod to Sandy Hook, including New York;

• Coast Pilot 3: Sandy Hook to Cape Henry, including Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay;

• Coast Pilot 4: Cape Henry to Key West;

• Coast Pilot 5: Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands;

• Coast Pilot 6: Great Lakes, connecting waters and the St. Lawrence River;

• Coast Pilot 7: California coast;

• Coast Pilot 8: southeastern Alaska;

• Coast Pilot 9: Pacific and Arctic coasts of Alaska;

• Coast Pilot 10: Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and several U.S. Pacific territories.

This regional structure makes it possible to identify documentation corresponding to the intended navigation area.

Information supplementing nautical charts

A nautical chart provides a graphical representation of depths, hazards, soundings, navigation aids, coastlines, channels and other hydrographic information. A U.S. nautical publication provides complementary information in textual form.

The U.S. Coast Pilot, for example, describes channel characteristics, port approaches, currents, available facilities and certain local restrictions. It can also provide additional information concerning bridges, cables, anchorages, pilotage and towage.

This complementarity is important when planning coastal navigation or a port approach.

U.S. coastal navigation

Navigation along the U.S. coast can involve very different operating conditions depending on the region.

On the East Coast, navigators may encounter strong tidal currents, complex waterways in areas such as Chesapeake Bay, numerous estuaries and heavy commercial traffic around New York, Boston, Baltimore and Norfolk.

In the Gulf of Mexico, navigation is influenced by major port areas, offshore installations, approach channels, tropical weather and hurricane risks.

On the Pacific coast, approaches to ports such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach or Seattle present different conditions, including weather, swell, commercial traffic and coastal configuration.

Alaska introduces additional constraints related to remoteness, weather, ice and limited infrastructure in some areas.

Ports and maritime areas covered

U.S. publications can be useful when planning navigation to many major ports and maritime areas.

On the Atlantic coast, major ports include New York, Boston, Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah and Miami.

In the Gulf of Mexico, Houston, New Orleans, Mobile, Tampa and Corpus Christi are major maritime centres.

On the Pacific coast, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Seattle, Portland and San Diego are major areas of maritime activity.

In the U.S. Caribbean, publications also cover Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Coast Pilot 5 covers these areas together with the Gulf of Mexico.

The Great Lakes form another specialized navigation area, including Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario, together with connecting waters and the St. Lawrence River.

U.S. navigation regulations

Navigation in U.S. waters involves knowledge of international rules as well as federal and local requirements.

U.S. publications may contain information concerning navigation rules, waterways, local restrictions, bridges, regulated areas and requirements applicable to specific types of vessels.

The U.S. Coast Pilot includes information concerning federal regulations applicable to navigation. It is therefore useful for understanding not only the geographical characteristics of an area but also the operational rules associated with it.

U.S. navigation rules must also be distinguished according to whether a vessel is operating under the Inland Navigation Rules or in waters governed by the international collision-prevention regulations.

NOAA and the evolution of U.S. nautical charting

NOAA plays a central role in U.S. hydrographic surveying and nautical products. The recent transition in U.S. charting is important when considering current nautical documentation.

NOAA completed the discontinuation of traditional paper nautical charts and raster charts at the end of 2024. Traditional NOAA paper charts are therefore no longer the official chart product they once were. NOAA ENC products now form the core of official electronic chart production.

This transition does not mean that U.S. nautical publications have disappeared. Complementary publications such as the U.S. Coast Pilot continue to provide important textual and regulatory information for navigation.

Coast Pilot and information updates

Keeping nautical publications current is particularly important.

NOAA states that U.S. Coast Pilot information is regularly updated and that updates are now published online. Current publications indicate the date through which information has been updated, allowing navigators to determine the period covered by the edition being used.

This is particularly important for information that may change quickly:

• channel modifications;

• changes to navigation aids;

• new infrastructure;

• regulatory changes;

• port works;

• bridge modifications;

• changes to restrictions;

• new navigation areas;

• updated hazard information.

For professional navigation or international voyages, checking the edition and applicable corrections is therefore an essential part of voyage preparation.

Navigation on the Great Lakes

The Great Lakes form a particularly important part of U.S. nautical documentation. They constitute a vast navigable system linking major U.S. and Canadian ports.

Navigation in the Great Lakes has specific characteristics, including significant water-level variations, local currents, commercial traffic, winter conditions and possible ice.

