Distance Unit of Measure on the Great Lakes

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geoffschultz

geoffschultz

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Feb 3, 2009
280
Freedom 40/40 Rio Dulce, Guatemala
We've just worked our way down the Erie Canal and are now working our way through the Great Lakes to Milwaukee. I've been wondering what the unit of measure is on the Great Lakes (and basically in-land). Is it nautical miles (and knots) or statute mails (and MPH)? What's the rule covering this?

-- Geoff
 
kenn

kenn

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Apr 18, 2009
1,271
CL Sandpiper 565 Toronto
Great Lakes - on-water, it's still nautical miles and knots.

On land - in the US, the imperial system - miles etc; in Canada it's metric - kilometer (km)
 
RON20406

RON20406

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Jan 22, 2008
280
Hunter 25_73-83 NORTH POINT MARINA/WINTHROP HA IL
geoffschultz said:
We've just worked our way down the Erie Canal and are now working our way through the Great Lakes to Milwaukee. I've been wondering what the unit of measure is on the Great Lakes (and basically in-land). Is it nautical miles (and knots) or statute mails (and MPH)? What's the rule covering this?

-- Geoff
Click to expand
Geoff, Statute miles are the unit of measurement on inland waterways and the Great Lakes.. . Nautical miles for coastal areas and the open ocean. Refer to Chapman's for explanation. Best, Ron
 
geoffschultz

geoffschultz

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Feb 3, 2009
280
Freedom 40/40 Rio Dulce, Guatemala
rognvald said:
Geoff, Statute miles are the unit of measurement on inland waterways and the Great Lakes.. . Nautical miles for coastal areas and the open ocean. Refer to Chapman's for explanation. Best, Ron
Click to expand
That's pretty much what we had figured out. I asked several locals and none of them knew the answer.

-- Geoff
 
Roger Long

Roger Long

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Nov 22, 2008
3,562
Endeavour 32 Portland, Maine
geoffschultz said:
I asked several locals and none of them knew the answer.
Click to expand
I think the answer will be on your charts. There will be a paper scale but the actual scale of the chart itself will be expressed as (something) : (SM or NM).

When I went on the delivery of my research vessel through the Great Lakes to MD, I don't remember hearing any mention of this by the local professional crew. We were very interested in the speed as the boat had just been launched and I never heard SM mentioned.
 
Scott B

Scott B

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Sep 20, 2006
2,952
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
kenn said:
Great Lakes - on-water, it's still nautical miles and knots.

On land - in the US, the imperial system - miles etc; in Canada it's metric - kilometer (km)
Click to expand
Except the larger scale Canadian charts from CHS are METRIC. Otherwise CHS charts are nm and depth in feet.

All depends on which side of the pond you get your charts.
 
higgs

higgs

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Aug 24, 2005
3,704
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
Some Canadian charts are in meters, some in feet. Do what Roger says - check the legend.
 
geoffschultz

geoffschultz

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Feb 3, 2009
280
Freedom 40/40 Rio Dulce, Guatemala
I'm not worried about depth. Charts are all over the place. I was even looking at one yesterday that was in feet to 30' and the fathoms past that...WHY? Never mind...

And if you look at the charts, the provide scales for statute mile, NM, yards and meters. The charts are charts. They're not locked to any distance scale.

However, when you're on a canal (such as the Erie or Oswego) or the ICW, distances are measured in statute miles. I also note that guide books for the Great Lakes use statute miles on distance charts. I was wondering what the standard unit of measure is for inland navigation. I suspect that rognavald is correct. My Chapmans is at home, so I can't look it up.

-- Geoff
 
C

Canukwi

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Jun 5, 2004
29
- - Manitowoc
Feet and metres.

I have charts of the North Channel in Ontario and side by side charts can have one in feet and the next in metres. I check every one then write in bold letters on the chart what it is so that I don't screw up.
 
Ken Palmer

Ken Palmer

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Dec 3, 2003
544
None None Rochester, NY
All distances in the Lake Ontario PORTS book are given in nautical miles. If you are doing any cruising on Lake Ontario, the PORTS book is a must.
 
RON20406

RON20406

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Jan 22, 2008
280
Hunter 25_73-83 NORTH POINT MARINA/WINTHROP HA IL
statute vs. nautical miles/Great Lakes

geoffschultz said:
We've just worked our way down the Erie Canal and are now working our way through the Great Lakes to Milwaukee. I've been wondering what the unit of measure is on the Great Lakes (and basically in-land). Is it nautical miles (and knots) or statute mails (and MPH)? What's the rule covering this?

-- Geoff
Click to expand
Geoff, I looked at my NOAA Lake Michigan charts this evening. They use statute miles as the unit of measurement. Best, Ron
 
Scott B

Scott B

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Sep 20, 2006
2,952
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Canukwi said:
I have charts of the North Channel in Ontario and side by side charts can have one in feet and the next in metres. I check every one then write in bold letters on the chart what it is so that I don't screw up.
Click to expand

Only in Canada eh.... good thing we're a metric country and still us imperial for most of our measurements :confused::confused:

I forgot there is a chart of the North Channel, same scale as the strip charts, that is in metric... go figure.... :cussing:
 
RichBone

RichBone

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Sep 25, 2008
992
Oday 25 Gibraltar
My NOAA Chartbook of St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, Detroit River is in yards and statute miles.

Rich
 
zeehag

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
on the chart should be the little numberd delineating depth. there is a letter after that number. what is it?? is it f? or F? or m? or what?? usually charts are in fathoms.(paper). the gps isprogrammable, isnt it? doesnt it have a lil doohikkie saying how you want it to read??
i know the speed part is..lol....if is a f=feet if is F=fathoms. "feet not fathoms inland"...(old rule taught by tallshipman, us merchant marines.)

isnt there a key on the chart for distance??? i thought there was--
 
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