Passage Plan Template
v2.0
Purpose. Masters use this template to plan any passage beyond the harbour limits so that route, hazards, tides, fuel, contingencies and communications are thought through and briefed before departure.
1.Using this template
A passage plan must be completed for every voyage beyond harbour limits and for any harbour job in restricted visibility or unusual conditions. The plan must be briefed to the crew, signed by the master and filed with the job record.
2.Appraisal
Gather the charts, tide tables, forecast, notices to mariners and the vessel's operating limits. Confirm the passage is within the operational area of the certificate of operation and the master's certificate of competency.
3.Planning
Lay off the route with waypoints, courses and distances, note hazards, shallow water, traffic separation and restricted areas, calculate tidal windows for bars and shallow passages, and estimate fuel with a reserve of at least 25 per cent.
4.Contingencies
Identify ports of refuge and safe anchorages along the route, the conditions that would trigger a diversion, and the actions for engine failure, person overboard, medical emergency and deteriorating weather.
5.Communications
Set the reporting schedule with the base, the VHF channels to monitor, the coast radio station and the time at which the base will raise the alarm if no contact is made.
6.Execution and monitoring
Record the departure time, the crew and the passengers. Monitor position at each waypoint, log any deviation, and update the base at each scheduled contact.