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It's all about information. As professional mariners we need accurate, up-to-date information to safely navigate our nation's waterways. This information comes from many sources - charts, light lists, notices to mariners, radio conversations with others, our own local knowledge -- but the most important information comes from what we can see. Our most important sense is our sense of sight and our seaman's eye our best source of information. The problem with visual information is that it is easily disrupted by nightfall and bad weather. We can overcome darkness to some extent with searchlights and aids to navigation equipped with |
reflecting panels or lights. Real trouble is encountered in poor visibility when your searchlight cannot penetrate the rain or fog. Here is where radar becomes invaluable as a substitute for visual references. Even so, radar is configured to display information visually -- we look at the screen to see what is out there and what is changing. Radar is a powerful tool that lets us see things that we could not otherwise see, due to darkness or bad weather; and to make measurements. Those measurements of range and bearing allow us to navigate and avoid collisions. The use of radar information on the river is what this book is all about. The Coast Guard has established radar training requirements for towboat operators and regulations requiring the installation of radar equipment on uninspected towing vessels. When we set out to design our radar observer courses, we found that all of the reference books were written for blue water mariners. Blue water mariners use radar primarily for collision avoidance so the texts were laden with material on transfer plotting techniques -- but not a word on why hopper barges are so troublesome. Our task became to write a new reference, one that would provide inland mariners with the right kind of information for their unique operating environment. This is the third edition of The River Radar Manual. We've learned a lot during three years of teaching radar to river and inland mariners. The things we've learned are reflected in the changes and improvements within. The book is organized to follow the flow of the course. We've added space for you to take notes as you go along. You will find this text very useful as a companion to classroom instruction and later as a ready reference in the wheel house. W. D. Kline |
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