There are marinas that rise in the middle of nowhere, along almost uninhabited coasts, far from everything. Conversely, there are urban landings, positioned in the middle of coasts rich in activity, or even in the center of a city: this is the case with our Genoa marina, with berths located just a few steps from the historic palaces of the Superba. Whether they are marinas embraced by nature or historic city ports, in all cases, the approach toward the mooring must be careful and informed, as risks increase when approaching the mainland: traffic grows, possible obstacles multiply, prohibitions appear, and so on. It is therefore not surprising at all that there are nautical charts specifically designed to provide precise and updated information on coastal navigation, with particular attention to marinas, anchorages, and other anchorages. In this article, we will therefore explain what a pilot book is and why it is so important for mariners, even in the presence of electronic devices such as nautical GPS.
Before Modern Nautical Charts: Periplus
Mariners have always required information to navigate safely, especially near the coast. It is therefore not surprising that, looking into the history of nautical cartography, the oldest examples show similarities precisely with pilot books. The first instruments of this type were called “peripli” by the Romans and Greeks, indicating texts that contained descriptions of entire sea voyages; which, given the characteristics of the vessels of the time, were almost exclusively represented by coastal navigation.
Over time, these texts gradually became more detailed, providing readers with an increasingly rich and organized information system. During the Middle Ages, we find examples that are now close to the modern pilot book. Among these, the “Compasso da navegare” has come down to us—a textual guide accompanied by a nautical chart for navigating the Mediterranean, dating back to the thirteenth century.
But what exactly is a pilot book today, and why is it so important for those approaching a marina for the first time?
What a Pilot Book Is Today
That the primary subject of a pilot book is marinas is explicit from the very etymology of the name of this publication. Those who have no familiarity with nautical cartography should know that a pilot book is a printed publication, an actual book, which collects within it all the information necessary to navigate safely along the stretch of coast covered.
A peculiarity of the pilot book is, in fact, that it focuses on relatively short stretches of coastline, so as to provide abundant and precise information.
How a Pilot Book Is Structured
Drawing at least in part on the tradition of the periplus, the contemporary pilot book is not limited to providing nautical charts. Reading the index of any publication of this type, one can observe that there are several sections present: even before presenting the various cartographic plates, there are typically chapters dedicated to the distances between fundamental points of interest as well as main routes, followed by sections dedicated to safety at sea and meteorology.
Thus, anyone purchasing a pilot book to navigate the Ligurian Sea can discover, among other things, that in the Gulf of Genoa, when a low-pressure area forms in winter, the presence of the Tramontana wind accompanied by precipitation is typical. Or again, looking toward the Riviera di Ponente—and thus the stretch of sea from the port of Genoa to the French border—one discovers that in summer, a sea breeze from the Southeast is typical, which is replaced at sunset by a light land breeze. These are some of the information normally contained in a pilot book, together with the cartographic plates of the area, the main contacts for safety at sea, and quick reference guides.
Differences Between Pilot Books and Nautical Charts
For centuries, there was no distinction between pilot books and nautical charts: only in the modern era did the need arise for two different tools, one for general navigation and one more specific for movements in the immediate vicinity of the coast, toward a marina or another landing. It is worth emphasizing that in no case does the pilot book replace the nautical chart—or vice versa: they are complementary and parallel tools that must be used together for safe and fully informed navigation. Ideally, the mariner should draw the necessary information for safe navigation from the nautical chart (paper or digital), the relevant pilot book, and, of course, from direct observation of the coast, traffic, and meteorological phenomena.
FAQ on Pilot Books
Which pilot books should I buy?
The recreational boater should always have the pilot book for the reference area on board: it follows that, for example, those planning a cruise in the Mediterranean must obtain in advance the pilot book or books for the coasts they wish to explore, based on the stops planned between marinas and anchorages.
Which edition should I choose?
There are several editions of pilot books on the market: bookstores specializing in travel and maritime culture normally present a rather wide range of pilot books from different publishers. These range from the official pilot books of the Navy Hydrographic Institute, the only ones in Italy with legal value, to the famous pilot books by Rod Heikell, published by Imray (in English) and Il Frangente (in Italian); furthermore, there are the unique pilot books by Mauro Mancini, the concise descriptions by Edizioni Magnamare, and so on.
Is it mandatory to have a pilot book on board the boat?
The answer to this question is not entirely simple. Let us start from the premise that in the regulations, there is no direct and explicit reference to the obligation to have a pilot book on board; we know, in fact, that the obligation to have nautical charts on board (including electronic ones) applies beyond 12 miles; but we also know that ministerial texts indicate the pilot book as “the necessary complement to nautical charts as it contains that information useful to the mariner that cannot be included on them.” One could therefore view the pilot book as a mandatory supplement to nautical charts for navigation beyond 12 miles.