What is a FLOAT PLAN

Lake Pontchartrain
Sail & Power Squadron
A unit of The United States Power Squadron®

If you are going for just a few hours on your boat, let someone know where you expect to be and when you expect to return. If you plan a longer cruise, leave a copy of a written float plan with your marina, yacht club, or friend. A float plan includes a description of your boat, who is on board, a description of the safety equipment you are carrying, where you expect to be, and when you expect to be there. Instruct the person holding the float plan to notify the Coast Guard or other appropriate agency if you do not return within a reasonable time after your scheduled arrival (taking into account weather, etc.). When you arrive at your destination, or if your plans change, notify the person holding your float plan to avoid unnecessary worry and possible waste of search and rescue resources. There is no special or offical form that you must use for a float plan, though you may find convenient pre-printed ones available in boating supply stores and catalogs, or you can generate a customized form using our Float Plan template. Do not attempt to file the form with the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard will not accept float plans.

The USPS template is a flexible tool for helping you generate a customized float plan. You may use it in several different ways.

You can fill in all the information needed, "Generate" the plan and print the results.
You can fill in only the information which will not be changing, "Generate" the plan, and print the results. You can then fill in information on your customized paper forms as needed.
You can generate a customized form as above and then SAVE the generated template as a local file on your machine. You can then open your local template in your browser any time you need a plan, type in the missing information and print your plan. Or, if you want to generate a new local template, you can open your local template in your browser, add or change the "fixed" information, "Generate" a new plan, and SAVE the new template in your local machine. Note: The default save name will be "fplan.cgi", however, you should change it to "fplan.htm" so it will be easier to recall.

Naval Research Lab Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System, NOGAPS. Excellent site for very detailed weather charts with 144 hour long range forecasting, surface pressure, sea temperature, wind velocity etc..

National Data Buoy Center Provides information regarding buoys.

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Other weather with good information

www.accuweather.com/weatherf/index_corp

www.weather.com/weather/cities/us_fl_bradenton.html

http://www.marineweather.com

TIDES

www.tides.com/cgi-bin/tcweb.exe This is the only site we have found that will give you the forecast free of charge and without having to download a program to run it.

Complete this form before boating and leave it with a reliable person who can be depended upon to notify the Coast Guard or other rescue organization in case you do not return as scheduled. Do not try to file this form with the Coast Guard, they do not accept float plans. A word of caution: In case you are delayed, and it is not an emergency, inform those with your float plan, the police and/or Coast Guard of your delay in order to avoid an unnecessary search!

Person filing this plan

Name:
Telephone:(Including area code)

Description of boat
Type:	Other:
Hull Color:
Trim Color:
State/Registration Number:
Length in feet:
Name:
Make/Model/Year:

Persons Onboard
Include yourself!
Name	Age	Address	Telephone

Engines
Type: Horse Power: Number of engines: Fuel Capacity in gals:

Survival Equipment (Check as Appropriate):

PFDs		Flares		Signal Mirror		Horn		Smoke Signals		Flashlight
Raft or Dinghy		EPIRB *		Paddles		Food		Water		Anchor(s)

* Frequency's: VHF-FM 15/16 121.5 MHZ 406 MHZ

Radio:
Type (Check as Appropriate)	Marine VHF: SSB: CB: Cell Phone:
Frequencies/Channels used:
Call sign/number:

Trip expectations
Leaving from:
Going To:
Leaving(Date)
Leaving(Time)
Return by(Date)
Return by(Time)
But no later than(Date)
But no later than(Time)

Other Pertinent Information:
(If you want more than 6 blank lines, use enter to generate them)

Automobile
Make/Model/Year:
Color(s):
State/License Number:
Trailer State/License Number:
Where Parked:

If not returned by
Date
Time
CALL
Coast Guard		Tel #
or, Local Authority (Name)		Tel #

Comments and suggestions are welcome:
email to Webmaster
® " United States Power Squadrons", "USPS", the USPS Ensign Flag Design, the "Wheel-and-Ensign" Design, "The Ensign", the "Trident" Design, "The Squadron", "Boat Smart" and "Jet Smart" are Registered Trademarks of United States Power Squadrons, Inc.

This page was last updated on 29July02