Coast Pilot 6 covers the Great Lakes, connecting waters and the St. Lawrence River.

This documentation can therefore be relevant to navigators operating between ports such as Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, Duluth and the various ports of the St. Lawrence system.

Alaska, the Pacific and Hawaii

The U.S. Pacific regions encompass very different maritime environments.

The California coast, covered by Coast Pilot 7, includes major ports such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Alaska requires documentation paying particular attention to weather, remote waters, ice conditions and coastal characteristics. Coast Pilots 8 and 9 cover different parts of Alaska, extending into Arctic waters.

Coast Pilot 10 covers Oregon and Washington, as well as Hawaii and several U.S. Pacific territories.

Who uses U.S. nautical publications?

U.S. publications can be used by:

• sailors preparing a transatlantic passage;

• navigators undertaking voyages to the United States;

• Masters and merchant navy officers;

• commercial ship crews;

• fishing vessels;

• workboats;

• maritime transport professionals;

• pilots and port personnel;

• maritime instructors and training schools;

• Great Lakes navigators;

• professionals operating in Alaska or U.S. Pacific territories.

They are particularly useful when preparing a port approach, coastal passage, regional voyage or international voyage.

Essential complementary documentation

A U.S. publication does not replace the other information required for safe navigation. It forms part of a wider navigational documentation system including appropriate charts or ENCs, tide and current information, navigation aids, notices to mariners and applicable regulations.

Its value lies in the detailed textual and operational information it provides.

For a navigator preparing an Atlantic crossing to New York, an approach to Miami, a voyage in the Gulf of Mexico or a call at San Francisco, U.S. nautical publications provide information beyond the simple graphical representation of the coastline.

Conclusion

U.S. nautical publications are essential references for understanding and preparing navigation in U.S. waters. They cover very different environments, from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes, from Florida to Alaska and as far as Hawaii and certain U.S. Pacific territories.

The U.S. Coast Pilot occupies a central position within this documentation. Its ten regional volumes provide information on channels, anchorages, currents, tides, ports, bridges, hazards, weather, pilotage, towage and regulations applicable to navigation.

For professional navigators as well as offshore sailors, this documentation helps prepare coastal navigation, port approaches and international voyages to the United States. Regional knowledge combined with current documentation appropriate to the intended navigation area remains an essential part of voyage planning.

FAQ – U.S. Nautical Publications

What is a U.S. nautical publication?

A U.S. nautical publication is a document providing information useful for navigation in U.S. waters. It may cover ports, channels, currents, tides, anchorages, navigation aids, regulations and local conditions.

What is the U.S. Coast Pilot?

The U.S. Coast Pilot is a ten-volume series of U.S. nautical publications providing information that complements nautical charts for the U.S. coasts, Great Lakes, Alaska, Hawaii and certain U.S. territories.

How many U.S. Coast Pilot volumes are there?

The U.S. Coast Pilot is currently organized into ten regional volumes, numbered Coast Pilot 1 through Coast Pilot 10.

Does the U.S. Coast Pilot cover Florida?

Yes. Coast Pilot 4 covers the Atlantic coast from Cape Henry to Key West, while Coast Pilot 5 covers the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Which Coast Pilot covers New York?

Coast Pilot 2 covers the Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to Sandy Hook, including Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York.

Which Coast Pilot covers California?

Coast Pilot 7 covers the California coast.

Is there a Coast Pilot for the Great Lakes?

Yes. Coast Pilot 6 covers the Great Lakes, connecting waters and the St. Lawrence River.

Are NOAA paper nautical charts still published?

No. NOAA completed the discontinuation of traditional paper and raster nautical charts at the end of 2024. NOAA ENC products now form the principal official electronic charting product.

Why use a U.S. publication in addition to a nautical chart?

Because publications such as the U.S. Coast Pilot provide textual and operational information that is difficult to show on a chart, including port approaches, channels, currents, anchorages, pilotage, towage, bridges, hazards and local regulations.

Who uses U.S. nautical publications?

They are used by sailors, Masters, merchant navy officers, commercial crews, fishermen, workboat operators, port personnel, pilots, instructors and navigators preparing voyages in U.S. waters.

Why should a current edition be used?

Channels, navigation aids, port infrastructure, regulations and local conditions can change. NOAA regularly publishes updates to the U.S. Coast Pilot, making it important to check the edition and available corrections.